Buying sensory items with NDIS funding

What is low-cost assistive technology?

Assistive technology is a broad term for equipment that helps a person do something they otherwise could not do as easily. Within that, low-cost assistive technology generally refers to lower-priced, everyday items rather than expensive, custom-built equipment.

Many families think of sensory items such as crash pads, floor mats, and cosy enclosed spaces in this lower-cost bracket. Lower-cost items often involve a more straightforward process than high-cost equipment. The categories and thresholds do change over time, and how they apply to a given plan varies, so your plan manager or support coordinator is the right person to confirm the detail for your situation.

Plan-managed vs self-managed (and agency-managed)

How you go about purchasing usually depends on the way your plan is managed. There are three common arrangements, and each handles payments differently.

• Self-managed. You pay providers directly and claim back through the NDIS portal. This usually gives the most flexibility in where you buy, as long as the purchase aligns with your plan. You keep the invoices and records yourself.
• Plan-managed. A plan manager handles payments for you. You choose what to buy, the provider sends the invoice to your plan manager, and they process the claim.
• Agency-managed (NDIA-managed). The NDIS pays registered providers directly. This usually means buying from registered providers, so it is worth checking who you can purchase from.

Knowing which arrangement applies to you is the first practical step, because it shapes who you can buy from and who handles the paperwork.

How items connect to goals

Funding decisions generally come back to whether something is reasonable and necessary in relation to the goals written into the plan. It helps to be able to describe how an item supports a participant in everyday life, in functional terms.

For sensory equipment, families often describe support for self-regulation, access to deep-pressure and proprioceptive input as part of a daily routine, or a cosy enclosed space that helps some children feel calmer. The clearer the link to the goals already in the plan, the more straightforward the conversation with your planner tends to be. Whether a specific item meets that test for your plan is a decision for the NDIS and the professionals supporting you.

How to request a quote or invoice

Two documents tend to come up when you buy: a quote and a tax invoice.

• A quote is a written estimate of the cost before you buy. Plan-managed and agency-managed participants sometimes need one so the cost can be checked against the budget first. It usually lists the item, the price, the supplier's details, and an ABN.
• A tax invoice is what you or your plan manager use to claim or reconcile the purchase afterwards. A compliant invoice generally shows the supplier's name and ABN, the date, a description of what was bought, and the total including any GST.

If you need either document, just ask the retailer and let them know it is for an NDIS purchase. For Buddy Play items, you can request a quote or a correctly formatted invoice through our retail partner, Funsquare, who can supply the paperwork on request.

A sensible order of steps

1. Identify how your plan is managed and which budget category might apply.
2. Talk to your planner, support coordinator, or plan manager about the item and how it connects to the participant's goals.
3. If a quote is needed, request one from the retailer.
4. Confirm with the right person whether to go ahead, and how the payment will be handled.
5. Keep the tax invoice and any related records for claiming or reconciliation.

Checking with your planner before you buy, rather than after, is the part most worth doing. It is far easier to confirm what is possible in advance than to sort out a purchase that did not fit the plan.