Integrity in NDIS advertising

With tighter budgets and strict payment controls being topics of recent watercooler chats, the increased focus on compliance across the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has become clear to many providers.

This theme is continuing, and it’s now coming from outside the sector as well, with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) recently releasing a report on misleading conduct in the NDIS market.

Truth and transparency in advertising the NDIS

One of the key findings discussed in the ACCC’s February 2026 report is false or misleading advertising that may give NDIS participants the impression that some goods or services are ‘NDIS approved’ or automatically funded. Whether it’s unauthorised use of the NDIS logo or language implying that people can access supports without knowing if they’re eligible under their plan, doing business this way leaves vulnerable participants out of pocket, and undermines the safeguards of the sector.

Not only that; it’s also illegal under consumer law to make false or misleading claims about a product or service, including claims a product or service is approved or endorsed by a third party – in this case, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

There are strict penalties for breaching the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, including significant fines. If a provider is found to be in breach of consumer law, it would be a safe assumption that an investigation from the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission would be in their immediate future.

Though it should go without saying, due to the very fact that every participant’s circumstance is different, there’s no product or service that’s automatically NDIS approved or funded for all participants. Ultimately, this will always come down to a participant’s needs, their goals and what’s funded in their plan. Providers must always take this into consideration when advertising as it makes no difference if they intended to be misleading or not.  

How providers advertise is really important

When a participant sees a product described as ‘NDIS approved’ or ‘guaranteed NDIS funded’, it creates an expectation that the item will automatically be covered by their funding, the payment process will be straightforward, the NDIA won’t question their claim, and their plan manager will simply process the related invoice.

But funding decisions aren’t made with marketing language. They’re deep in the details of a participant’s agreed upon plan and budget allocations.

When that isn’t clear, a snowball effect can happen. Imagine this:

A participant purchases an item, thinking it’s covered. The related invoice is then submitted to their plan manager (or the Agency directly), but the NDIA reviews it and doesn’t permit payment. The participant is left frustrated and confused and the provider misses out on payment. Not only this, but the participant is then responsible for covering the purchase and the relationship between the participant and their provider is damaged.

No one wins with this outcome.

The NDIS is levelling up under a spotlight

The NDIS is constantly evolving.

Plans and payment processes are being refined. Compliance activity is increasing.
Fraud and non-compliance are being actively investigated from multiple angles.

In this environment, using unclear or exaggerated advertising language just doesn’t cut it. It deteriorates trust, arguably the most valuable currency in the Scheme.

Participants are making decisions that affect their independence, wellbeing and finances. Providers are building sustainable businesses in a highly visible sector. Plan managers are responsible for processing claims accurately and within the rules. Clarity protects everyone.

What you can do from here as a provider

If you’re a provider of NDIS supports or services, the good news is that staying on the right side of things doesn’t have to be complicated. The best approach is to be clear, accurate, and avoid promising any funding outcomes. Here’s a few quick rules of thumb to keep in mind:

• Don’t use terms like ‘NDIS approved’, ‘NDIS guaranteed’, and don’t use the NDIS logo – all of that implies endorsement that doesn’t exist.
• Do explain what you offer in plain language and leave the funding decision to the participant’s plan and the NDIA.
• Do encourage participants to check their plan before purchasing and be up front about when supports may or may not be funded.
• Don’t suggest automatic eligibility and instead focus on the benefits of your service.
• Do keep records of your advertising claims to show you’ve acted transparently and within consumer law.

This kind of clear and honest marketing builds trusts within the NDIS sector and ultimately helps you support participants more effectively.

Where My Plan Manager fits in

As a plan manager, we process invoices in line with NDIA rules and our clients’ individual plans. We can’t override NDIA payment decisions, and we can’t approve items based on advertising claims.

What we can do (with appropriate consent) is:

• help our clients and their providers understand how funding decisions are assessed
• clarify budget categories and plan inclusions
• query invoices, where necessary, and
• provide information about appropriate next steps if a claim can’t be processed.

Our role is to protect our clients and their funding and ensure it’s used in line with their plans.
That sometimes means having difficult conversations, but we have those conversations to protect everyone in the equation.

This isn’t about criticising providers. The overwhelming majority of providers operate with integrity and professionalism. They’re navigating the same changing environment as everyone else. But as the sector grows, how we advertise needs to adapt with it.