Support Coordinator vs Plan Manager vs LAC: Who Does What in the NDIS
Support coordinator vs plan manager vs LAC — who manages money, who connects supports, who is funded where, and where each role sits after the 2028 reforms.
The one-line difference
What a support coordinator actually does
What a plan manager actually does
What an LAC does — and why it isn't a paid gig
Support coordinator vs plan manager: can one person be both?
How it plays out in a real plan
Money: rates, budgets and who gets paid what
Qualifications and registration compared
How the 2028 reforms change the picture
Common mistakes and edge cases
Which role fits you?
Frequently asked questions
Can a participant have both a support coordinator and a plan manager?
Yes, and it is common. They are funded from different budget lines — support coordination from Capacity Building, plan management from Improved Life Choices — and do different jobs. The coordinator connects and manages services while the plan manager pays the invoices. Neither reduces the other's funding.
What is the difference between a support coordinator and an LAC?
A Local Area Coordinator is an NDIA-contracted partner who helps people start a plan and link to community and mainstream services, and is not billed to the plan. A support coordinator is funded within the participant's plan to do deeper, ongoing coordination. An LAC cannot approve a plan, and participants are often referred to funded support coordination when their needs exceed what an LAC can provide.
Can I offer support coordination and plan management from the same business?
You can, but it creates a conflict of interest that must be managed under the NDIS Code of Conduct and NDIA conflict rules. You must disclose the arrangement, record the participant's informed choice, and offer genuine alternatives. The NDIA is actively scrutinising these arrangements, so document everything and never bill coordination hours for plan management work.
Do support coordinators have to be registered in 2026?
Standard support coordination (group 0106) does not have mandatory registration right now — it was paused in December 2025 and will be reshaped around the 2028 commissioned model. Specialist support coordination (group 0132) does still require registration, audited against the Core Module and Specialist Module 4. Always confirm current obligations with the NDIS Commission.
Is the support coordination price limit my salary?
No. It is the maximum you can bill against a participant's plan per hour — indicatively around $100.14 for Level 2 as at the 2025-26 PAPL. Employed coordinators are paid under the SCHADS Award (MA000100) via Fair Work, which is a separate figure. The rate has been frozen for a seventh year while wages rise, which is the core viability pressure on practices.