Core, Capacity Building and Capital supports explained
· Plans and funding · Source checked 12 October 2026
NDIS plans have traditionally been organised into three kinds of budget. Here is what each is generally for, and why the difference matters when you spend.
Three kinds of budget
NDIS funding has traditionally been grouped into Core supports, Capacity Building supports and Capital supports. Each has a different purpose and different rules about how it can be spent. The NDIA has been changing how budgets are described in some plans, so treat this as a guide and check what your own plan says.
Core supports: everyday help
Core supports help with everyday activities: personal care, household tasks, consumables, transport and taking part in social and community life. This is usually the largest part of a budget. Core budgets are often the most flexible of the three, which means funds may be able to be used across several core categories, depending on your plan.
Capacity Building: skills and independence
Capacity Building supports aim to build skills and independence over time. They include therapies, support coordination, help with finding work, and skills training. These budgets are typically more tightly tied to specific purposes, so funds in one category usually cannot be moved to another.
Capital: equipment and modifications
Capital supports are larger, one-off or less frequent items: assistive technology, home modifications and specialist housing. They are usually funded for a specific item or purpose, and may need assessments or quotes before they are approved.
Why this matters when you spend
Knowing which budget a support comes from helps you plan across the year, avoid running out early and understand why a provider may say a service is not available from a particular category. If you are unsure which budget a support belongs to, ask your plan manager, support coordinator or the NDIA. This is general information, not advice.
When a support is declined
If a provider or plan manager says a support cannot be paid from a particular budget, ask which budget they believe it belongs to and why. Sometimes it is a matter of a different support item or category; sometimes it genuinely is not funded in your plan.
If you think it should be, write down what you need and why, then ask your support coordinator or the NDIA how to request a change. Keep in mind that an item needs to be related to your disability and be reasonable and necessary, so evidence from a professional can make a real difference.
Frequently asked questions
What are Core, Capacity Building and Capital supports?
NDIS funding has traditionally been grouped into three budgets with different purposes and rules. Core supports help with everyday activities, Capacity Building supports build skills and independence over time, and Capital supports are larger, one-off or less frequent items such as assistive technology, home modifications and specialist housing. The NDIA has been changing how budgets are described in some plans, so check what your own plan says.
Can I move money between budgets?
Core budgets are often the most flexible, so funds may be able to be used across several core categories, depending on your plan. Capacity Building budgets are typically more tightly tied to specific purposes, so funds in one category usually cannot be moved to another.
What if a provider says a support cannot be paid from a budget?
Ask which budget they believe it belongs to and why. Sometimes it is a matter of a different support item or category; sometimes it genuinely is not funded in your plan. If you think it should be, write down what you need and why, then ask your support coordinator or the NDIA how to request a change.
Keep learning
- NDIS jargon explained: the terms you will hear and what they mean: Plans, supports, coordinators, managers, registered providers: a plain-language glossary of the words that come up most often.
- Keeping records of your NDIS supports: a simple system: Good records make plan reviews, claim queries and changes of provider far easier. Here is a light-touch way to keep them.
- Your first month with a new NDIS plan: what to do and in what order: A new plan can feel like a pile of unknowns. Here is a sensible order for reading it, setting things up and starting supports.
- NDIS or My Aged Care: which system supports you?: Two government systems support people with disability and older people. Here is how to think about which one applies and what to do if you are not sure.
More in our NDIS updates and insights, our step-by-step guides, or the NDIS and aged care provider directory.
Official sources
Source checked 12 October 2026. Rules and guidance can change; verify current details with the responsible agency. How we write and check our guides.