The most important NDIS terms you need to know

Many everyday interactions with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – like reading your plan, talking with providers, contacting the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), or making decisions about your supports – rely on understanding key terms that are often used without explanation.

When those terms aren’t clear, it can be harder to feel confident, ask questions or advocate for what you need.

That’s why we’ve pulled together a list of the most commonly used terms in the NDIS. Our explanation of each one is designed to clearly describe what the term means, why it matters, and how it might show up in your NDIS experience – without unnecessary jargon.

1. Check in

A check in is an informal conversation between you and your NDIA planner or NDIS representative.

During a check in, you’ll be asked if your current plan is working for you and if you have the right NDIS supports in place for your needs. You don’t need to have reports or medical notes handy at these conversations – the purpose of a check in is to get a sense of whether things are working for you or not, and discuss what, if any, changes might need to be made.

2. Consent

Consent is when you freely, voluntarily, and informedly (when you know enough about the topic) agree to participate in an activity.

In the context of the NDIS, consent is requested from participants by people who are involved in the NDIS process, so others can access their personal information. Without consent, no one can see information about you, your plan or your funding.

If you’re 18 years or older, it’s up to you if you give your consent to the NDIA or any third party, and you can remove your consent at any time.

Learn more about consent in the NDIS

3. Fraud

Fraud in the NDIS is the deliberate act of taking money or benefit from the Scheme or its participants, by deception. It involves doing the wrong thing, on purpose, like invoicing for services that haven’t been provided, committing identity theft, underservicing, or misusing funds.

Identity theft is a criminal act that’s not specific to the NDIS, but it can happen when personal identity information falls into the hands of scammers who access NDIS funds by impersonating participants. Protecting your personal data should be one of the highest priorities for your providers.

Underservicing occurs when a provider fails to deliver to the participant all the supports or services they’ve agreed to provide. A service agreement – a document that puts in writing what supports will be delivered, how they’ll be delivered, and the agreed costs – can help you and your provider understand the arrangements you’ve agreed to and protect against underservicing.

Misusing funds is simply using NDIS funding for things that it’s not intended for. It can be intentional or accidental.

Fraud of any kind is a criminal offence and can have severe consequences, including (but not limited to) removal from the Scheme (for providers) and removal of funding (for participants). NDIS fraud is monitored and enforced by the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission.

4. Funding periods

Instead of having access to all your NDIS funding in one go, the Agency now releases it in smaller chunks over the total time of your plan. These time blocks can be anywhere from one to 12 months long, depending on the supports they’re designed to fund.

Some people think of funding periods as being a bit like mini plans within a plan.

5. Letter of recommendation

A letter of recommendation – sometimes known as a letter of support – is a document written by an allied health professional, a provider or a medical professional that’s designed to give NDIA decision-makers the information they need to help them understand the impact of your disability on your life when you’re requesting a specific support.

A letter of recommendation must address your disability and why you need the support. It needs to explain how the support aligns with your goals, what the expected outcomes are from getting the support, and why it’s most appropriate to be funded by the NDIS.

A letter of recommendation also needs to outline any risks to you if you get the specific support, and the risks involved if you don’t.

6. Nominee

A nominee is a person chosen to act or make decisions on behalf of another person. They can be chosen by the person themselves or by the legal system. When dealing with the NDIS, there are three different types of nominees:

Child representative

A child representative is an adult appointed to make NDIS-related decisions, manage a plan, and act on behalf of a child under the age of 18.

Correspondence nominee

A correspondence nominee is a person appointed to deal with letters and emails between a you and the NDIA. They help with things like filling out forms, reviewing plans, and speaking to the Agency, but they can’t manage your funding or make changes to your NDIS plan.

Plan nominee

A plan nominee is a trusted person appointed to make decisions about the creation of, management of, or review of your NDIS plan. They can act on your behalf when you’re not able to represent yourself, and they mainly focus on funding and supports.

7. Notice of impairment

A notice of impairment is the tool used by the Agency to let you know how you meet the Scheme’s disability or early intervention requirements.

