How your plan is managed (and why it matters)
How your plan is managed decides two things: who pays your providers, and which providers you're allowed to use. It's worth understanding before you start choosing supports.
There are three ways a plan can be managed
Every NDIS plan is managed in one of three ways — self-managed, plan-managed, or agency-managed (also called NDIA-managed). You can also have a mix, for example plan-managing most supports while self-managing one.
The trade-off runs along a line: more choice and flexibility on one side, less admin and paperwork on the other.
Self-managed — the most choice
With self-management, you (or a nominee acting for you) receive and manage the funding yourself. You pay your own providers and keep the records.
This gives you the most flexibility — you can use almost any provider, registered or not — but it also means the most responsibility: paying invoices, keeping receipts, and staying on top of your budget.
Plan-managed — a manager does the admin
With plan management, a registered plan manager pays your providers and tracks your budget for you. You still choose your own supports, and you can use registered or unregistered providers — but you don't handle the invoices or bookkeeping.
It's the most popular option by a wide margin, because it combines broad choice of providers with very little admin for you.
Agency-managed — the NDIA pays directly
With agency management (NDIA-managed), the NDIA pays your providers directly and keeps the records. There's no admin for you at all.
The trade-off is choice: when a plan is agency-managed, you can only use providers that are registered with the NDIS.
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Which option gives me the most choice?
Self-managed gives the most flexibility, closely followed by plan-managed. Both let you use registered and unregistered providers. Agency-managed limits you to NDIS-registered providers only.
Can I change how my plan is managed?
Yes. Changing your management type can often be done as a plan variation without a full reassessment. Talk to your Local Area Coordinator, support coordinator, or the NDIA.
Does a plan manager cost me anything?
Plan management is funded separately in your plan, so it generally doesn't reduce the funding available for your other supports.
This is general information to help you get oriented — not official advice, and everyone’s situation is different. The NDIS is changing, so for the current rules always check ndis.gov.au or talk to your planner, Local Area Coordinator, or support coordinator.