Navigating your way through NDIS plans

So, you’re eligible for the NDIS and the NDIA has approved your access request? Congratulations! Now you have to prepare for your planning meeting to write your support plan and funding.

If your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) application is accepted, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will get in touch to set up a planning meeting to discuss your needs and create your plan.

It’s a good idea to get organised before you have this meeting. It is important to be able to go to the meeting armed with all relevant support information and your goals.

To get ready for your planning meeting, think about your current support and who provides them, and what support and services you may need to pursue your goals. Think about your immediate support needs and your current and future goals.

Ensuring you have covered everything you need, it may be helpful to get help, depending on your circumstances. Find out who can help you start your plan. They may be a Local Area Coordinator or a support coordinator, for example.

These meetings may take place in person or over the phone.

Goals/activities/tasks are a really important part of your NDIS plan and you will be asked what you would like to work towards. It could be a goal to use public transport independently; a goal to help build your life skills so you can become more independent, or a goal to help finding a job, for example.

If you have any goals or any unmet needs in your current life and you would like them addressed, speak up at the meeting. If your goals/activities/tasks are bigger, they can be broken down into smaller goals to help you pursue those bigger goals. 

Remember - there are three ways your plan and funds can be managed:

• Self-management: The NDIA provides you with funding so you can access the support that will best help you pursue your goals.
• Plan-managed funding: The NDIA will provide funding in your plan to pay for a Plan Manager who pays your providers for you, helps you keep track of funds and takes care of financial reporting for you.
• NDIA-managed funding: The NDIA pays your providers on your behalf.

Research what option suits you the best. If you want to make the switch to being plan-managed before your regular scheduled plan review, you will need to make contact with the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and request to switch to being plan-managed.

After the planning conversation, talk will centre around the next steps, including how your plan will be reviewed and how to start using the funding in your plan.

It generally takes between two and four weeks to hear back about your plan.

Your plan will be available on the NDIS myplace portal about 24 hours after it has been approved.

You will also receive a printed copy of your plan either in person or in the mail in your preferred format or language. During your planning conversation you can request a copy of your plan printed in a variety of accessible formats, depending on your needs.

If you are not happy with your funding you have the right to ask for an internal review of your plan by the NDIA. For more information about the internal review process visit How to review a planning decision.

Usually, your first plan will be for 12 months. When it is up for renewal, you will be contacted prior to the expiry to set up another planning date.

As part of this prior contact, the NDIS will check in with you and see how you are going with your current plan, and if your circumstances have changed in the past year.

This will help us prepare for your plan review meeting, and make sure the NDIS has the information it needs to make sure your plan review experience is personalised to your needs.

If your current plan reaches its end date before your new plan is finalised, your current plan will be automatically extended for up to 12 months.

This means your current funding will automatically continue until your new plan can be finalised, because we don’t want you to have any gaps in your funding or support. Find out more about automatic plan extensions.