On this page, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions relating to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. If you can’t find the answer to what you’re searching for here, don’t hesitate to contact United Disability today. You can email us or call 1300 454 850. We support people in Brisbane, Logan, the Gold Coast, the Tweed Coast, Byron Shire, Coffs Harbour, Maitland, Gawler and surrounding regions.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a way of providing disability support and care to people in Australia and is delivered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The NDIS provides people with disability the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process for their personalised care, allowing them to drive and make many of the important decisions about how they want to live their life and who they would like to deliver their support. Allowing people with disability the choice of who cares for them and more control over the life and decisions about what happens in their life.
The NDIS supports people by building skills and capability so they can participate in the community and employment. Funding is applied directly to the person with the disability, allowing them the flexibility to choose the services they need. This replaces the old system of funding being directly applied to the service providers.
No, the NDIS is an insurance scheme funded through tax contributions, like Medicare. The NDIS does not require means testing for eligible Participants and does not influence the Disability Support Pension payments you might receive. The NDIS is designed to complement the current health and education services in Australia.
To be eligible to receive access to the NDIS. You must meet the age, residency, and disability requirements.
An access request form will need to be submitted alongside any additional reports and information you may have. Your GP or health professional will be required to detail how your disability impacts your mobility/motor skills; communication; social interaction; learning; self-care; and self-management.
A Participant/Client is a person living with disability in Australia who is eligible and has been accepted into the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme by the NDIA.
Local Area Coordination services are an important part of the NDIS, as they will work with Participants on the ground to help enter and make the most of the NDIS – while supporting individuals to build strong, inclusive relationships in their communities.
A Local Area Coordinator may be the person you meet with during your first planning meeting, and then perhaps afterwards. LAC’s have been tasked with gathering data and information from people in their planning meetings and will pass this information onto the NDIA so that can convert this into a Participant plan. It is important to note that the LAC’s do not work for the NDIA, however they have taken on a planning role for developing Participants plans to assist the NDIA with the NDIS rollout.
As an NDIS Participant, you (or your Nominee) will need to understand your plan, its budgets and how you can find and connect with supports and services in your community to achieve the goals in your plan.
Your Support Coordinator can provide initial assistance with linking Participants with the right providers, assistance in sourcing providers, coordinating a range of supports, resolving points of crisis, providing parental training and developing Participant resilience in their own network and community.
A Support Coordinator is someone who could be funded separately in your NDIS plan to help you do this. Your Support Coordinator will need to be a person or provider who is registered by the NDIA to provide this service.
Once your plan is active you can access your plan on the Participant Portal, an online tool available through the myGov website that keeps all your documents together in the one place. You will receive Participant Portal access instructions once your plan is ready, and your plan management will be discussed in detail during your Planning Meeting.
As part of the NDIS framework you decide how you want to manage your plan and if you need support.
For example:
• You may choose to manage it yourself (also known as Self-Managed) – this is where the NDIS provides you with the funding to pay directly to the people and organisations that support you.
• You may wish to nominate someone to help you manage your plan – this is a trusted person (also known as a Plan Nominee) that will make payments on your behalf to the people and organisations that support you.
• You can use the services of a registered Plan Management provider such as United Disability – United Disability will then make payments on your behalf to the people and organisations that support you. Plan Management is funded as part of your plan and will not take away any funding allocated to you as a person with disability.
• You can ask the NDIS to manage all or part of your plan on your behalf.
To get more information about your Plan Management, contact your NDIS representative or your Support Coordinator and they will provide more information to help you make these choices.
The NDIS offers a range of support to people with disability.
These can include:
Your Planning Meeting is a scheduled meeting with the NDIA to help build your personalised First Plan. An NDIS Planner will contact you and/or your Nominee to arrange a meeting to prepare your plan. This meeting will occur at a time that is suitable to you, with some people’s first plans being completed over the phone. During this meeting, your NDIS Planner will talk with you about what support and services you currently receive and what additional services you can access. Make sure that during your Planning Meeting you take down your NDIS Planner’s name and number. If for any reason you are not happy with your finalised First Plan you will then be able to contact them directly and discuss your concerns.
Yes, you can bring support to your Planning Meeting.
It may be a friend, family member or Carer. If you don’t have anyone to support you during this meeting you can seek the assistance of a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or a Support Coordinator from a registered partner.
