What to do if your NDIS funding isn’t covering what you need 

When NDIS funding is not covering essential supports, it is usually because the plan no longer reflects current needs. This happens when health changes, informal supports break down, or risks at home increase without being captured in the plan. 

Running out of funding is not a budgeting failure. It is a planning issue that needs to be addressed. Here is how to approach it. 

Start by pinpointing where the plan falls short. This step matters more than it gets credit for. 

In practice, funding issues usually show up in the same areas: personal care hours that no longer maintain safety, daily living supports that do not match actual routines or increasing reliance on family support that was never designed to be ongoing. 

Being precise at this stage sets the tone for everything that follows. Vague dissatisfaction is hard to act on, but clear gaps are not. 

Before escalating to the NDIA, take a close look at how the plan is operating in real life. 

This includes checking how quickly Core Supports are being used, whether support hours align with peak need times, and whether funding is being stretched across too many competing priorities. Often, the issue is not overspending, but underestimation at planning stage. 

A practical review can reduce immediate pressure while longer term changes are pursued. 

The NDIA reassesses plans when there is evidence that funded supports are no longer reasonable and necessary. 

Funding is not increased because it has run out. It is increased when the plan no longer reflects reality. 

Evidence carries weight when it is current, specific and directly linked to support needs. 

Updated occupational therapy assessments, medical reports outlining functional changes, and documentation of risk or carer strain are all useful. What matters most is that the evidence explains how unmet needs affect safety, health or independence, not just that needs exist. 

When circumstances change, a reassessment can be requested at any point during the plan period. 

Strong requests clearly outline what has changed, why the current funding is no longer sufficient, and what adjustments are required. When this is done well, the process is smoother and outcomes are more predictable. 

Reassessments take time. Care needs do not pause while decisions are being made. 

This period is where risk increases. Supports may already be stretched, informal carers are compensating for funding gaps, and small issues escalate quickly when there is no buffer in place. The goal during this stage is not to solve everything but to maintain safety and stability until the plan reflects current needs. 

This usually means making deliberate short term adjustments. Rosters may need to be reworked to prioritise high risk times of day. Essential supports such as personal care and mobility assistance take precedence over non critical tasks. Assistive technology can sometimes reduce reliance on support hours, and clear limits around informal care help prevent burnout and injury. 

But keep in mind that these are just interim strategies and not long term solutions. This is also where experienced disability support providers play a critical role. Continuity of care matters during reassessment periods, particularly for participants with complex needs. 

Leora supports participants through these transitions by providing flexible in home disability supports that maintain safety and routine while plan changes are underway. This helps prevent gaps in care and reduces risk for both participants and their families. 

The aim is stability now, so longer term supports can be put in place without crisis. 

Unresolved funding gaps increase risk and place sustained pressure on families. Without adjustment, support often shifts from planned to reactive, with consequences that are difficult to unwind. 

At Leora Healthcare, we support participants and families when plans no longer reflect lived need. 

This includes: 

The focus is continuity, safety and sustainability. 

If your NDIS funding is no longer covering what you need, that is a signal to realign the plan, not to push through an unsustainable situation. 

We regularly support participants and families to assess whether plans still reflect current needs. If you would like a second set of eyes on your situation, our team can help.