What Is Support Coordination? (And Do You Need It?)
What is support coordination, the three levels of it, who gets it in their NDIS plan, and how to decide if you need one. Plain-English guide.
Support coordination is help to understand and use your NDIS plan — a paid professional who connects you with services, explains your funding, and helps you build the skills to manage it yourself over time. It is funded separately in your plan, so it does not come out of the money for your therapy or daily supports. Not every participant gets it, and not everyone needs it, so this guide explains…
What is support coordination, in plain terms?
What does a support coordinator actually do?
The three levels of support coordination
Support coordination is not the same as plan management
Do you need support coordination?
A real-life scenario
How does support coordination get into your plan?
Registered or unregistered — does it matter?
How to choose a good support coordinator
How the NDIS reforms could affect this
What to do next
Frequently asked questions
Is support coordination taken out of my other funding?
No. Support coordination is funded as its own separate item in your plan. Using your coordinator does not reduce the money available for your therapy, support workers or daily supports — it is a distinct allocation, usually set as a number of hours.
What's the difference between a support coordinator and a plan manager?
A support coordinator helps you understand your plan and connect with the right services. A plan manager handles the money — paying your providers' invoices and keeping the records straight. They are two separate services, and you can have one, both, or neither depending on what is in your plan.
Can I get support coordination if it's not in my plan?
Not straight away. It has to be assessed as reasonable and necessary and included by the NDIA. Raise it at your planning meeting or plan reassessment, and be specific about why coordinating your supports is difficult for you. If it is declined and you disagree, you can ask for a review of that…
Can I change my support coordinator if I'm not happy?
Yes. You have the right to choose who provides your support coordination and to change if it is not working for you. It is worth checking any notice period in your service agreement, but you are never locked in to a coordinator who is not the right fit.
Will the NDIS reforms remove support coordination?
There is no announced plan to remove it. However, a new planning framework from 1 April 2027 replaces the current support categories with more flexible budgets, so how coordination is described and funded may change over time. Dates have shifted before, so confirm the current position with the NDIA…
Related guides
- NDIS Core Supports Explained: What They Cover and How to Use Them
- NDIS Capacity Building Supports Explained
- Assistive Technology and the NDIS: How Funding for Equipment Works
- Home and Vehicle Modifications Through the NDIS
- NDIS Therapy Supports: OT, Physio, Speech and Psychology Explained
- NDIS Transport Funding Explained: What It Covers and How to Get It