Most families who come to us at Arooga Care ask the same question within the first five minutes of our conversation: “Are we getting all the hours we should be?”
The honest answer, more often than not, is no.
Across Australia, a significant number of NDIS participants are receiving fewer support hours than their plan actually allows. This is not always because the funding is not there. It is often because families do not know what to ask for, providers are not proactive about maximising plan usage, or the original plan was set up without enough supporting evidence.
If your loved one is running out of NDIS hours too quickly, or you suspect their plan does not reflect their real needs, this guide walks you through exactly how to get more NDIS hours using the system the way it was designed to be used.
What Does It Mean to Be Underfunded Under the NDIS?
Being underfunded does not always mean your loved one has no support. It means the level of support funded in their plan does not match the level of support they actually need to live a full, safe, and independent life.
This happens more than most families realise. Plans are often set at the minimum level unless strong evidence is presented. If a planner is not given clear documentation of your loved one’s daily support needs, functional limitations, and long-term goals, they will default to conservative funding.
The NDIS is not designed to give you less than you need but it will not automatically give you more than you ask for.
Common signs your loved one may be underfunded include running out of Core Supports funding before the plan ends, support workers not being available for all the hours the family needs, goals in the plan not being actively worked toward due to a lack of funded hours, and your loved one spending more time at home than they would like because community participation hours are too limited.
1. Request a Plan Review to Get More NDIS Hours Before Your Scheduled Date
You do not have to wait for your annual plan review to ask for more hours. If your loved one’s circumstances have changed significantly, or if their current plan is clearly not meeting their needs, you can request an unscheduled plan review at any time.
This is called a Change of Circumstances review. You can request one if your loved one’s disability-related support needs have increased, they have started a new therapy program that requires more hours, they have moved into a new living arrangement, or their current plan is running out of funding significantly early.
To request a review, contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110 or ask your Support Coordinator to initiate it on your behalf.
The key is to go in prepared. A review without strong supporting evidence is unlikely to result in increased hours. Gather recent reports from therapists, doctors, and support workers before making the call.
2. Build a Strong Evidence File Before Any Review
This is the single most important thing you can do to get more NDIS hours, and most families underestimate it.
The NDIA makes funding decisions based on evidence. The stronger and more specific your evidence, the better your outcome. Vague statements like “they need more help” will not move the dial. Detailed, functional assessments that explain exactly how the disability impacts daily life will.
The most useful documents to include are a current Functional Capacity Assessment completed by an Occupational Therapist, reports from your loved one’s GP and specialist team, a Roster of Care showing current hours and gaps, therapy progress notes, and a Support Needs Statement written by you as the family carer.
Do not go into a plan review without an updated Functional Capacity Assessment. It is the single most influential document in the process.
If your loved one does not have a current assessment, contact your Support Coordinator or reach out to Arooga Care and we can help connect you with the right allied health professionals.
3. Link Every Support Request Directly to a Plan Goal
NDIS planners are trained to assess whether each support is reasonable and necessary. One of the most effective ways to justify more hours is to connect every request directly to a specific goal in your loved one’s plan.
For example, if your loved one’s plan includes a goal around building independence in the community, you can justify increased community participation hours by showing exactly how additional hours will progress that goal.
Every hour you are requesting should have a goal behind it, and every goal should have evidence supporting it.
How to frame your request to the NDIA
When writing your support request, use this structure: state the goal, describe the current gap, explain what additional hours would achieve, and attach the supporting evidence. Planners respond to this format because it speaks their language and makes their job easier.
4. Ask Your Provider to Review How Your Hours Are Being Used
Sometimes the issue is not that the plan does not have enough hours. The issue is that the hours are not being used efficiently, or that funded categories are not being fully utilised.
Many families focus entirely on Core Supports and do not realise they also have funded hours sitting unused in Capacity Building or other categories. Unused funding does not roll over at the end of the plan period, which means any hours left unused are simply lost.
Ask your provider or Support Coordinator to do a full plan utilisation review at least every three months.
At Arooga Care, we review every participant’s plan usage regularly and proactively flag to families when categories are being underused.
5. Consider Changing Providers If Your Current One Is Not Maximising Your Plan
You can change NDIS providers at any time, and doing so will not affect your funding or your plan. If your current provider is not actively helping you understand and use your funded hours, not providing consistent support workers, or not supporting you through plan reviews, it may be time to consider a change.
Too many NDIS participants receive less support than their plan actually allows. At Arooga Care, we actively help families unlock the full support their funding covers and deliver it with people who treat your loved one like family.
Switching providers is simpler than most families expect. You notify your current provider in writing, sign a new service agreement with your new provider, and support begins. Your funding stays exactly where it is throughout the process. For more information on your rights as an NDIS participant, visit ndis.gov.au.
6. Use a Support Coordinator to Advocate for More NDIS Hours
If your loved one’s plan includes Support Coordination funding, use it. A good Support Coordinator advocates for your loved one at plan reviews, helps build the evidence file, identifies underused funding, and communicates directly with the NDIA on your behalf.
Families who work with an active, engaged Support Coordinator consistently report better funding outcomes at reviews than those who navigate the system alone.
If your loved one does not currently have Support Coordination funded in their plan, you can request it be added at your next review.
7. Document Everything Between Reviews
One of the most overlooked strategies for getting more NDIS hours is keeping detailed records throughout the year, not just before a review.
Keep a simple log of support tasks completed each week, any times your loved one’s needs exceeded the funded hours, incidents where the lack of adequate support created a risk, and progress toward plan goals.
This documentation becomes your evidence at the next review. The more specific and date-stamped your records, the stronger your case.
You do not need special software to do this. A shared notes app or a simple spreadsheet is enough. The habit of recording what is happening week to week transforms your position at review time.
Are you getting all the NDIS hours your loved one is entitled to?
Arooga Care reviews NDIS plans for free. No waitlist. We respond within 24 hours and there is no obligation.
If you have read this far, chances are you already suspect your loved one may not be getting all the hours they are entitled to. The good news is that the NDIS is designed to fund the support your loved one genuinely needs. The system works best when families are informed, prepared, and working with a provider who actively helps them navigate it.
At Arooga Care, helping families maximise their NDIS plan is central to everything we do. If you would like a free, no-obligation conversation, visit arooga.com.au or call us on 0415 513 908. We respond within 24 hours.
Because They Deserve More.
Written by the Arooga Care team. Registered NDIS disability support providers serving participants and families across New South Wales and Australia. ABN 25 689 521 337.