Clarifications on purchasing rules for flexible funding

Ride and driver services

Ride and driver services can be used to support a disabled person to access services or engage with the community, where this is a reasonable and cost-effective option  

Self management items

The following items can be purchased for a disabled person to assist self-management, on a one-off basis within a flexible funding allocation period:   

• Electronic tablet devices 
• Noise cancelling headphones 
• Sensory toys, fidget spinners etc 
• Weighted blankets 

Household support arrangements

Household support arrangements in place through Choice in Community Living or a personal budget can continue, where these arrangements are an alternative to residential care that enables people to live in the community.  

Existing support arrangements can continue where: 

• the disabled person has committed to employment, a course of study, therapy, or a timebound programme; and 
• they have relied on the availability of flexibility under the previous Purchase Rules to support them to participate in those commitments; and 
• that commitment was made before 18 March 2024. 

We recognise that every person and every situation is different. If you have specific questions about how these changes relate to you, please contact your Needs Assessment and Service Coordination service (NASC)/Host or Enabling Good Lives site in the first instance. This information has been shared with them.   

We are committed to working with disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori and whānau to develop longer term settings that are aligned to the Enabling Good Lives vision and principles, UNCRPD and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

Key links

• Guidance for the Sector on changes to the Purchase Rules 
• Clarifications to the Purchase Rules: Guidance for the Sector companion document 
• Purchasing Rules 

• NZSL external (external Whaikaha file)
• Audio (MP3 1.3 MB) (external Whaikaha file)
• Braille (BRF 3 KB)
• Large Print (DOCX 92 KB)