Getting your first National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan can feel overwhelming. Many people are approved for the NDIS but later realise their plan may not include the right supports for their everyday life.
Mosaic’s Support Coordinators share four common mistakes people make in their first NDIS plan, and what you can do to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Talking about your diagnosis, not how it affects your day‑to‑day life
Mosaic’s Specialist Support Coordinator and Team Leader, Linh Nguyen, says that many people explain what their condition is, but not what life is like because of it.
“The NDIS does not fund supports based on diagnosis alone. Decisions are made based on how your disability affects your daily functioning,” explains Linh.
This can include the impact of disability on your:
- Personal care (for example, showering or dressing)
- Communication
- Mobility
- Social interaction
- Safety at home or in the community
If the functional impact of your disability on your life isn’t clearly explained during your first meeting with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), important supports may be missed or not funded.
How to avoid it
Linh recommends that when preparing for your planning meeting:
- Describe what a typical day looks like
- Explain what you cannot do without help
- Use real examples, such as:
- “I cannot shower safely without assistance.”
- “I cannot get around my house easily because of steps.”
- “I need help to understand letters or emails.”
Linh explains, “Each person’s disability can impact them differently. Two people with low vision, for example, can require very different supports. One person might require a guide dog to navigate safely, while the other might need a tailored screen reading software to help them read or scan documents.”
Reports from your doctor, psychologist, or therapist that clearly describe how your disability affects your daily life can also help the NDIS include the right supports in your plan.
Mistake 2: Setting vague or unclear goals
Mosaic’s Support Coordinator and Psychosocial Recovery Coach, Sophie Hope, says that goals like “be more independent” or “improve wellbeing” sound positive, but are too broad.
Sophie expands, “NDIS funding is linked to your goals. If your goals are unclear, it is harder for the NDIA planner to connect them to specific supports. This can result in lower funding or missing supports.”
How to avoid it
Sophie suggests it’s important to express goals that are specific, practical, and linked to your daily life.
For example, instead of saying “I want to be more independent”, you could say:
- “I want support to learn how to prepare simple meals safely.”
- “I want help to attend my medical and therapy appointments.”
- “I want support to feel confident using public transport.”
Clear goals help the NDIA understand why a support is needed and how it will help you in everyday life.
Mistake 3: Not understanding what the NDIS means by “reasonable and necessary”
Mosaic’s Support Coordinator, Lace Watson, says many first‑time participants ask for supports without knowing the NDIS rules about what can be funded.
To be funded, a support must:
- Be related to your disability
- Help you work towards your goals
- Be value for money
- Not be something another system (such health, education, or housing) should pay for
Lace adds, “If a support doesn’t meet these rules, it may be refused, even if it would help you.”
How to avoid it
Lace recommends that before asking for a support, ask yourself:
- How does this help with my disability?
- Which goal does it support?
- Why can’t I do this without support?
For example, instead of asking for “a cleaner”, you might explain: “Because of my disability, I cannot clean safely. This support helps me stay healthy and safe at home and supports my goal of living independently.”
“When supports are explained clearly like this, they are more likely to be included,” says Lace.
Mistake 4: Not thinking about the supports you’ll need in the future
Many first‑time participants focus only on what they need right now, without considering how their needs might change over the life of their plan.
Mosaic’s Support Coordinator and Psychosocial Recovery Coach, Kaitlin Miller, often sees first plans that cover immediate supports, but don’t allow enough flexibility for:
- Changes in health or functional capacity
- Increased support needs during periods of stress, transition, or recovery
- Building skills over time (rather than just meeting current needs)
Kaitlin says, “Because NDIS plans are usually approved for 12 months, not planning ahead can mean a plan runs out of funding too early or doesn’t support longer‑term independence and wellbeing.”
How to avoid it
When preparing for your planning meeting, Kaitlin suggests that you:
- Think about what might become harder over the next year, not just today
- Where known, consider upcoming life changes such as:
- Moving house
- Leaving school or starting work
- Changes in family or informal supports
- Explain how funded supports could help prevent things from getting worse, not just manage current challenges
For example, instead of only saying, “I need help with daily tasks now,” you could explain: “Without the right supports, my anxiety and fatigue are likely to increase, which may affect my ability to live independently or attend appointments.”
“Planning with the future in mind helps the NDIA understand why ongoing or flexible supports are important and can reduce the need for urgent reviews later,” adds Kaitlin.
A helpful tip for your first NDIS plan
Your first NDIS plan is a starting point and can change year on year based on the impact of your disability and change in your circumstances. Starting with a strong plan can help. It’s okay to ask for help from:
- A Support Coordinator
- An advocate
- A trusted family member, friend, or guardian to attend the meeting with you
Related read: Applying for NDIS Funding: A Simple Guide for First-Time Applicants
A good NDIS plan will clearly explain how disability affects a participant’s daily life, include clear goals, and include supports that are reasonable and necessary.
If you’re preparing for your first NDIS plan and would like support, Mosaic’s Support Coordination team is here to help you understand the process and advocate for the supports you need. We can assist first-time applicants with general advice and connecting to the right services for guidance with the application process.
Call us at 08 9314 8900 or read how our NDIS Support Coordinators can support you, your client, or a loved one.