Nominees and supporters: helping someone with their NDIS plan
· Your rights · Source checked 12 October 2026
Family and friends often help with the NDIS. Here is the difference between informal support and a formal nominee, and how to keep the person at the centre.
Support without a formal role
Many people have a family member, friend or carer who comes to meetings, helps read letters and talks through decisions. That is informal support, and it does not need any special arrangement. The important thing is that the person still makes their own choices, with help to understand the options.
What a nominee is
A nominee is a person formally appointed with the NDIA to act on a participant’s behalf. There are different kinds. Some nominees can make decisions about the plan, and others can only receive correspondence. The NDIA has a process for appointing and ending a nominee arrangement, and it can depend on the person’s circumstances.
Appointing a nominee is a serious step. It is not needed just because someone wants help, and many people only need informal support.
Keeping the person at the centre
Whether you are a supporter or a nominee, start with what the person wants. Ask, listen and explain choices in a way they can understand. Give them time. Check in about whether the plan reflects their goals, not just what is easiest for others.
Agree what information can be shared with whom, and write it down. If the person can make some decisions but not others, work with them on which is which.
Practical tips for supporters
Go to meetings prepared, with a short list of what matters most. Keep records of what is agreed. Take care of your own wellbeing too, because supporters who are exhausted make poorer decisions. If you are unsure about your role, ask the NDIA or an independent advocacy service to explain it. This is general information, not legal advice.
Reviewing the arrangement over time
A person’s ability to make decisions can change, and so can their circumstances. Review any nominee arrangement from time to time and ask whether it is still needed, whether it should be narrower, or whether the person can take on more themselves.
If an arrangement is no longer needed, contact the NDIA about how to end it. The person’s own wishes should guide this wherever possible.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a nominee to help someone with their NDIS plan?
No. Many people have a family member, friend or carer who comes to meetings, helps read letters and talks through decisions. That is informal support and does not need any special arrangement. Appointing a nominee is a serious step and is not needed just because someone wants help.
What is an NDIS nominee?
A person formally appointed with the NDIA to act on a participant’s behalf. There are different kinds: some nominees can make decisions about the plan, and others can only receive correspondence.
How can a supporter keep the person at the centre?
Start with what the person wants. Ask, listen and explain choices in a way they can understand, give them time, and check in about whether the plan reflects their goals, not just what is easiest for others. Agree what information can be shared with whom, and write it down.
How do I end a nominee arrangement?
If an arrangement is no longer needed, contact the NDIA about how to end it. The person’s own wishes should guide this wherever possible.
Keep learning
- Keeping records of your NDIS supports: a simple system: Good records make plan reviews, claim queries and changes of provider far easier. Here is a light-touch way to keep them.
- How to change NDIS provider without losing support: You are allowed to change providers. A little planning means the new service is ready before the old one ends, and nothing falls through the gap.
- Making a complaint about an NDIS provider or worker: where to start: Raising a concern can feel daunting. Here is a clear order of steps, who deals with what, and how to keep a record as you go.
- Your rights as an NDIS participant: choice, control and safety: Knowing what you can expect from providers and workers makes it easier to speak up. Here is a plain-language summary of rights and responsibilities.
More in our NDIS updates and insights, our step-by-step guides, or the NDIS and aged care provider directory.
Official sources
Source checked 12 October 2026. Rules and guidance can change; verify current details with the responsible agency. How we write and check our guides.