At the end of your Planning Meeting with the NDIS Planner, they will talk to you about your next steps. They will then contact you when your First Plan is finalised and discuss how to put it into action. This contact will happen within several days of you receiving your plan.
For Participants who have a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) to support them to implement their plan:
A Local Area Coordinator from an NDIS partner organisation will be in contact with you to further discuss your plan, help you access supports and discuss your long terms goals under the NDIS.
For Participants who receive help from a Support Coordinator to implement their plan:
Your plan will include funding for a Support Coordinator to help you implement your plan. Once your plan is approved, this person will contact you to discuss your plan, help you access supports and discuss your longer-term goals under the NDIS.
For Participants who are Self-Managing:
You will be contacted by the NDIA once your plan is approved and they will talk to you or your Nominee about the opportunities and responsibilities of self-managing your plan.
It is important to think about how your First Plan is working for you – what is good and what is not. This will help you prepare for your Plan Review at the end of 12 months.
You will continue to receive support if your NDIS plan is in place. Your First Plan will be in place for approximately 12 months. However, there are some plans that may have a slightly shorter or longer term. Having a First Plan that covers approximately 12 months will provide you as a Participant the opportunity to think about how your NDIS support is working for you. You can then assess what else you might need to help you achieve your goals before your next plan review.
If you think that the NDIA has made a decision about you, or your plan that is incorrect, you can apply for internal review of a decision. If your circumstances or needs change you can also ask for your plan to be reviewed and potentially changed. Contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110 for further information.
Speak with your Support Coordinator first as they may be able to answer your questions.
NDIS Plan Review Process
NDIS reviews are a standard practice to ensure you plan meets your needs, different reviews can be referred to under different terms these are outlined below.
Before you start your Plan Review, it can be helpful for you to explore options to get involved in your local community through activities such as sporting clubs, local theatres, special interest groups and community gardening.
The below steps should be considered when reviewing your NDIS plan:
Write the above points down in anticipation of your review as this may help with your preparation.
As a Participant of the NDIS, you have the option to have support during your Plan Review. Support may be a friend, family member or carer. If you don’t have anyone to support you during your review you can seek the assistance of a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or a Support Coordinator from a registered partner. United Disability Care has Support Coordinators and is happy to help.
Scheduled plan review
Scheduled plan reviews occur when your plan is coming to the end of your plan period (Plan end date). They are an opportunity to raise any concerns and set new goals for the upcoming plan period.
Sometimes you may request NDIA to review your plan outside of your set plan period this could be because you feel the plan you received does not meet your needs or because your needs have changed partway through your plan period.
Unscheduled plan review/ Change in Circumstances review (section 48 of the NDIS Act)
Change in circumstance or unscheduled review is when your circumstances have changed and your allocated funding may need to change. This can be a change to your living arrangements, employment, informal supports etc.
You can request a change of circumstance review with supporting documentation to advise of the changes and supports required due to the significant change. NDIA are not required to review your plan if it will still meet your needs, however, if the NDIA agree that the change in circumstances will cause significant changes in your support needs, they will commence a review of the plan to discuss the change requirements.
Internal review/ Review of a Reviewable Decision (Section 100 of the NDIS Act)
An internal review can be requested when you believe the NDIA decision about your plan is incorrect. This can be the level of funding allocated or the decision not to include requested supports.
You must apply for the review of the decision within 90 days of the plan approval date. This is an internal review of your NDIS plan, however the person responsible for the original decision will not be involved in the new decision. NDIA will require more information supporting your request. NDIA may decide the original planning decision was correct and your plan will continue as first approved.
External review/ Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
Following a Section 100 Review of a Reviewable decision (above), if you remain dissatisfied with your NDIS plan, you may apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for an external review. The AAT is an independent statutory body who will take a fresh look at the relevant facts, law, and policy, and arrive at their own independent decision. The AAT have the power to affirm the NDIA decision, vary the decision, set aside the decision and substitute a new decision, or remit a decision back to the NDIA for reconsideration. It is important to note that an AAT application must be lodged with 28 days of the plan approval date.
The decision of the AAT is final.
If you have any questions about review process or how to request a review you can talk to your Support Coordinator.
Still have questions? Visit the NDIS website
Visit the National Disability Insurance Scheme website – www.ndis.gov.au or call 1800 800 110.
For people with hearing and speech loss TTY: 1800 555 677
Speak and Listen: 1800 555 727
For people who need assistance with English: TIS: 131 450
*Disclosure: The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is subject to change without prior notice.
