Planned changes to flexible funding are now in place – giving disabled people more choice and control over how they use their funding.
On this page
From 1 April:
Choice and control: The purchasing rules for flexible funding no longer apply.
Guidance: There will be different tiers of guidance for people to manage their flexible funding.
Funding continues: People’s flexible funding budgets stay the same – they do not change in April.
These changes reflect what we have heard from the disability community.
The changes are possible because of work since 2024 to make the disability support system more stable, fair and consistent.
The April changes affect people who get flexible funding. This includes Individualised Funding, Enhanced Individualised Funding, Carer Support and hosted Enabling Good Lives Personal Budgets. (It does not apply to Choice in Community Living.)
More choice and control
The purchasing rules for flexible funding have been removed – this includes the March 2024 changes.
You must still use your flexible funding in line with your funding plan and disability needs – but you have more choice over what supports work for you. This includes respite options for carers.
You also need to:
- stay within your budget
- keep good records, including receipts, invoices
- talk with your host before using your flexible funding for certain things, such as overseas travel, equipment, complementary therapies, or items over a set limit. For most people, the approval limit is $1,500. For a few people who have frequent support from their host, the approval limit is $500.
Flexible funding cannot be used for drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling or illegal activities.
Guidance
Support and guidance are an important part of these changes. This is about helping people plan and manage their funding.
Hosts will provide guidance for people with hosted flexible funding (including Individualised Funding, Enhanced Individualised Funding, or hosted Enabling Good Lives personal budgets).
There are four tiers which describe how often your host will check in and how much guidance you receive.
For some it will be light touch, while others will have frequent support.
If you receive hosted flexible funding, your host will be in touch with you about your tier and guidance sometime after 1 April.
Your tier does not change the amount of funding you get.
Funding stays the same
Your allocated budgets for flexible funding will continue the same as now.
This means your current flexible funding allocations do not change in April.
Your funding plan
Your funding plan guides how you use your flexible funding.
Your current funding plan will continue 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 a new My DSS Funding Plan, making the purposes of your funding clearer. This will happen at your next reassessment with your NASC or Enabling Good Lives site.
If you are not sure about the purposes of your funding set out in your plan, talk to your host, NASC or Enabling Good Lives site.
Your next reassessment
All NASCs and Enabling Good Lives sites now use the same approach to assess people’s needs and allocate funding for support.
This improvement means everyone has a consistent experience, no matter where they live – making access to funding fairer and clearer. If you get flexible funding already, you will experience this at your next reassessment.
More information
For more information on flexible funding from 1 April 2026 go to our flexible funding page.