Audio Coursesby JellypodLesson 17 of 17
Overview
Discover how the May 2025 shift to quarterly funding periods changes the game for NDIS budgeting. Learn practical spending strategies, rollover rules, and prioritising supports to keep plans on track and maximise participant outcomes.
Will, EnableUs Community: Alright, welcome back folks to another episode of The EnableUs Community Podcast.. You're with Will, and, as always, Winter’s here with me—hey Winter, ready to untangle another gnarly change?
Winter, EnableUs Community: Absolutely. This one’s pretty huge, actually – with the May 2025 updates, the game kinda shifts for everyone. So, if you’ve got a brand new or reassessed NDIS plan coming, you’ll notice this little thing called “three-month funding periods.” Basically, instead of having your whole budget available on day one, it gets chunked out into quarters.
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, so take that classic $20,000 annual funding—under the new setup, that means about $5,000 available per quarter. And if you don’t use all of it in, say, the first three months—like, let’s say you only spend $4,500—that leftover $500 just rolls into the next period. So, you get $5,500 for quarter two. It’s kinda like rollover data on your phone plan. But, and here’s where people get tripped up, that rollover only works while you’re in the same plan. Once your plan ends and you start a fresh one, that leftover dosh just *vanishes*.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Exactly, and it’s actually tripped up more people than you’d expect. I worked with a participant who thought the new quarterly limits meant she’d lose whatever she didn't spend by the end of each quarter. She was really anxious and front-loading her spending on supports just in case. Once we broke it down and showed her it was just a way to pace things across the year—not “use it or lose it” each quarter—she could plan better and actually spread her essential supports all year round.
Will, EnableUs Community: That confusion’s so common—I mean, who reads those dense NDIS emails all the way to the end? So, the big headline for providers and participants both is: use what you need each quarter, but you don't need to panic-spend every three months. Just don’t expect any leftovers when the plan rolls over into a brand new one.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and I’d add—if your plan review’s coming and you’ve built up a bit of a surplus, you might wanna think about any bigger supports or equipment you’ve put off, rather than letting those funds disappear. But always focus on what’s genuinely helpful for the individual, not just spending for the sake of it, right?
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and that takes us right into practical budgeting—which is where things often fall down. The stats show most people end up using only about 76–78% of their funds each year, but weirdly, it’s just as common to meet someone who burns through everything by, what, month eight?
Winter, EnableUs Community: Definitely. The real issue is pacing. So let’s say you’ve got that $20,000 plan. If you do the maths, that’s about $1,667 a month or $385 a week. The trick is: if you or your participants are blasting through, say, $500 a week on supports, that pool won’t last to the end. Catching those patterns early is so important.
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah—and look, I caught this with someone recently. We realised by week seven of the quarter, they’d already used almost the entire quarter's funds, mostly because there was a bump in support hours. We sat down, plotted out the remaining weeks versus available funds, and had a real talk about either dialling back frequency or finding ways to, you know, cluster some supports. It was awkward, but way less painful than a mid-year funding drought.
Winter, EnableUs Community: I find it helps to translate those numbers into something really concrete, like, “Hey, your current service usage gives you enough budget for 24 weeks, but your plan actually runs 52. Let’s brainstorm how to get to the finish line without stress.” And don’t forget the basics: encouraging participants to actually check their app or portal every week. Setting a regular calendar reminder—so simple, but honestly it’s a game-changer for so many people.
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and get the plan managers or support coordinators in the loop if you can. A lot of people get completely overwhelmed with the numbers, so a “second set of eyes” works wonders. No shame in sharing that load.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Absolutely. Regular budget check-ins make all the difference, especially for folks who tend to hold back spending from anxiety—or who worry they’ll run out. Addressing underspending is just as important as overspending, otherwise you’re missing out on supports you’re entitled to.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Let’s talk about something that helps across every funding period—really nailing down what’s “essential” versus “nice-to-have.” Every quarter, start with the must-haves: personal care, therapies, stuff that keeps things stable. Then look at whatever’s left for things like social outings or extra equipment. Start each quarter with the essentials mapped out, and work as a team from there.
Will, EnableUs Community: That’s the sweet spot, really. Like, if someone’s personal care takes $3,200 from their $5,000 quarterly budget, it’s pretty obvious you’ve got $1,800 for everything else. But it’s about more than just the maths—sometimes people front-load all their “wants” and then hit a wall when essentials come up short by the last month. We see it with underspending, too. If a participant barely uses funds, ask why. Maybe they don’t realise what else they can get, or they’re nervous booking new supports.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Exactly. Spots like this are where open provider-participant chats make all the difference. Flag the patterns: “Hey, we’re moving through this budget pretty quick—should we slow down a bit?” Or, “Hey, you still have funding, let’s explore what else could help.” Clear communication stops things festering until you’re stuck with nothing left—or support you didn’t actually need.
Will, EnableUs Community: And if you’re running into challenges that feel a bit much—like, if you’ve adjusted everything and someone’s still struggling to manage their funds—consider bringing in a support coordinator. They’ve got the know-how to create schedules, monitor allocations, and handle tricky conversations with the NDIA. Sometimes the best support you give is knowing when to call in extra help.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Don’t forget documentation along the way, too. If you keep notes on what worked and where things got tricky, plan reviews become way easier. It’s extra proof you’re using the budget well—and it helps participants explain why they might need a bump in funding, like if something’s changed mid-year.
Will, EnableUs Community: Totally. Helping people make smart decisions with their funding isn’t about locking things down, it’s about making sure the money works hard all year. If you can get that rhythm right, participant outcomes just skyrocket—and honestly, the headache factor for everyone drops way down. Thanks for hanging out with us this episode as we peeled back the layers on quarterly funding. Winter, looking forward to the next deep-dive—
Winter, EnableUs Community: —Absolutely, Will. If you’ve got questions or want us to unpack another tricky topic, let us know through the EnableUs Community. Take care, everyone, and see you in the next one!
