Answers to questions on changes to flexible funding.
On this page
Who do I contact if I have further questions?
If you can’t find the information you need on the DSS website, talk to your host if you have one. If you don’t have a host, talk to your NASC or EGL site.
What changed on 1 April 2026?
What changed on 1 April 2026?
On 1 April 2026, the current purchasing rules for flexible funding were removed, including the 2024 changes. This applied to:
- Individualised funding
- Enhanced Individualised Funding
- Hosted Enabling Good Lives (EGL) Personal Budgets
- Carer Support.
People’s allocated budgets for their flexible funding did not change.
Hosts provide support to help people manage their Individualised Funding or hosted EGL personal budgets.
People with Carer Support continue to make claims through Health New Zealand.
Note that the purchasing rules still apply to Choice in Community Living – this is under review.
Do the Purchasing Rules still apply if I’m claiming for something purchased before 1 April 2026?
If you bought something before 1 April 2026, the Purchasing Rules still apply – even if you submit your claim after 1 April 2026.
You can still submit a claim, but it will be assessed based on the rules that applied when the purchase was made.
The Purchasing Rules do not apply for purchases made on or after 1 April 2026.
Did my funding plan change on 1 April?
No. If you use flexible funding, your current plan continues for now – whether that’s an Individual Service Plan, Enabling Good Lives Funding Plan or My DSS Funding Plan.
Over time, everyone who gets flexible funding will move to the My DSS Funding Plan. This will happen at your next review or reassessment.
When will I move to a new My DSS Funding Plan?
Over time, everyone who gets flexible funding will move to the My DSS Funding Plan. This will happen at your next review or reassessment after 1 April 2026.
The My DSS Funding Plan is part of the nationally-consistent assessment and allocation approach for DSS-funded supports, introduced in February 2026.
The My DSS Funding Plan helps you understand what funding you have, what the funding is intended for, and the outcomes the funding is meant to support. It helps guide and plan how your flexible funding is used.
Can I continue to employ family members as support workers?
Yes. If you currently employ family members to support you, this won’t change.
Why don’t the 1 April changes apply to Choice in Community Living?
We are looking at Choice in Community Living separately and no decisions have been made yet.
Do I still need a Community Services Card for Household Management funding?
Yes. You still need to have a Community Services Card to receive an allocation of Household Management.
What flexible funding can be used for
Now that the purchasing rules are removed, are there limits to what I can purchase?
While you have more control over your choice of supports, you still need to:
- use your flexible funding for supports that match the purpose in your funding plan
- keep within the allocated budget
- keep records such as receipts, invoices, and any employment records if you hire support workers
- provide receipts and invoices to your host
- seek prior approval for some purchases.
- Some items are prohibited, such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling or illegal activities.
For more information go to Flexible funding from 1 April | Disability Support Services.
How do I know what I can get with my flexible funding? Is there a list of approved things?
There is no set list of approved items, activities or services. The key question is does the purchase:
- relate to your disability support needs
- align with the purposes in your funding plan
- help manage the impact of the disability (for you or your carer)
- stay within your budget?
This means what the thing is USED for, may be more important than what it actually IS.
For example, supports might be used to help:
- connect with others or take part in your community
- build independence or skills
- take a break from caring or sustain the caring role.
Everyone’s situation is different, so what works for one person may not be right for another. If you’re unsure, talk to your host, NASC or EGL site — they can help you check whether something fits your plan and support needs.
Things to keep in mind:
- Some purchases need prior approval, such as overseas travel, equipment, complementary therapies, or high-cost items.
- You need to check if another government agency can provide the service.
- You cannot use flexible funding for drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling or illegal activities.
For more information go to Flexible funding from 1 April | Disability Support Services.
For examples go to Examples of using flexible funding.
Can I use my funding for domestic travel, outside my region?
Yes, provided it meets your disability related needs and aligns with your My DSS Funding Plan. Talk to your host or NASC or EGL site if you are unsure.
Can I use flexible funding for supports provided by other government services?
Sometimes a support may also be available through another government service.
It is expected that a person and their host or NASC first explore whether these services could adequately provide the support, before deciding to use flexible funding. The spending still needs to match the purpose of their plan and their disability needs.
This doesn’t mean you can’t use flexible funding - it just helps you make the best use of your available funding.
Your host, NASC, or EGL site can help you look at the options and record what’s been considered.
Can funding be used for therapy or support provided during school hours?
Where support may be available through another government agency such as Education or Health NZ, you do need to explore that option first. However, if not suitable, then flexible funding could be used – as long as it’s in line with the purpose of your funding plan, budget and disability support needs. Your host, NASC or EGL site can help with this.
What is an example of therapy as opposed to community activities?
An example of this is 'Art therapy' which is a professional mental health discipline combining psychotherapy with creative processes, such as drawing, painting, or sculpting. This is a way for people to improve emotional, physical, and cognitive well-being. A community painting class focuses on learning painting skills or connecting with others.
What does `exploring supports through other government agencies’ mean?
Exploring supports through other government agencies means checking to see if other government agencies, such as the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Health, offer supports that are similar, or would achieve the purpose needed.
If these supports are not available in a timely manner or if the funded supports do not (fully) meet your needs, you can then use your available funding. You should also make sure aligns with the 'Purchasing Operational Policy' and your funding plan.
Can funding be used to cover specialist medication reviews or private health professionals?
