'We can't live like this': Central West mum slams NDIS over 'missing' funding

Jamie Lee Dunn's son, Dustin Bray, 11, has been receiving funding from the NDIS since he was six years old.

For the most part, the Forbes mum never encountered any issues with her payments or the amount they received.

In February 2022 Dustin's plan was renewed again for a three year period until early 2025.

Ms Dunn was told the money in categories such as consumables - which covered everyday items - would be refreshed each year, rather than given a lump sum at the start.

In essence, she would be allocated $20,000 to use for those everyday items over a 12 month span. Whatever money was not used would be lost and another $20,000 would be allocated at the start of the next 12 month period.

The same applied to her core support budget of $35,000 per year which enabled Ms Dunn days of respite.

But then at the start of April 2024 she received a phone from her plan management team who told Ms Dunn she needed to "slow down" as she "barely had any money left".

Ms Dunn was in disbelief.

"I couldn't believe it," she said.

Ms Dunn was told there was roughly $15,000 left across all categories until February 2025.

The mother was confident she knew how much had been spent and that there should have been "much more" than $15,000.

Ms Dunn believes the reason for the discrepancy is that the payments have not been renewed since her son's plan was put in place more than two years ago.

"This is supposed to be our lifeline. This is supposed to keep our head afloat and help us. This is supposed to be my son's money," she added.

"I'm not trying to be more special than anyone else because I know there are quite a lot of kids who have disabilities out here. It feels like we're forgotten because we're rural. The money should be there."

In mid-March, Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, which Forbes comes under said recipients and carers across the Riverina and Central West were struggling to get their issues resolved with the NDIS.

He added that across the first three months of 2024, his office had received more enquiries and requests to help with the NDIS than in the entirety of 2023.

"Participants are crying out, hitting brick walls when trying to contact the NDIS, causing further anxiety amidst this cost-of-living crisis," he said.

"I have heard instances of constituents, facing serious impairments, running out of money and forgoing vital services as they wait months for the NDIS to get around to process their application or conduct plan reassessments.

"It's simply not good enough. The system needs to change."

Ms Dunn said if the issue with her son's funding weren't resolved, she would have to cancel an upcoming surgical operation on April 11 as there wouldn't be enough money to pay for respite care.

"I'm not going to have anything available," she added.

"We can't live like this."

A spokesperson for the National Disability Insurance Agency's said there continued to be funding available in Dustin's plan and that there had been no reduction in funding.

"The NDIA's priority is ensuring every participant, like Dustin, has access to the disability-related supports they require, in line with the reasonable and necessary approved supports," a statement from NDIA said.

"The agency will contact Dustin's family to provide support on using their plan."