Plan Management referrals for NDIS coordinators
Plan managers who pay provider invoices, track the budget and handle claims and statements. Funded on top of a participant’s other supports — switch-friendly with fast onboarding.
NDIS registration group: Management of funding for supports in a plan
What Plan Management is under the NDIS
Plan management is one of the ways an NDIS participant can have the funding in their plan administered. A plan manager is a registered NDIS provider that handles the financial and administrative side of a plan — paying provider invoices, claiming payments from the NDIA, tracking budgets across categories, and producing regular statements — so the participant doesn't have to manage the money themselves.
Plan management sits in the Capacity Building budget under Improved Life Choices and is funded on top of a participant's other supports, so it never reduces the funding available for their disability supports. A participant can be plan-managed while still receiving support coordination, recovery coaching, therapies and other services, all funded separately.
A key feature of being plan-managed is flexibility: a plan manager can pay both registered and unregistered NDIS providers, giving participants more choice than agency (NDIA) management without the claiming and record-keeping burden of self-management. Because plan management involves handling participant funds, providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to deliver it.
What it covers
- Paying provider and support-worker invoices from the participant's funding
- Claiming payments from the NDIA on the participant's behalf
- Tracking and reconciling budgets across support categories
- Monthly statements and clear spending reports
- Budget guidance so participants can see remaining funds
- Processing claims in line with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits
- Paying both registered and unregistered NDIS providers
- Audit-ready record-keeping and documentation
- Fast onboarding and setup for new participants, and switching from a previous plan manager
Who it suits
Refer for plan management when a participant wants the flexibility to use unregistered providers and choice over who supports them, but doesn't want the administrative burden of self-managing invoices and claims.
It suits participants new to the NDIS, those with limited time or capacity to handle claiming, and anyone who wants clear oversight of their budget without the provider restrictions of agency (NDIA) management.
How to refer Plan Management on Novida
Search Novida for verified plan management providers. Many plan managers operate nationally, so filter by location where relevant and open the provider's profile to check their current NDIS registration status and whether they have capacity to take on a new participant.
Contact the plan manager directly with a complete referral: participant consent, NDIS number, confirmation the plan includes plan management funding (Improved Life Choices), the relevant budget and line items, plan start and end dates, and any particular requirements such as preferred statement frequency, portal access, or specific provider payment needs.
Novida is free to use and never sits in the middle of the referral — you contact the plan manager directly and manage the relationship from there. Novida simply helps you find, compare and verify providers so you can make an informed referral quickly.
What to check before you refer
- Confirm the participant's plan actually includes plan management funding (Improved Life Choices) before referring; if not, it usually needs to be added at a plan review or check-in with the NDIA.
- Verify the plan manager holds current registration with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — registration is legally required to provide plan management.
- Check the provider's current capacity and onboarding timeframe, especially if the participant has invoices waiting to be paid.
Plan Management — NDIS price limits (2026–27)
- Plan Management - Set Up Costs — $232.35 each (14_033_0127_8_3)
- Plan Management - Monthly Fee — $104.45 per month (14_034_0127_8_3)
How it’s priced
Plan management is priced under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (the NDIS Price Guide), which set a one-off establishment fee and a fixed monthly management fee. These are claimed from the plan's Improved Life Choices budget and are separate from, and additional to, the participant's other supports.
Coordinator FAQs — Plan Management
- Does plan management funding come out of the participant's other supports?
- No. Plan management is funded on top of other supports, in the Capacity Building budget under Improved Life Choices. Requesting or using a plan manager doesn't reduce the funding available for therapies, support work or other services. If a participant's plan doesn't yet include plan management, it can usually be added at a plan review or…
- Do plan managers have to be registered with the NDIS Commission?
- Yes. Providing plan management requires registration with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — it is one of the supports where registration is legally required, because the provider handles participant funds. When you refer, confirm the provider holds current registration for plan management. Novida shows verified provider details…
- Can a plan-managed participant use unregistered providers?
- Yes, and this is one of the main advantages. A plan manager can pay both registered and unregistered NDIS providers, giving participants far more choice than agency (NDIA) management, which generally limits them to registered providers. This flexibility helps participants who want a specific worker or service that isn't registered, while…
- How is plan management different from support coordination?
- They are separate supports. A plan manager handles the money — paying invoices, claiming, tracking budgets and producing statements. A support coordinator helps the participant understand and use their plan, connect with providers and build capacity. A participant can have both, funded separately, and the two roles often work alongside…
- How quickly can a plan manager start?
- Onboarding is usually fast — many plan managers can set a participant up within a few business days once they have consent, the NDIS number and plan details. If the participant has invoices waiting to be paid, flag the urgency in your referral. Always confirm the provider's current capacity, since onboarding timeframes vary between plan…
- Can a participant switch plan managers mid-plan?
- Yes. Participants can change plan managers at any time during their plan and aren't locked in. The new plan manager handles onboarding and takes over paying invoices and claiming going forward. It's worth checking any notice requirements with the outgoing provider so there's no gap in invoice payments during the switch, which is what…
- What do I need to include in a plan management referral?
- Send the participant's consent, NDIS number, confirmation the plan includes plan management funding, the relevant Improved Life Choices budget, plan start and end dates, and any specific requirements such as statement frequency or portal access. A complete referral speeds up onboarding. With Novida you send this directly to the plan…
- Can a participant be plan-managed for only part of their plan?
- Yes. Plans can use a mix of management types — for example plan-managed for most supports while another category is self- or agency-managed. The plan manager pays and claims only for the categories they cover. When you refer, be clear about which parts of the plan the plan manager will handle so budgets and claiming are set up correctly…
Related NDIS registration groups
- Support Coordination referrals
- Specialist Support Coordination referrals
- Psychosocial Recovery Coaching referrals
How to check a provider’s credentials
- NDIS Commission provider register — NDIS registration
- How worker screening works — Worker screening
- Make a complaint to the NDIS Commission — Complaints & conduct