Drawing of approved purchases under NDIS Consumables Core Support, such as incontinence items, skin care items, and modified eating aids.

NDIS Core Support: Consumables

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About Consumables

The NDIS Consumables category falls within the purpose of Core Support, and it is intended to help people with disabilities access necessary products and devices for daily living. Depending on a person’s disability, they may need different types of consumable items. This support cannot be used for everyday items that anyone needs, such as groceries or toilet paper; it can only be used for items that a person needs because of their disability.

Common examples of consumable items that can be purchased with NDIS funds include incontinence items, skin care items, and modified eating aids.

Drawing of hands using item purchased with NDIS Consumables budget.

This is a very flexible budget category in your NDIS plan. There are no price limits set in the pricing arrangement guide for these items, and you can use the money in this budget for any consumable items that are ‘reasonable and necessary.’ Since most of these items are low-cost, you don’t need to get a quote before you purchase them. However, you do need to budget appropriately to make sure that you’re able to purchase all the consumable items you need throughout the year.

Your consumables budget can also be used for low-cost, low-risk assistive technology. This makes it simple for you to purchase simple assistive technology items, such as moulded silverware that’s easier to grip, elastic shoelaces, or a kettle tipper. Generally, a consumable or assistive technology item that costs less than $1,500 doesn’t need a quote to be purchased with this budget category.

Using Your NDIS Consumables Budget for Low-Cost Assistive Technology

Low-cost assistive technology items don’t have price limits in the NDIS pricing arrangement, and you don’t need to get a pricing quote before you purchase them. This means you can buy them from any provider you choose. However, they do need to be ‘reasonable and necessary’, which means the price needs to be reasonable and comparable to other providers, and the item needs to be necessary and related to your disability.

In order to use your consumables budget to purchase assistive technology, it must be both low cost and low risk. Low cost means it costs under $1,500 per item. Low risk means you can safely use the item in daily life without risk of harm, and you don’t need help from a specialist or health professional to understand how to use the item correctly. Low-risk items are usually easy to find and available for sale in retail stores.

Photo of a boy playing with toys.

Here are some examples of low-risk, low-cost assistive technology: 

  • Non-slip bath mat
  • Specialised eating utensils 
  • Large print labels 
  • Handrails 
  • Talking alarm clock 

These items do not have price limits in the NDIS pricing arrangement guide, but they can be claimed using the notional amount of $1 per item. Your Consumables budget can also be used to rent assistive technology items on a short-term or trial basis. Renting assistive technology is a good choice if your needs are likely to change or if you are unsure whether a particular technology will be useful for you.

NDIS Consumables: Continence Items

Continence items are one of the most common items purchased in the NDIS Consumables category. Many disabilities affect continence for both children and adults. It’s common for children with disabilities to need continence items till an older age, and adults with disabilities may continue to need continence items. Continence items could include nappies, pull-ups, catheters, or pads. You can purchase items directly from retail or online providers and then claim reimbursement through your NDIS portal. You’ll use a different code to claim the items depending on the specific type of item and how many you need per day.

NDIS Consumables: Nutrition Supports

Another common consumable item purchased with NDIS funds is enteral eating equipment. People whose disability affects their ability to chew and swallow food may need home enteral nutrition, or HEN. Home enteral nutrition is the administration of a nutritionally complete liquid formula directly into the gastrointestinal tract through a tube. You might need to use HEN for all of your nutritional needs, or you might need it to supplement other foods.

If your need for HEN is directly related to your disability, then you can pay for the equipment with your NDIS budget. You might also be able to buy the enteral formula with your NDIS budget if the type of formula you need isn’t covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. A person who needs HEN might need it long-term, or they might need it for a short time while they are also receiving capacity-building supports to improve their ability to chew and swallow so they can eat more independently.

Before you can use NDIS funds for HEN support, enteral nutrition must be recommended by an Accredited Practising Dietitian. You can receive support from a dietitian through your Activities of Daily Living funding (disability related health supports). A dietitian can provide a consultation and diet plan development to determine what type of dietary support is reasonable and necessary to meet your nutritional needs. If their recommendation includes HEN, then you can purchase these items with your Consumables budget.

NDIS Consumables: Dysphagia Supports

Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing, and it can affect your ability to communicate as well as your ability to eat and swallow. Any disability that affects the muscular and nervous functioning of your mouth and throat can affect your ability to effectively chew and swallow, which can have an impact on your ability to obtain sufficient nutrition. Even if you don’t need enteral nutrition, you might need services and supports for dysphagia. Dysphagia supports may include services such as a consultation with a dietitian or a support worker to assist you at mealtimes, which may be paid for from your Activities for Daily Living budget. However, some of these supports may also be claimed from your consumables budget. For example, if you are able to swallow but have some difficulty with eating liquids, you may need to use thickeners in liquids to reduce the risk of aspiration. These could be covered by your Consumables budget if they aren’t covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

NDIS Consumables: Wound Care

Wound care products may be purchased with your Consumables budget if you need skin care because of your disability. If your disability causes decreased mobility, poor circulation, or incontinence, then you are at higher risk of skin breakdown and the development of chronic wounds. Since these types of wounds are related to your disability, preventing and caring for them is covered by your NDIS budget. You can also use this budget to purchase assistive technology that will help prevent pressure wounds, such as gloves to protect your hands during wheelchair use, or donut cushions to reduce pressure points while you’re sitting in a chair. Finally, you can use your Consumables budget to help you set up equipment or learn how to use equipment for wound care prevention or treatment. You’ll claim this using the general category of Disability-related health equipment and consumables.

Since your Core Support budget is flexible, you can use any money in your Core Support budget to purchase items you need for wound care. These can include:

  • Dressings 
  • Gauze 
  • Bandages 
  • Tape 
  • Pressure wraps 
  • Lymphoedema garments 
  • Skin care creams 

NDIS Consumables: Respiratory Supports

Some types of disabilities can affect a person’s ability to breathe effectively. If you have a disability that affects muscular function in your diaphragm and chest muscles, or a disability that increases the potential for mucus or obstruction of the airway, then you may be able to purchase respiratory supports from your NDIS budget.

If you need respiratory equipment such as a ventilator, a BIPAP machine, or an aspirator, you’ll purchase those items from your Assistive Technology budget. However, many of these machines require consumable items, and you can purchase those from your Consumables budget.

In addition to purchasing items like these, you can use your Consumables budget to purchase services to set up and train support people such as family members on the use of respiratory equipment.

A boy uses a machine for respiratory support secured under the NDIS consumables budget.

Although these categories include most of the types of items commonly purchased with the Consumables budget, it’s important to keep in mind that this funding is very flexible. Your Consumables budget is meant to be used for items that you need frequently for daily life, and those items may change as your needs and abilities change over time. You don’t need to rewrite your NDIS plan to make adjustments to how you’re spending your Consumables budget. As long as you’re using this budget for low-cost items that help you meet your goals and live the life you want, your claim is likely to be approved.

Examples of items you could claim in this category include: 

  • Nasal cannula tubing for an oxygen machine 
  • Oxygen masks 
  • Nebulisers 
  • Peak flow meter mouthpiece 
  • Pulse oximeter 
  • Aspirator tubing 
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