17/04/2025
Why NDIS Participants' Budgets Fail to Cover Public Holidays
Inadequate Plan Funding
1. NDIS plans rarely include realistic loading for:
• 250-275% wage costs (public holiday penalty. rates)
• Minimum shift lengths (e.g., 4-hour minimums when only 2 hours are needed)
2. Systemic NDIS Flaws
• Planners often use standard weekday rates when calculating budgets
• No automatic adjustment for 11+ public holidays/year
• "Reasonable and Necessary" test ignores holiday realities
3. Participant Unawareness
• Many don’t realize their plan won’t stretch to cover holidays until it’s too late
• Support coordinators rarely explain this during planning
Practical Solutions
1. NDIS Plan Fixes
For Participants:
• Pre-emptive Planning: Request planners add a "Public Holiday Loading" line item (e.g., 15-20% extra on core supports budget)
• Use "Capacity Building" Funds: Allocate some CB to holiday contingency training (e.g., self-management strategies)