Health Services are typically funded by Health New Zealand. However, there may be circumstances where this may be appropriate, where they fall within the purpose of your My DSS Funding Plan and align with your disability support needs.
You must also ensure that the remaining budget will be able to cover your disability supports for the remainder of their funding period. Consistent with the Operational Policy in certain circumstances, pre-approval will be required.
Discuss this with your host, NASC or EGL site.
If the purchase I want to make isn’t in my plan, what then? Who approves it?
- You can change the supports within your plan at any point in the year, as long as it still aligns with the relevant purpose in your funding plan, and you communicate this with your host. This is intended to give you choice and control.
- An example would be if you decide you would like to use a piece of equipment rather than have a support worker to assist with cooking.
- However, if the purpose in your funding plan needs to change, you should contact your NASC or EGL site to update your plan.
What can flexible funding NOT be used for?
Flexible funding cannot be used for drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling or illegal activities.
Prior approval and making claims
What spending needs prior approval?
- Overseas travel
- Equipment
- Complementary therapies
- Repeat purchases of similar items before the expected life of the item has expired
- One-off purchases over the approval limit. For most people, the approval limit is $1,500. For a few people who have the highest level of host support, the approval limit is $500.
For more information go to Flexible funding from 1 April | Disability Support Services.
What is the process to get prior approval for a large purchase or other things that need it?
For Carer Support:
- Prior approval is given by your NASC or EGL site.
- If a purchase needs prior approval, you should first discuss it with your NASC or EGL site. If the NASC/EGL site gives approval, they will send it in writing to you or your carer. This should be attached to the claim for the Carer Support payments team.
For Individualised Funding or hosted Enabling Good Lives Personal Budgets:
- Prior approval is given by hosts – so you need to discuss the purchase first with your host.
If I am claiming for a support outside of my funding plan, can my host ask for further information?
- The host may talk with you about why you want to purchase the item, and any potential consequences of that purchase. The host may ask you for more information to ensure the support fits within the DSS Operational Policies.
Who completes the self-verification template?
If you are in Tier one for host support, you or your agent need to complete the self-verification template. If you like, the host can support you to do this.
What is meant by ‘equipment’ - in relation to spending that needs prior approval?
When we’re talking about equipment that needs prior approval before using flexible funding, this is:
- Tools, devices and products that support a disabled person’s functioning, independence, safety, or participation in daily life.
Who will approve overseas travel funding?
This will be approved by the host if you have Hosted Flexible Funding, and by the NASC or EGL site if you have Carer Support; or by the EGL site if you have an EGL Personal Budget.
Host support
What will my host do?
Hosts provide guidance, coaching, and oversight if you have have hosted flexible funding (either Individualised Funding or hosted EGL personal budgets).
Hosts provide different tiers of support depending on the your situation.
Support from hosts can include guidance and coaching with planning, keeping records, budgeting, employing workers (if relevant), and ensuring spending fits people’s plans and budgets.
For more information: Tiered host guidance for managing flexible funding.
What are the support tiers?
Support tiers describe how much help you receive from your host to manage your flexible funding. There are four support tiers. Everyone receives some support. The tier simply reflects how much guidance you may need.
For more information: Tiered host guidance for managing flexible funding.
Why have support tiers been introduced?
Support tiers help make sure people receive the right level of support to manage their funding confidently. For some people this will be light‑touch support, while others may have more frequent guidance.
For more information: Tiered host guidance for managing flexible funding.
Will my support tier affect how much funding I receive?
No. Your support tier does not affect how much funding you receive. It only affects the level of guidance your host provides, and how frequently they check in with you.
For more information: Tiered host guidance for managing flexible funding.
How will my support tier be decided?
Your support tier will be based on things like your experience managing flexible funding, how much funding you receive, and how much guidance you need.
Your support tier can change over time if your situation changes or if you need more or less guidance. The goal is to provide the right level of help for your situation.
For more information: Tiered host guidance for managing flexible funding.
What if I don’t want support from a host?
Everyone who uses hosted flexible funding will receive some level of support from their host. This helps people manage their funding, keep records, and make sure spending stays within their allocated budget and funding plan.
The level of support depends on a person’s support tier, which reflects things like their experience managing flexible funding and their situation.
Managing your funding
What happens if I use up my funding allocation before the end of my budget period?
it is important to manage your spending so it stays within your allocation and the purpose set out in your funding plan.
If required, your host will help you manage this by:
- monitoring spending against your allocated budget
- reviewing purchases with you
- helping you plan how to use your funding over time.
If your needs or situation change, you should talk with your host, NASC or Enabling Good Lives site, who can discuss whether your supports need to be reviewed.
How can I track my remaining budget to avoid overspending?
A host's role is to guide you to manage your flexible funding within budget. They can monitor spending against your allocated budget, review purchases with you and help you plan how to use your funding. If you are unsure how much funding you have available, speak to your host or EGL site.
If you disagree with a decision
What if I disagree with a decision about my funding, host tier level or claim?
If you disagree with your funding allocation or your host tier level, you should talk to the NASC or EGL site to try to reach a solution or seek a review of decision. All NASCs and EGL sites have processes for this. You can also find out more about how tiers are decided on the DSS website: Tiers of host guidance – how a tier is decided.
If you are unhappy with a decision about your claim, first talk with your host to see if you can resolve the issue. Hosts have processes in place where there are disputes, which include internal and external reviews, before referral to DSS.
There is more information about seeking reviews or complaints on the DSS website. Complaints about disability support services.