STA is back: what the new claiming rules mean for NDIS providers

If you provide Short Term Accommodation (STA), now is the time to review how you're quoting, billing and communicating with participants – and yes, it’s back to being called accommodation again, not respite.

Recent changes to the NDIS pricing schedule mean STA can no longer be claimed as a single, bundled support. Accommodation costs and the hours of support delivered must be claimed for separately, and participants might need to cover some expenses themselves.

Of course, that will mean changes to your invoicing, but your quotes, service agreements, website content, and conversations with participants will likely all need to be updated to reflect the new claiming rules.

What's changed?

The biggest change is that STA is no longer billed as a single, bundled support – so if you're still using the old STA line item codes on your invoices, they won’t get paid.

Instead, accommodation and support costs must now be claimed separately based on the actual supports delivered during a participant's stay, and you’ll need to use the newly introduced line items that can be found in the NDIS pricing schedule.

It's also important to remember that some expenses that might have previously been included within the bundled STA line item can no longer be claimed from NDIS funding.
That means participants may now need to pay for costs such as:

• meals
• some activities and entertainment
• personal expenses during their stay

What participants need to know

For participants, the way STA costs are claimed will look different to what they've seen before, and that makes it more important than ever to have early conversations with the people who use your service.

Participants need time to ask questions and understand how costs will work before a booking is confirmed. When they understand what they're paying for and how supports will be claimed or paid, there’ll be fewer surprises later on (and less potential frustration too!).

If you have any regular STA clients, it's worth getting on the front foot to talk through any changes before their next booking. A quick conversation ahead of time can help avoid surprises and make sure everyone understands what's involved before a stay begins.

Areas of your business worth reviewing

Outside of your usual review cycle, now is a good time to check the parts of your business most affected by the new STA claiming arrangements.

Quotes and pricing information

Review your quotes to ensure accommodation costs, support costs, and participant-funded expenses are clearly separated. This will be especially important for existing clients who may still be expecting things to work the way they always have.

Participants should be able to easily see what’s being claimed from their NDIS funding and what sits outside of their NDIS plan.

Service agreements

Check that your service agreements accurately describe how STA will be delivered and invoiced.

Participants should be able to clearly understand:

• what supports will be provided
• what costs will be claimed from their NDIS funding
• what costs they'll need to cover themselves

Invoicing

Ensure your invoicing processes align with the National Disability Insurance Agency’s current requirements.

Accommodation and support costs should be clearly separated, and invoices should accurately reflect the supports delivered, including the hours of support provided and the day of the week/time of day.

Food, activities, and other everyday living expenses shouldn’t be included as NDIS-funded supports. 

Rostering and support records

The previous bundling of support hours and other costs meant less detail was required.

With support costs now needing to reflect the supports actually delivered, it's important that staffing arrangements and records accurately capture support delivery throughout a participant's stay and align with what’s being claimed.

Good records make it easier to support your claims, and they can save a lot of back and forth later if questions come up.

Staff communication

Participants and families are likely going to have questions about the changes, especially if they've accessed STA before.

Make sure your team members feel confident explaining how costs are claimed, what participants might need to pay for themselves, and why invoices might look different from previous stays. Some simple FAQs or conversation guides could make those discussions much easier.

Website and participant information

Take some time to review your website, brochures, welcome packs, and other marketing materials.

Any references to previous STA claiming arrangements should be updated to show the new requirements and help participants and their plan nominees understand how supports will be billed before a stay begins.

Looking ahead

The latest changes to STA might take a bit of getting used to, particularly for providers who’ve offered STA for many years, but putting the right things in place now will make life easier for you and your client.

Clear communication and transparent invoicing help to build trust, reduce confusion, and make it easier to get claims right the first time and avoid unnecessary delays.