Step 1: Learn about service agreements
You should understand what a service agreement is before making one.
You should also understand when you need a service agreement and who can help you make one.
Learn about your rights and responsibilities when working with providers before you make your service agreement.
Step 2: Consider what information to include in your service agreement
You and your provider should work together to make a service agreement. You can ask to change terms to suit your needs.
You can ask for the service agreement to be in the format you like and use words you understand. Ask your provider to arrange an interpreter if you need one.
You should understand the information you’re providing and how it’s being kept private before finalising the agreement.
There’s some important information you should include in your service agreement. You and your provider can use the information on this page as a guide to make sure it’s included.
A service agreement should include:
You and your provider’s details
Including:
- your names
- contact information
- any other representatives like guardians
- your goals and NDIS plan.
Your NDIS supports and costs
Your service agreement should include details of your supports and their costs. This should include the support:
- category
- item name or number
- description
- the quantity or hours
- unit price
- total cost
- GST component if required.
It should also include information on how, where and how often you’ll get each support. It should outline any extra charges like travel or other fees.
Your service agreement should include details on what NDIS supports are being provided, like:
- how the NDIS supports will be provided
- when and where the supports are provided.
Important dates and reviews
This includes the date the agreements starts and ends, and when the agreement is reviewed.
How you’ll work together
Your service agreement should include details of how you and your provider will work together to make sure your support needs and goals are met. This should include:
Your provider’s responsibilities to:
- treat you with respect and communicate clearly and on time
- work with you to provide supports that meet your needs
- explain complaints, changes, privacy, records, safety rules and conflicts of interest.
Your rights to:
- be treated with dignity, respect and fairness
- get safe and quality supports that meet your needs
- have choice, ask questions, make complaints, get support and have your privacy protected.
Your responsibilities to:
- work with your provider and treat staff with respect
- share information, raise concerns and help keep supports safe
- pay invoices on time and tell your provider if your needs or NDIS plan changes.
Your cultural safety is respected and that:
- you’re getting information that works for you
- your provider organises an interpreter if needed
- you have a choice to involve your family, carers or community
- your provider understands and respects cultural practices and beliefs that are important to you.
Cancelling your supports
It’s important to understand the cancellation rules and how much notice is needed.
The cancellation policy should include:
- any cancellation fees
- what happens if your provider cancels a support or needs to pause or replace a support.
Changing or ending your service agreement
You should understand important details once your service agreement starts, including:
- that your agreement can change if your needs change
- how to end your agreement and the notice you need to provide
- making sure the end date is not later than your plan reassessment date.
Small changes
You can include small changes in documents, such as a variation. These are extra documents that can be added to the original service agreement to outlines the changes.
Big changes
We recommend you make a new service agreement if you have big changes. Big changes could include:
- new or significant changes to your NDIS supports
- changing and getting a new provider
- getting a new NDIS plan.
You may also need to make a new service agreement if your old agreement has expired or gone past the end date.
Communication
You should know who to contact if you have any questions about your service agreement.
When you disagree
Your service agreement should have a clear complaints process. It’s important you understand:
- what to do if you’re unhappy with a situation or service
- how to raise concerns or issues
- who to contact if an issue can’t be resolved or you have a complaint.
Learn more about what to do when something is wrong, such as:
- if you think a mistake has been made
- not getting supports as agreed
- being charged for supports you didn't receive.
Step 3: Work with your provider to create a service agreement
You and your provider can create a service agreement once you’re ready and have the information you need.
You can use the service agreement template we created with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission . The template is a guide. It’s not legal advice.
You don’t have to use the service agreement template. If you do use it, make sure:
- it suits you and your provider
- you read and understand the disclaimer
- you add the details where the template asks you to
- you check that you and your provider understand it before you agree
- you get advice if you need it.
It’s important to know neither us nor the NDIS Commission:
- are a part of service agreements
- keep records of service agreements
- can enforce what’s in service agreements.
Service agreement template
Download the service agreement template:
- Service agreement template (DOCX 101KB)
Step 4: Finalise the service agreement
Understand your agreement
It’s important to review the agreement to make sure you have included everything before you finalise it. It’s important that:
- you’ve had time to read and understand the agreement
- the agreement is in a format you like with words you understand
- you’ve had time to get help to understand it, if needed
- you can say no or ask for changes.
Keep the service agreement for your records when finalised.
Easy Read
Download making a service agreement in Easy Read:
- Making a service agreement (PDF 54MB)
- Making a service agreement (DOCX 42KB)