Self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed?
How your plan is managed decides who pays the invoices — and which providers you're free to choose.
The three options
Self-managed
You (or your nominee) hold the funding and pay providers directly. Maximum flexibility — you can use any provider you trust, registered or not, and negotiate how support works.
Plan-managed
A plan manager (funded by the NDIS at no cost to you) pays invoices and tracks your budget. You still choose any provider, registered or not, without doing the paperwork yourself.
NDIA-managed (agency-managed)
The NDIA pays providers directly from your plan. Simple, but you can only use registered NDIS providers.
A mix
Plans can be split — for example, core supports plan-managed and capacity building self-managed. Many people combine options.
What this means when choosing providers
If your plan is self-managed or plan-managed, you have the widest choice: roughly nine in ten NDIS providers are unregistered, including many of the small, local, highly personal services — sole-trader support workers, local cleaners, and providers like Asina.
If your plan is NDIA-managed, you're limited to registered providers only. If you'd like more choice, you can ask for your management type to be changed at your next plan review (or request an earlier review) — it's your plan and your call.
Questions worth asking any provider
- Do your workers hold NDIS Worker Screening Checks? (Every Asina worker does.)
- Do you follow the NDIS Code of Conduct? (It applies to every provider, registered or not.)
- Will I see rates in writing before support starts? (Yours are in your service agreement.)
- Can I choose and change my workers? (At Asina, always.)
