How your NDIS plan is managed decides who pays your providers, who keeps the records and which providers you can use. This guide explains the three NDIS plan management options, their pros and cons, and how to change. Terms such as nominee and plan manager are defined in our NDIS and Support at Home glossary.
What are the three plan management options?
The NDIS offers self-management, plan management and NDIA management. Your plan can be managed all one way, or you can combine them. For example, your core supports could be self-managed while your capital supports are NDIA-managed.
What is self-managed funding?
With self-managed funding, you, your nominee or your child representative manage the funding. The NDIS lists these benefits:
- choosing which supports you buy and who provides them
- using both registered and unregistered providers
- negotiating prices above or below the NDIS price limits
- employing or contracting your own staff directly
You are responsible for paying providers, keeping records, making sure your funding lasts and showing how you used it. You cannot self-manage if, for example, you are an insolvent under administration, have certain criminal convictions, or the NDIA thinks it would pose an unreasonable risk to you.
What is plan-managed funding?
With plan-managed funding, a plan manager pays your providers and keeps the records. The NDIS includes separate funding in your plan to pay the plan manager, so it does not come out of your other supports. You can still choose registered or unregistered providers.
Your plan manager must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. You are still responsible for choosing providers, making a service agreement with your plan manager, and only buying supports in line with your plan.
What is NDIA-managed funding?
With NDIA-managed funding, the NDIA pays your providers and keeps the records. You can choose your providers, but they must be registered. You cannot use unregistered providers for supports that are NDIA-managed.
Providers claim through the NDIS portal, and the NDIA usually pays within 2 to 3 business days. If a provider that is not recorded for your plan makes a claim, the NDIA texts you to check it before paying.
Which providers can you use with each option?
- Self-managed: registered and unregistered providers, and staff you employ directly.
- Plan-managed: registered and unregistered providers.
- NDIA-managed: registered providers only.
Some supports now need a registered provider whatever the plan management type. The NDIS says all providers delivering supported independent living (SIL) must be registered from 1 July 2026. Kindora Connect is a Registered NDIS Provider, so it can be used with any of the three options.
What does a plan manager do day to day?
The NDIS says a plan manager will talk with you about working together, help you understand your plan and what counts as an NDIS support, and share regular statements and updates on your funding. They make sure claims match your plan and budget, which helps prevent overspending. A plan manager is different from a support coordinator: a support coordinator connects you with supports, while a plan manager keeps track of your funding.
You can find a plan manager through the NDIS provider finder, advice from people you trust, or your own research.
How do support budgets fit in?
Every NDIS plan has up to 4 support budgets, made up of 21 support categories and hundreds of support items, each with a code and a price limit. You can usually use funding flexibly across categories within one budget, but not move it between budgets. This applies whichever plan management option you choose.
How do you choose?
Questions that can help:
- How much time and confidence do you have for paperwork and paying invoices?
- Do you want to use unregistered providers, or employ your own workers?
- Would you like someone to track your spending and send you reports?
- Do you want the simplest option while you get used to the NDIS?
The NDIS suggests you might start with NDIA management if you are unsure, and change later. Many people find plan management a middle ground: more choice of providers, without doing the payments themselves.
Can you change how your plan is managed?
Yes. You can ask to change how you manage your funding at any time, and there is no limit on how often. If that is the only change, the NDIS can usually make a plan variation without a full reassessment.
Kindora Connect works with self-managed, plan-managed and NDIA-managed participants for supports such as personal care, household tasks and transport support. See also registered vs unregistered NDIS providers and how to make an NDIS referral.