Navigating the NDIS can be challenging, particularly if you’re new to the scheme. It’s natural to be unsure about how to best use your funds. Or know exactly how to get the choice and control that you deserve.

We’ve collated some of the most common mistakes people make to help you get the most out of your plan.

We recommend avoiding these four mistakes:

1. Not using your plan

Once you have an NDIS plan, it’s essential to activate the plan and start using it. It’s there for your benefit after all.

Some participants, once they have a plan, delay the kickoff for a few months. This means that there’s less opportunity to spend the funding in meaningful ways. You may end up running out of time to use your funds and that can mean losing the chance to get a plan in the future.

It’s essential, that once your plan is approved, to begin using the funds.

2. Leaving funds unspent

 Your funds are there for your benefit and to help you achieve your NDIS goals. If you aren’t making the most of your funding or leaving it unspent, then you may not be thriving as much as you could. And your goals may not be getting met.

If you have funds left unspent, consider the following questions:

• Are you making things harder for yourself for no reason?
• Are you struggling to ask for help?
• Could you use more support?
• Are there ways you could better meet your NDIS goals?
• Do you need to make new NDIS goals?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of these, you may not be making the most of your plan.

3. Not understanding the NDIS

Some participants, and family members, find themselves understandably confused about the terms, requirements, and conditions of the NDIS and NDIA.

While there’s plenty of good information on the NDIS website, we know that interpreting and understanding all that information can take time.

That’s where having the right plan manager can make all the difference. Your plan manager should be keeping you updated when changes happen. They should also be there to help you with any questions you may have.

At myAutonomy, we’re always here to support you and answer queries.

4. Not embracing ‘choice and control’

As part of having an NDIS plan, you have the right to have the choice and control over how and where you use your funding –– assuming that aligns with your NDIS goals.

Your NDIS plan is designed to help you succeed. If you don’t feel you have choice and control, your plan may not be helping you in the way it could. Or your provider may not be enabling you to use your funds flexibly in the ways that benefit you the most.

At myAutonomy, we help participants use their funds flexibly to help every person thrive.

We’re here to help

Have a question about your NDIS plan? Reach out to our friendly team on 1300 60 33 89 or at [email protected]