Self-management is when you manage your NDIS funding. It gives you the flexibility and choice to decide what NDIS supports you buy to pursue your plan goals.
It lets you think creatively about how you can use your funds to best meet your needs.
What is self-management?
In this video, we explain the 3 different plan management options and what it means to self-manage your NDIS funding.
To turn on subtitles, click the ‘Settings’ icon on the bottom right of the video and select ‘Subtitles/CC’.
The benefits of self-managing
If you self-manage your NDIS funding, you will have:
- choice to decide what NDIS supports you purchase, who provides these supports, and how they are delivered – as long as it’s in line with your plan
- flexibility to use both registered and unregistered NDIS providers that will best help you meet your needs and pursue your goals
- power to negotiate costs above or below the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits so you can arrange your NDIS supports in a way that offers you the best value
- capacity to directly employ or contract staff, or have someone like a nominee employ staff on your behalf, so they can provide your NDIS supports
- control over and responsibility for your NDIS funding so you understand and manage your budget, arrange and pay for your NDIS supports and keep the records and receipts
- ability to be innovative when arranging your NDIS supports. We encourage you to shop around to work out which NDIS supports give you the best value and meet your needs and preferences.
Video: The benefits of self-managing your plan
In this video, we discuss the benefits of self-managing your plan, including more choice and control with your NDIS supports and how to get the most out of your NDIS funding. Participants Chantel, Emma, Steve and Taryn, mum of a participant all share their experience in self-managing plans.
Watch Self-management video: The benefits of self-managing your plan
Responsibilities of self-managing
If you are thinking about self-managing you need to understand that there are responsibilities involved. The responsibilities of self-managing your NDIS funding include to:
- buy NDIS supports for you. You can only spend your funding on NDIS supports. NDIS supports are the supports the NDIS laws say we can fund
- spend in line with your plan. This includes spending in line with any funding periods or funding component amounts. Read more about these in Our Guideline – Creating your plan
- make agreements with your providers about the supports you’ll receive, including how they’ll be provided and paid for
- manage your funding so the costs of NDIS supports give you value for money, and can be met within your budget for the length of your plan and any funding periods. This means the cost is reasonable when you think about the benefit you’ll get, and you can afford to pay for the support within your plan budget
- pay for NDIS supports on time, by making accurate claims with all required information within our timeframes, receiving funding and paying providers
- keep records of invoices and receipts for 5 years to show that you’ve purchased NDIS supports and used your funding in line with your NDIS plan
- meet your obligations as an employer if you choose to employ staff directly. This includes understanding the NDIS Code of Conduct that applies to workers and providers who deliver NDIS supports
- cooperate with payment reviews when you’re asked to provide invoices, receipts or other evidence to show the NDIA that you’ve spent your funding on NDIS supports and in line with your NDIS plan
- advise us of any significant changes in your situation that may mean you can’t meet your responsibilities as a self-manager. If you’re a nominee, you need to tell us about any conflict of interest you have in relation to the participant, and how you’ll manage this. For example, if you provide the participant with services you get paid for.
Spending in line with your plan
Spending in line with your plan means only spending your funding on the supports included in your plan. To spend in line with your plan, you need to:
- spend your funding in the way we describe. This includes any stated supports, where we describe the supports you can buy more specifically
- make sure your funding will last for the whole length of your plan
- if your plan includes funding periods and funding component amounts, make sure your funding will last for the length of each funding period.
When you buy supports in line with your plan, you need to make sure they are NDIS supports or an agreed replacement support that relates to your disability.
You can still self-manage your funding even if you need some help to meet these responsibilities.
Directly employing your own staff
When you self-manage your plan, you can choose to directly employ your own staff.
Directly employing your staff can give you more control over who works with you, but you also have more responsibilities.
Learn more about:
- your responsibilities as an employer in Directly engaging your own staff (DOCX 292KB)
- evidence you provide to claim and pay your direct employees.
Guide to self-management
- Guide to self-management (DOCX 206KB)
- Guide to self-management (PDF 3.4MB)
- Easy Read: NDIS Guide to Self-management (DOCX 61KB)
- Easy Read: NDIS Guide to Self-management (PDF 7.4MB)
- Directly engaging your own staff (DOCX 292KB)
- Directly engaging your own staff (PDF 245KB)
If you would like a printed copy, you can speak to your local office or contact us and request a copy of the NDIS guide to self-management.
Helpful ‘how to’ videos and checklists on self-management can be found under the ‘Self-management resources’ tab. This can be found on the right-hand side of this webpage or at the bottom of the webpage for mobile users.
How to start self-managing your plan
If you would like to make a request to self-manage your plan, you can:
- speak to your local area coordinator or early childhood partner
- contact us via phone, email or web chat.