A lot has changed in the past few months since the new PACE system was introduced in January 2024 and then in Oct 3 2024 when the NDIA introduced new legislation. 

We have updated this resource to match the latest process, including procedures that have been announced but have not been implemented yet.

Overview

When a person living with a disability is deemed eligible for the NDIS, they will apply for the NDIS by submitting an Access Request with the help of a Local Area Coordiantor (LAC).

Your information is reviewed and an Access Meeting is scheduled (usually with the same LAC who is your NDIS contact). 

For more information, see our Resources:

• Who is eligible for the NDIS
• How to apply for the NDIS
• NDIS Guidlelines on how to apply for the NDIS (after 1 January 2025)
   

When is the Plan Meeting?

A Plan Meeting occurs when:

• you get your first plan OR
• before a plan reassessment OR
• during a plan variation OR
• a plan check-in before a plan reassessment

It is usually delivered online via Zoom or Teams or even by phone. In rare occasions it can be delivered face-to-face.

During your Access Meeting, a great deal of information was collected by a Local Area Coordiantor (LAC).

This information is now reviewed by an NDIS Planner who will hold your NDIS Plan Meeting.

The Planner will do one of 2 things:

1. Create a draft plan or a Typical Support Plan (TSP) BEFORE the Plan Meeting (this will hopefully happen in the future) and you will review this draft plan with them
2. Does not create a draft plan, but rather creates a final plan AFTER or DURING the Plan Meeting

See our diagram below:

What Happens in your Plan Meeting

During the Plan Meeting, the Planner will confirm the information the LAC gathered during your Access Request Meeting.

If there is anything you feel you left out during your Access Request Meeting or if    since then:

• email it to your LAC before the meeting (if possible) - you should have their contact details from your Access Request
• make sure you mention it in this meeting 

The Planner  will ask questions about how you are going in different areas of your life. This will help them to:

• develop a plan that provides the right support for you (if one has not been created yet) or
• adjust the draft plan if there is one.

Examples of things you will be asked about in your first NDIS Plan Meeting:

• your disability related needs
• your personal circumstances
• your informal, formal, community and mainstream supports
• how you manage every day activities (your functional capacity)
• your safety, including equipment, accommodation or help to take care of yourself or your home
• the goals you want to pursue
• ways to manage your plan
• the supports you need
• what reasonable and necessary supports the NDIS will fund (reference to the NDIS Support List)

What to bring to your Plan Meeting

Bring all the information that you submitted during your Access Meeting plus any new information.

Your Goals

Bring the list of goals (or the goals of the person you are caring for) that you gave to your LAC during your Access Meeting.

These goals can be short term or longer term and can be formal, broad or casual. They also may have changed in the time between your Access Meeting and your Plan Meeting, so be ready to update your planner about that.

Tip: Ask the Planner what goals they have recorded for you when you start.

See our resource titled Help Writing Goals for an NDIS Plan

Evidence of your disability

This would be the diagnosis/reports you have from a doctor or specialist.

Evidence of your Impairment

Reports from allied health specialists, your child's school or your GP provide details about how your impairment affects your functional capacity - the impact of your disability on your life.

These are extremely important reports and you need to make sure the Planner has them when making decisions about your funding needs. 

If you have any new reports, make sure you have sent it to your LAC before and also have a copy now.

List of Support Needs

If you currently use providers, have them summarise what services they provide you with and what they expect to provide over the next year and the cost of this.

Have evidence or the needs you have as a result of your disability.

A day in your life

This information would have been used during your access meeting to describe how your disability affects each day in your life (or a day in the life of someone you are for).

Impact Statement

IT is great to have this on hand if you need to reaffirm the impact of your disability on your life or on the life of someone you care for.

Your Reports

Print out a copy of all reports. Check that the Planner has all the reports. Refer to specific parts of the report that you feel are important if assessing the impact of your impairment on your life.

Choose your Plan Management

Know how you want to Manage your Plan​

You will be asked by your planner if you wish to be:

• agency managed (NDIA handles everything and you have to use NDIS price guide),
• plan managed (plan manager pays all your bills for you and you have to use the NDIS price guide),
• self-managed (you do it all)
• or a combination

You have a choice!

Here is a short summary of the 3 options:

Agency Managed (Overview)

• Nobody chooses to be Agency Managed.
• You will have much less control over which providers you use - you have from choose registered NDIS providers ONLY.
• You can only pay NDIS price guide rates.
• NDIS will directly pay your support providers for you.

Plan Management (overview)

• A Plan Manager is your "Admin Assistant​". They perform all the admin tasks like paying providers, keeping records, and watching spending.
• A Provider emails an invoice to your Plan Manager​, you approve it ​and the Plan Manager pays i
•  You can use both NDIS registered & Unregistered Providers​Extra funding added to your plan for Plan Management​ and cannot be used for anything else.
• You cannot pay above the NDIS price list
• If you already have one in mind, like the amazing team at Plan Hero Plan Management, you should take the name, NDIS number and ABN of the Plan Manager with you.

Find our more about Plan Hero Plan Management

Self Management

• You pay the invoices yourself​​
• You claim from the NDIS Portal​​
• You pay the providers​
• You keep all records - invoices & receipts for 5 yrs
• You can use BOTH NDIS registered ​AND Unregistered Providers​
• You can pay MORE than the NDIS Price limit​
• YOU need to track your own spending ​and watch your own budget

Self Management v Plan Management - What's the difference? Advantages and Disadvantages?

Tips

Don't go alone

It is imperative that you take a family member or friend or advocate to support you. If possible they should be someone who knows you and your disability and the supports you need.

The NDIS do not fund advocacy support. If you don't have a family member or friend who can go with you, you are entitled to an advocate from an agency in your area.
Find a Disability Advocate

Ask Questions

Write down beforehand any questions you have so you don't forget to ask them.

• How will my plan be sent to me?
• Do I need a computer or email address?
• If I need to send you information or ask a question after this meeting, how do I contact you?
• Will I be able to review the plan before it is finalised?
• How long after my planning meeting will I receive my plan?
• What happens if something is missing from my plan? Who do I call?
• Who will help me understand my plan? How do I send the money?
• What is a support coordinator and will I be funded for this?
• What is plan management?

Don't be afraid to ask them to 'please explain'

If you don't understand something the Planner says, ask them to repeat it or to explain it in another way. 

You may be feeling flustered but don't keep quiet, speak up and make sure you understand whats happening.