Plan management
NDIS Capacity Building support
A plan manager handles the paperwork and payments for a person’s NDIS plan, such as paying providers’ invoices and keeping track of the budget, so the person can use any registered or unregistered provider.
The short answer
A plan manager pays your providers' invoices from your NDIS funding, tracks your budget and gives you regular statements, so you do not have to handle payments yourself and can choose any provider.
About Plan management
Managing an NDIS plan involves a lot of paperwork: checking that invoices match services, making sure claims are within your budget, paying providers on time and keeping records. A plan manager handles these tasks on your behalf. You continue to choose your providers and decide how to use your funding.
Plan-managed participants have more flexibility than those whose plan is managed by the NDIA. They can use registered and unregistered providers, and have help staying on top of their budget. Plan managers give regular statements, so you can see what has been spent and what is left, and can help you understand your plan.
Plan management is usually funded separately from your support budget, so choosing it should not reduce the money you have for supports. When comparing plan managers, look at how they communicate, how quickly they pay invoices and how easy it is to see your budget. Ask about any fees and read the service agreement carefully.
Who is this service for?
NDIS participants who want someone else to handle the payments and paperwork for their plan, so they can use the providers they choose.
What a typical session looks like
A plan manager takes care of the financial side of your plan so you do not have to. When you receive a service, the provider sends their invoice to the plan manager, who checks it against your plan and pays it. You see what is being spent through regular statements or an online portal.
They also help you understand your budget, track what is left and flag when you are on track or off track. If you receive a bill you are unsure about, the plan manager can check it. Many also help with agreements, quotes and choosing providers, though the level of help varies.
Who delivers this support
Plan managers are usually businesses or individuals who specialise in managing plan funds. They need to be registered to manage funds for people using this option. Ask how they communicate, how quickly they pay invoices, what they can help with beyond payment, and how they keep your information secure.
How to choose a provider
- Ask how quickly they pay invoices and how you will be kept informed.
- Check how you can see your budget and statements.
- Find out how you contact them and how quickly they respond.
- Ask how they handle disagreements about invoices.
- Read the service agreement carefully and ask about anything you do not understand.
Questions to ask a provider
- How will I see what has been spent and what is left?
- How quickly are invoices paid, and how do you handle disputes?
- What help do you give with budgets and agreements?
- How do you keep my information secure?
- How can I contact you, and how quickly do you reply?
- What happens if I want to change plan manager?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not checking statements regularly.
- Assuming the plan manager will find you providers, which is normally the coordinator's role.
- Not asking how invoices are checked.
- Overlooking how a plan manager communicates and how often.
- Staying with a plan manager who is unresponsive without considering a change.
Getting started
- Check that plan management is included in your plan.
- Compare a few plan managers using the questions above.
- Sign a service agreement and provide your plan details.
- Tell your providers who your plan manager is and how to send invoices.
How it fits with the rest of your plan
Plan management works with support coordination and other supports. A support coordinator helps you find and arrange services, and a plan manager handles the payments and budgets. Together they let you focus on what you want to do, not the paperwork. Understanding who does what avoids confusion.
Eligibility
You can use NDIS funding for Plan management if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
Funding
Capacity Building supports help you build skills and independence. If Plan management is in your plan, it is normally paid from a Capacity Building budget. These budgets are usually set for particular types of support, so check which one your plan uses. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.
What it costs
Supports such as Plan management that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.
Plan management providers on the NDIS register
2,316 NDIS providers list plan management supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.
Providers listing plan management
- 1 Disability Support Services - SA; includes Prospect, SA
- 1 Heart Care Services - NSW; includes Orange, NSW
- 1 Plan Manager - VIC; includes Ivanhoe, VIC
- 1 The Helpers - NSW; includes Parramatta, NSW
- 1-Care - NSW; includes Lalor Park, NSW
- 10 Plus Care - VIC; includes Camberwell, VIC
- 123 Support Services - QLD; includes Bargara, QLD; Bundaberg Central, QLD; Bundaberg East, QLD
- 1care Services - NSW; includes Schofields, NSW
- 1st Care Plus Services - QLD; includes Ormeau, QLD
- 1st for Care Pty Ltd - NSW; includes Bass Hill, NSW; Greystanes, NSW
- 2 Wog Girls Cleaning - QLD - QLD; includes Caboolture, QLD
- 24 Seven Plan Management - WA; includes Canning Vale, WA
See all 2,316 plan management providers
Listings by state and territory
- New South Wales (997)
- Victoria (628)
- Queensland (411)
- South Australia (210)
- Western Australia (159)
- Australian Capital Territory (66)
- Tasmania (58)
- Northern Territory (57)
Suburbs with the most listings
- Brisbane, QLD (120)
- Melbourne, VIC (98)
- Sydney, NSW (93)
- Central Coast, NSW (90)
- Perth, WA (56)
- Blacktown, NSW (55)
- Liverpool, NSW (54)
- Penrith, NSW (54)
- Wollongong, NSW (48)
- Adelaide, SA (47)
- Geelong, VIC (47)
- Parramatta, NSW (47)
Listings covering the most areas
- Nurse Next Door Batemans Bay - 413 areas
- Simply You Plan Management - 324 areas
- Nurse Next Door Ballarat - 233 areas
- Nurse Next Door Armidale - 230 areas
- Nurse Next Door Wagga Wagga - 207 areas
- Nurse Next Door Canberra - 189 areas
- Aligned Assist - 184 areas
- Nurse Next Door Bass Coast - 178 areas
Checking credentials
- Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
- Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
- Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.
Regulation and safeguards
NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What does a plan manager do?
A plan manager pays your providers' invoices from your NDIS funding, keeps track of your budget and gives you regular statements, so you do not have to handle payments yourself.
Can I use providers who are not registered with the NDIS?
If your plan is managed by a plan manager or by you, yes. If it is managed by the NDIA, you generally must use registered providers.
Does plan management reduce my support budget?
Plan management is usually funded separately from your other supports, so it should not use up your support budget. Check your plan or ask the plan manager to confirm.
Can I change plan manager?
Yes. You can change providers, and it is a good idea to read the agreement about notice.
Does a plan manager choose my providers?
No. You choose your providers. The plan manager pays the invoices.
Can I use providers who are not registered?
If your plan is managed by a plan manager or by you, generally yes.
What is the difference between a plan manager and a support coordinator?
A plan manager handles payments and budget tracking. A support coordinator helps you find, organise and manage your supports. Some people use both.
Can I choose any provider if I have a plan manager?
Plan management typically gives you the freedom to use registered or unregistered providers, subject to the rules of your plan. Check details with your plan manager.
What if I think an invoice is wrong?
Tell your plan manager, who can query it with the provider before paying. Keep records of what was agreed and what was delivered.
Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Plan management?
If Plan management is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
How do I find a Plan management provider near me?
Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.
Sources and further reading
- NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint
Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory
Reading about Plan management
- Self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed: how to think about it: The way your funding is managed affects which providers you can use and how much paperwork lands on you. Here is a plain-language way to compare the options.
- What does an NDIS plan manager do, and how do you choose one?: A plan manager looks after the money side of your plan. Here is what the role covers, what it does not, and what to compare when you pick one.
- NDIS claims over 90 days: what changes from 15 October: The NDIA says claims submitted more than 90 days after a support is delivered may receive extra checks from 15 October 2026. Here is what participants, providers and plan managers should verify.