How does the NDIS fund meal preparation and deliveries?

In this article, we’ll explore how NDIS funds meal preparation and delivery services: what costs are covered, who is eligible for funding and how to get funding for meal preparation and delivery included in your plan.

What costs are covered?

The NDIS will only cover the costs of preparing the meal and delivering it to your door. It will not pay for the individual ingredients that are needed to cook that meal because these are considered ‘everyday expenses’ - just like the NDIS does not fund your groceries. 

Since it would be rather complicated for the service providers to itemise the cost of each ingredient in each meal, most of them use a standard split of costs which roughly amounts to: 

• 70% of the meal costs being meal preparation and delivery - funded by the NDIS 
• 30% of the meal costs being cost of ingredients - this is your out of pocket costs

Who is eligible for funding? 

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the NDIS to ease off eligibility criteria for meal preparation and delivery funding to make these services more accessible for participants, particularly having in mind those needing to isolate during COVID outbreaks.

These new rules still stand now, and, at the moment, anyone with Core funding in their NDIS plan can access meal preparation and delivery services under line item number: 01_023_0120_1_1.

Even though meal preparation and delivery funding is now very accessible, you may still wish to apply to have the funding for these services included in your plan. This solution particularly suits those participants who will require long term assistance with meals or those who simply do not want to spend their Core funding on meals.

How to get funding for meal preparation and delivery included in your plan?

If you would like funding for meal preparation and delivery included in your NDIS plan, you can raise it in your next planning meeting or in your next NDIS plan review. As with all NDIS funding, you will need to showcase that the funding you will receive is reasonable and necessary given your circumstances.

There are a few things you may wish to prepare ahead of the meeting to support your case, including:

• Supporting evidence from a healthcare professional outlining why you require this funding. For example, a letter from an occupational therapist explaining why you’re unable to shop for meal ingredients and/or cook on your own.
• A quote from the service provider outlining the details of the service they will provide, including the number of meals they’ll deliver, at what frequency and at what total cost. 

If you require support with mealtime management, Hireup has support workers who can assist you in the home, provide specialised (complex) support, and who have experience with mealtime management. You can find out more on our website, or by emailing us at hello@hireup.com.au or calling us on (02) 9113 5933.