Navigating the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can feel overwhelming, especially when trying to understand which supports fund the services that help you achieve your goals. Many participants, families, and carers ask the same question:
Does my NDIS plan pay for Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, or In-Home Support?
The answer depends on which budget your supports are funded under. Understanding the difference between Capacity Building Supports and Core Supports can help you make informed decisions, maximise your funding, and access the right services at the right time.
At U&A Homecare, we work closely with participants across Perth, Western Australia, to provide person-centred Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, and In-Home Support that align with individual NDIS goals. This guide explains how these funding categories work and how they can support greater independence, wellbeing, and community participation.
Understanding NDIS Support Budgets
An NDIS plan is designed to help participants pursue their goals and improve their quality of life. Funding is generally grouped into different budgets, with Core Supports and Capacity Building Supports being the most commonly used for allied health and daily living services.
Each budget has a different purpose, and knowing which services fall under each one makes it easier to use your plan effectively.
What Are Core Supports?
Core Supports provide funding for assistance with everyday activities and practical support that helps participants live as independently as possible.
These supports focus on day-to-day needs and may include assistance with:
- Daily personal activities
- Household tasks
- Community participation
- Meal preparation
- Shopping assistance
- Building daily routines
- Personal care
- Transport-related supports (where applicable)
One common category within Core Supports is Assistance with Daily Life, which often funds In-Home Support services.
How In-Home Support Helps
At U&A Homecare, our support workers work alongside participants—not simply doing tasks for them, but encouraging skill development and independence wherever appropriate.
Examples include:
- Learning to prepare healthy meals
- Grocery shopping and budgeting
- Laundry and household organisation
- Establishing daily routines
- Building confidence in independent living
- Practising life skills in real-life situations
For many participants, these supports become stepping stones towards greater independence at home and within the community.
What Are Capacity Building Supports?
Capacity Building Supports are designed to help participants develop long-term skills, increase independence, and achieve personal goals.
Rather than focusing only on completing daily tasks, Capacity Building services help participants build the knowledge, confidence, and abilities needed to do more independently over time.
These supports often include allied health professionals such as Occupational Therapists and Dietitians.
Occupational Therapy Under Capacity Building
Occupational Therapy (OT) is commonly funded through the Capacity Building budget because it focuses on improving functional skills and helping participants participate more fully in everyday life.
An Occupational Therapist may support participants by:
- Completing functional capacity assessments
- Developing independent living skills
- Improving self-care routines
- Recommending assistive technology
- Conducting home modification assessments
- Supporting sensory regulation
- Building executive functioning skills
- Increasing community participation
- Promoting workplace or education readiness
Rather than offering temporary assistance, Occupational Therapy empowers participants with strategies they can continue using long after appointments have finished.
Dietetics Under Capacity Building
Many participants are surprised to learn that Dietetics may also be funded under Capacity Building when nutrition support is considered reasonable and necessary to achieve NDIS goals.
A Dietitian can help participants:
- Improve nutritional intake
- Manage disability-related nutrition challenges
- Develop healthy eating habits
- Build meal planning skills
- Support swallowing or texture-modified diets where appropriate
- Manage chronic health conditions that impact daily functioning
- Increase energy levels through balanced nutrition
For participants with autism, intellectual disability, neurological conditions, or physical disabilities, nutrition can significantly influence overall wellbeing and participation in everyday life.
Working with a Dietitian helps participants build lifelong healthy habits that support their independence.
Can Core Supports and Capacity Building Work Together?
Absolutely.
One of the strengths of the NDIS is that different funded supports can complement one another.
For example:
An Occupational Therapist may develop strategies to improve cooking skills and recommend adaptive kitchen equipment.
A Dietitian can provide nutrition education and create meal plans suited to the participant’s needs.
An In-Home Support worker can then practise these cooking and meal preparation skills alongside the participant during regular support sessions.
Together, these services reinforce one another and help participants achieve meaningful outcomes more efficiently.
Instead of working in isolation, a collaborative allied health approach ensures everyone is working towards the participant’s individual goals.
Which Budget Pays for My Supports?
Although every NDIS plan is unique, a general guide is:
Core Supports
- In-Home Support
- Assistance with Daily Living
- Household tasks
- Community participation
- Daily routines
Capacity Building Supports
- Occupational Therapy
- Dietetics
- Functional assessments
- Skill development
- Therapy programs
- Goal-focused interventions
Funding always depends on your individual NDIS plan and the supports that have been approved. If you’re unsure which budget applies to your circumstances, your Support Coordinator, Plan Manager, or Local Area Coordinator can help explain your available funding.
Why Choosing the Right Allied Health Team Matters
Understanding your funding is only part of the journey.
Working with an experienced multidisciplinary team ensures your supports are coordinated, personalised, and focused on achieving outcomes that matter to you.
At U&A Homecare, we believe every participant deserves support that builds confidence—not dependence.
Our Occupational Therapists, Dietitians, and In-Home Support professionals collaborate to help participants develop practical life skills, improve health and wellbeing, and work towards greater independence at home, in education, employment, and within the community.
Whether you’re learning to prepare nutritious meals, building daily living skills, increasing community participation, or working towards personal goals, our team is here to support your journey every step of the way.
Refer to U&A Homecare Today
Are you a participant, family member, carer, Support Coordinator, or healthcare professional looking for trusted NDIS allied health services in Perth?
U&A Homecare provides compassionate, evidence-informed support tailored to each participant’s goals.
Our services include:
- Occupational Therapy
- Dietetics
- In-Home Support
- Daily Living Skills Development
- Functional Capacity Assessments
- Home and Living Assessments
- Meal Planning and Nutrition Support
Ready to help someone achieve greater independence?
Refer a participant to U&A Homecare today and let our experienced allied health team provide personalised support that empowers individuals to build skills, improve wellbeing, and live with greater confidence. Contact us to book a FREE consultation and discover how our collaborative approach can help participants make the most of their NDIS plan.
