Core Supports Budget: Transport

Core Supports are just what they sound like – the supports you may receive to help with everyday tasks, both at home and in the community. Your Core Supports funding may cover a range of supports, services and products across different categories:

1. Assistance with Daily Life
2. Transport
3. Consumables
4. Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation
5. Home and Living

While Core Supports are generally considered more flexible than Capacity Building Supports or Capital Supports, there are guidelines in place regarding what can and can’t be purchased for each category.

To better help you understand your NDIS plan, we’re taking an in-depth look at the Transport category in this article.

Can Core Supports be used for Transport?

Yes – Transport sits within its own category under Core Supports. Transport is designed to help you get to an activity or event. As an NDIS participant with transport funding, you can use this to access disability supports outside of your home and achieve the goals you’ve identified in your plan.

How does the funding work?

When you see transport funding in your NDIS plan, it will typically be available in one of two ways. They are:

• Plan Managed Transport: When you have plan managed transport included in your NDIS plan, your providers can invoice your plan manager directly for supports they deliver to you. If your plan managed transport budget has been created in the NDIA’s new computer system (PACE) it will typically be grouped with your flexible core funds.
• Recurring Transport: When you have recurring transport listed in your plan, the NDIA will pay you directly to your bank account. It’s up to you to use this funding for the transport related supports that you need. If your plan was built on the NDIA’s old computer system, this budget will be listed as Agency Managed Transport.

The 3 Participant Transport Support Levels

NDIS transport funding is typically allocated in specific amounts per year for participants:

Level 1: Up to $1,784 per year

This is for transport to access general community events or resources. You may be eligible for this level of funding if you don’t currently work or go to school, but need transport to other activities.

Level 2: Up to $2,676 per year

You may receive funding for this level if you’re working, attending school or participating in day programs part-time (less than 15 hours a week). 

Level 3: Up to $3,456 per year

If you’re working, looking for work, or spend at least 15 hours a week participating in day programs – and are unable to use public transport because of your disability – you may qualify for level 3 transport funding.

Note: NDIS transport funding levels are subject to change over time. This pricing is accurate at the time of publishing (April 2025). You can check NDIS Transport Funding for the latest information.

In some exceptional circumstances, participants may be eligible for funding above these levels – this isn’t a common outcome, and you will need explicit approval from the NDIS for this higher funding.

What can be purchased with Transport?

Unless otherwise listed in your plan, transport funding is designed to be used to pay for taxis, rideshare services, or other transport options and services to get you where you need to go – for example, if you’re attending day programs or cannot use public transport.

In limited circumstances, your NDIS Plan may include funding for Specialised Transport. This is designed for transport services in vehicles equipped for particular disability needs. If you have approved funding for specialised transport in your NDIS plan, it will provide for specialised transport services to help you get to school or an educational facility, your place of work, or the community.

NDIS Transport funding exclusions

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will only fund supports that are ‘reasonable and necessary’, and specific to your disability. Any proposed transport support must represent good value for the NDIA.

As with other Core funding like Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation, the aim of this funding is to help remove barriers and empower participants; in this case, through transport for participants who are unable to use public transport due to their disability.

It is not intended to be used for any and all transport costs, as many of these options are not considered NDIS supports.

Items you won’t be able to purchase with Transport include:

• Petrol, diesel, or other gas.
• The purchase or upkeep of private vehicles, outside of approved assistive technology installation or repair under Capital supports. This includes recreational transport options like e-scooters or e-bikes.
• Cruises or holiday packages; holiday accommodation and airfares including interstate or overseas travel; passports, visas, activities and meals while travelling.
• For a child’s daily transportation requirements where this would reasonably be provided by parents or family.
• Transport for your family members.

Is Transport funding the same as Travel?

Provider travel costs can be funded as part of your existing budgets, as they are part of the cost of having certain approved supports delivered to you (either individually or in a group situation).

Transport is a Core Support that you may have approved funding for, which directly addresses your transport needs. The transport itself is the support, not part of another service.

Travel can be claimed by your NDIS support providers.  It corresponds to either compensating the support worker’s time or expenses incurred because of the trip, such as time spent travelling, tolls, or parking costs incurred during specified travel. These are agreed on before the delivery of the support or service.

Related:

• A Guide to NDIS Travel Allowance for Support Workers
• Recurring Supports Budget: Recurring Transport Explained

How to access funding for Transport

If you need transport assistance, appropriate funding may be added to your NDIS plan – but you will have to discuss this at your planning meeting and provide any supporting evidence to the NDIA.

When preparing for your NDIS planning meeting, you can start by:

• Thinking about examples of situations where you aren’t able to travel, or have substantial difficulty, due to your disability.
• Whether you need any personal transport related aids and equipment to help you travel (which may be funded separately under Assistive Technology). You may need supplementary evidence from an OT or other relevant, qualified health professional for this.
• Whether there’s any training you could access to help you use public transport and travel independently (this could be funded through Improved Daily Living).

This will help make sure you get the right type of NDIS transport funding for your unique situation and needs – whether that’s under your Core, Capacity Building or Capital Budgets.

It’s better to go into your planning meetings or reviews prepared, so everything you need can be accounted for. You can ask the NDIA for a review of your plan at any time to request more or different funding, though approval isn’t guaranteed. It’s important to do this as soon as you can if you need more support, or your situation has otherwise changed.

Will other supports impact your transport supports?

Your personal transport related funding will be determined by your current disability-related needs, and any supports you already have access to will be taken into account. This includes informal supports, like family and friends who currently help you get to your everyday commitments.

As an NDIS participant, it’s important to disclose your situation and any existing supports from both formal and informal networks when you’re at your planning meeting; including alternative supports like community-based mobility services, or any mobility allowance.

NDSP Plan Managers make your NDIS journey easier

We know the NDIS is a complex system, and not the most user-friendly for participants to navigate.

As NDIS-registered Plan Management providers, NDSP focuses on not only providing superb plan management services – but also on providing easy, accessible insight into your plan through our Nappa participant portal, and the NDIS system through our free online participant toolbox.

When it comes to commonly funded and frequently used supports like transport, keeping track of your budgets and spending is key to getting the most out of your plan. NDSP takes care of the financial administration of your NDIS plan like budget tracking and provider invoicing, so you can stay focused on getting where you need to go.

Related: How We Provide Consistent Support to Participants and Support Coordinators

It doesn’t matter whether you’re based in a bustling city or a more remote area; our nationwide coverage means you get the same reliable plan management service anywhere in Australia. Our friendly team is happy to answer any questions – why not give us a call on 1800 63 63 77 or contact us online anytime to get started.