What is NDIS Plan Management?

Once your NDIS plan is approved, there are three types of support budgets that may be funded:

  • Core Supports budget
  • Capacity Building Supports budget
  • Capital Supports budget

This funding is based on what is reasonable and necessary to achieve your goals.

When it comes to managing your funding i.e. paying your providers within your budget, there are three options:

  • Agency managed
  • Self-managed
  • Plan managed

Agency managed means that the NDIA will pay your providers. This means:

  • You are able to choose from a range of NDIS registered providers.
  • Your providers claim payment electronically from your funding.
  • You cannot use unregistered providers.
  • You can look on the myplace portal to see what claims providers are making against your NDIS funding and keep track of your budget.
  • The NDIA will manage your book-keeping and records of your spending.

Self-managed means that you will have:

  •  Choice in deciding what supports you purchase in line with what is included in your plan, who provides these supports and how they are delivered.

  •  Flexibility to use any provider that will best help you to meet your plan goals.

  •  Capacity to employ or contract staff directly, or have someone employ staff on your behalf.

  •  Ability to negotiate the costs of your supports so you get the best value-for-money and to use savings to buy more or better quality supports.

  •  Control over and responsibility for your NDIS funding so you can manage your own budget for the duration of your plan.

  • However, self-managing your plan comes with responsibilities also which include:

  • Purchasing supports that link to the goals in your NDIS plan.

  •  Making clear agreements with your providers about the supports you will receive including how they will be provided and paid for.

  •  Managing your funding so the costs of the support give you value-for-money, and can be met within your budget.

  •  Claiming and paying for supports by making payment requests and paying for your supports on time.

  •  Keeping invoices and receipts to show you have paid for your supports using your NDIS funding.

  •  Meeting your obligations as an employer if you choose to employ staff directly.

  •  Showing how you’ve used your self-managed funding towards reaching your goals at your plan review.

  •  Advising the NDIA of any significant changes in your circumstances that may result in you being unable to meet your responsibilities as a self-manager.

  •  Participating in any payment auditing where you will need to provide invoices, receipts or other evidence to show you have spent your funds in-line with your NDIS plan.

Plan managed means an NDIS registered Plan Manager takes care of your plan. This allows you to:

  • Pay your providers for the supports you purchase.
  • Help you keep track of your funds.
  • Take care of financial reporting for you.
  • NDIS Plan Managers must be a registered provider and will be funded in your plan. They claim directly from the budgets in your plan to pay your providers on your behalf.