Understanding Your NDIS Consumables Budget

When you receive your NDIS plan, it’s split into sections called budgets. Each part is designed to help with a different area of life, from everyday routines to longer-term goals. Understanding what these budgets mean and how they work can help you get more out of your plan and avoid confusion later.

What is the NDIS consumables budget

Within your plan, you’ll find three main funding categories. One of them is called Core Supports, and inside it sits the consumables budget. This category encompasses practical and small aspects that you have to deal with in order to cope with your disability. They often are basic, cheap objects that facilitate or protect everyday living.

The Core Supports budget in itself comprises four areas namely Assistance with Daily Life, Consumables, Social and Community Participation, and Transport. Each part supports a different need, but they all work together to help you maintain independence.

The consumables part is there to cover reasonable and necessary products, usually up to about $1,500, depending on your individual needs.

What are consumables

Consumables refer to products that you use daily in order to assist in your personal care, hygiene or daily living essentials. They tend to be low-risk products, and things that you may either consume in a short period of time or that may need frequent replenishment.

Some examples include:

• Gloves and hand sanitiser
• Face masks and wipes
• Continence aids like pads or catheters
• Wound care or cleaning supplies
• Modified cutlery, cups, or food-preparation tools
• Compression stockings
• Vision or hearing-related low-cost aids
• Bed and chair protectors
• Specialised nutrition or supplements
• Interpreting or Auslan training resources

Each item should connect directly to your disability support needs. For instance, if you don’t have a disability-related continence issue, then continence products wouldn’t be considered reasonable under your budget.

How does the consumables budget work

This part of your NDIS funding is quite flexible. You can choose where to spend it and what to buy, as long as it’s clearly linked to your disability and meets the “reasonable and necessary” rule. It is there to help the general cost of living more comfortably, not to substitute household expenses in general.

The thing is that the budget does not include such things as groceries, medications, or cosmetics products. This is to make sure that the funding is done on things that directly assist your everyday living due to your disability.

Where can you buy NDIS consumables

Consumables can usually be bought through both registered and unregistered providers. Many participants choose local shops, online stores, or pharmacies. If your plan is NDIA-managed, then you’ll need to make sure the supplier is a registered provider.

Plan-managed and self-managed participants have more freedom and can shop around for the best prices or convenience.

Buying through Support Network Direct

For people who want a simple way to buy online, there’s Support Network Direct – an online store offering a wide selection of NDIS consumables. You can order directly to your home if you’re self-managed or plan-managed.

On the site, you’ll find items like:

• Personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks
• Cleaning and hygiene supplies
• Continence support products
• Skin protection and wound care
• Wearable safety tech and monitoring devices
• Bundled packs with essential items

Each product available is suitable for purchase using your consumables budget if it’s linked to your support plan. It’s an easy way to stay stocked on the things you rely on most without having to leave home.

For details or to browse what’s available, you can visit www.supportnetwork.com.au.