Plan management options compared
Agency managed, plan managed and self managed — what each one lets you do, and the trade-offs.
4 min read·
Three ways to handle the money
How your plan is managed decides who pays your invoices, and which providers you can use. You can also use a combination across different parts of your plan.
- NDIA managed — the Agency pays providers directly. You can only use NDIS registered providers. Least paperwork, least flexibility.
- Plan managed — a registered plan management provider pays invoices and tracks your budget. You can use registered and unregistered providers. Plan management funding is added to your plan and does not come out of your support budgets.
- Self managed — you receive funds and pay providers yourself, keeping records and receipts. The most flexibility and the most responsibility, including employer obligations if you directly employ workers.
What is changing
The Government has announced a move to a commissioned panel model for plan management, with the new arrangements beginning from 1 October 2027 and a transition period following. If plan management is part of your arrangements, expect more information from the NDIA closer to that time — nothing changes for you today.
ndis.gov.au plan management; NDIS Practice Standards.
General information only. Rules and dates change — check ndis.gov.au or call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 before acting on anything here.
Keep reading
Reading your plan budget
Core, Capacity Building and Capital, what stated versus flexible funding means, and funding periods.
6 min readWhat NDIS funding can and cannot be used for
The legislated definition of an NDIS support, and the reasonable and necessary test in plain English.
7 min readNDIS reforms: what is changing and when
The 2026 legislation, the dates announced so far, and what actually changes for participants today.