When applying to the NDIS, the evidence you provide to the NDIA will indicate one or more impairments that are likely to be permanent and show how your disability impacts your daily life. There are six categories of impairment:

1. Intellectual 

2. Cognitive 

3. Sensory 

4. Neurological 

5. Physical 

6. Psychosocial

If the NDIA agrees your disability spans multiple categories (e.g. intellectual and physical), then your notice will clearly state that.

8. Plan reassessment

A plan reassessment is when your plan gets measured against your current situation to see if changes need to be made to it. If they do, the result is a new plan with new start and end dates.

It’s called a reassessment when it’s the end of your current plan (or your scheduled reassessment date) and/or because you need major changes made to your plan part way through your plan period.

You can request a plan reassessment at any point, and the NDIA can start one at any time too. If you request a plan reassessment outside of your regular reassessment date, the Agency will either agree to conduct a reassessment, agree to a variation, decline your request, or ask for more information.

9. Plan variation

In the past, a ‘rollover’ was a commonly used term within the NDIS community. That’s been removed from the vocabulary now and instead there’s something called a plan variation, which is an automatic extension of an existing plan.

A plan variation keeps your current funding amounts, goals, and supports in place, to make sure you don’t have any disruptions.

You can request a variation to your plan at any point, and the Agency will either agree to it, decline your request, or ask for further information and time to consider it.

If you need small changes made to your plan or you want to update details about you within it, the NDIA will usually complete a plan variation, rather than a full reassessment. Small changes could include fixing a minor error, updating the provider of a stated support, altering your goals, or switching your funds management type.

Unlike a reassessment, where you receive a whole new plan, a variation keeps the same plan in place (including the same start and end dates), just with the updates included.

10. Price limits

Price limits are outlined in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) document, which is regularly updated by the NDIA. The document lists the maximum amount a registered provider can charge you for NDIS supports or services.

The PAPL isn’t a suggested price list. Instead, it indicates the range providers can charge for services.

Having controlled price limits in the NDIS helps to ensure you get value for money when using your funding.

You can find out more about the PAPL here.

11. Reimbursement

An NDIS reimbursement refers to the funds you receive back from your NDIS plan, via your plan manager or the NDIA, after paying for approved disability-related supports with your own money.

To get a reimbursement you need a valid tax invoice or receipt, and sometimes you might need a letter of recommendation too. It’s always a good idea to speak to the NDIA, your plan manager, or whoever helps you take care of your NDIS funding, before paying for disability supports yourself so you can make sure your costs will be reimbursed.

12. Replacement support

A replacement support is an item, service, or piece of equipment that’s not considered an NDIS support, but can be funded instead of an NDIS support that’s already been included in your plan.

A replacement support must offer similar or better outcomes and cost the same as or less than your approved support, and you need written approval from the NDIA to purchase one.

There are very specific circumstances where replacement supports are appropriate, so seek advice from the NDIA, your support coordinator, plan manager, or informal supports – and if you choose to apply, you can do so here.

13. Service agreement

A service agreement is a document created to outline the arrangements and working relationship between you and your provider(s).

Service agreements help make sure you and your provider have the same understanding of what NDIS supports will be delivered – and how.

Service agreements include things like the price of the supports you’ll receive, the schedule of supports, your provider’s cancellation policy, their complaints and feedback processes, and whatever else is needed to ensure transparent and clear service delivery.

Service agreements should be explained to you and signed by both you and your provider before supports are delivered.

14. Support category

An NDIS plan (and allocated funding) is made up of a combination of different categories of support. Each of these categories have rules and types of supports that you can access with your NDIS funding. Some people may not have funding from each category in their plans.

All the different support categories are grouped into four budgets:

• Core Supports

• Capacity Building Supports

• Capital Supports

• Recurring Supports

You can find out more about these four budget types here.

If you’re seeking further information about the terms used in the NDIS, the NDIA maintains an official glossary, which includes further definitions and links to detailed information.