The changes are designed to make flexible funding easier to use.
- Purchasing guidelines, including the March 2024 changes, will be removed in 2026.
- You will be able to choose how you spend your flexible funding to address barriers linked your disability.
- You cannot use flexible funding to buy items such as alcohol, tobacco and gambling.
- A very limited number of purchases will require pre-approval. This includes international travel and one-off purchases above a set value limit.
You will get a budget so you know how much you can spend. You:
- are expected to manage within this budget
- will get guidance to help manage their budget.
You should contact your NASC or EGL site if your needs change.
Setting flexible funding budgets
From 1 April 2026, the purchasing guidelines, including the March 2024 changes, will be removed.
If you are already using flexible funding, you will be allocated a budget. This budget will be in place until your next reassessment.
Flexible budgets will be reallocated based on how much the person has spent in the past (between June 2023 – June 2025).
It will take time for the new system to be set up. A transition period is needed so that disabled people can benefit from increased flexibility as quickly as possible.