To be eligible you need to meet some basic criteria relating to your age, Australian Residency status, and nature of your disability.

You can check if you’re eligible at www.ndis.gov.au/applying-access-ndis/am-i-eligible

The NDIS covers the costs of supports across a wide range of areas, from education, employment, community participation, living arrangements, independence, and health & wellbeing.

The NDIS will approve claims for what is deemed a ‘reasonable and necessary’ support. These are goods or services directly relevant to a participant achieving their specific goals and objectives detailed in their current NDIS plan.

The NDIS will be unlikely to approve claims that are not deemed to be related to a disability such as daily living cost, entertainment, food, or other items that may already be covered by other Government funding such as Medicare etc.

(Information about ‘reasonable and necessary’ supports can be found on the NDIS website).

- Go to www.ndis.gov.au and get prepared by learning the basics about what the NDIS can fund and how it works

- Organise a meeting with your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) for the NDIS (face to face meetings are always best if possible)

- Take a friend or someone you trust to support you

- Take a check list and any supporting documents

- Express your needs and goals in life clearly so the LAC knows exactly what you want In your plan.

(NB. If you’d like Plan Management to be included, just ask your LAC)

• Once you receive your plan check through it carefully. If you have any questions, contact your LAC and ask for a review if there are any issues

• Let your existing Service Providers know that you have a new plan and instruct your Plan Manager if relevant.

• Annual Review: Each year you will have the chance to meet with your LAC and review your plan, give feedback and make any changes you want.

There is NO expense to you, as the NDIS covers the cost of this service. It does not reduce or erode your entitlements.

Plan Management is available to ALL participants – you just need to ask for it!

The NDIS ask Providers to register with them directly, however, for a variety of reasons, some Providers choose not to register.

The main difference between registered and unregistered providers is that only registered providers can claim their invoices with the NDIS directly themselves.

Using a Plan Manager allows you to access an unregistered provider of your choice easily.

If you already have service providers that you are happy with, we will work with your providers, as long as they meet the legal requirements of what the NDIA deem as ‘reasonable and necessary’

If you are looking to engage service providers, we have a large database of providers to choose from, and because we are independent, we’ll only suggest options that we think are right for you.

(You can also find service providers in your local area by contacting your local NDIS office or calling helpline on 1800 800 110 or checking the list of registered service providers in your area at www.ndis.gov.au )