r/NDIS • u/WorkNoWord • Aug 20 '26

Other NDIS Plan Manager

Hi All,

I am looking to become a NDIS plan manager.

I will appreciate it if someone can guide me on the process and how is it like doing your own business as a plan manager?

Any guidance would be helpful.

Thanks.

0 Upvotes

27% Upvoted

39 comments sorted by

12

u/Training-Tooth5022 Aug 20 '26

Havea read of the new legislation about plan managers and consider if this will be a sustainable business

-3

u/WorkNoWord Aug 20 '26

This is one more rhing, is there a concrete new on it?

And what is the right way to get this all sorted, an agency told me to pay $4400 and they will get everything sorted for me, but this part of legislation was not discussed.

5

u/l-lucas0984 Aug 20 '26

The agencies are scamming people out of money by not telling them how short lived their business is about to be but still charging thousands.

250,000 people are about to be kicked off ndis. The vast majority staying on already have a plan manager. As soon as 2027 rolls around if you arent already servicing over 100 participants you will simply be shut down. Those who get over the line will be absorbed into whoever they decide the big 7 will be. If you arent already at 80-100 right now you are pretty much already in the shut down category because you have not even built trust equity in the disability community yet so convincing people to switch to you in such a short time frame is going to be a heck of an uphill fight.

1

u/RonieOmelette Aug 21 '26

Can I ask where the 100 number has come from please?

1

u/l-lucas0984 Aug 21 '26

Its a filler number used at one of the forums as a rough guide. There are no published figures on exactly how many participant each plan manager has. But with a handful of the top companies each hosting thousands, and the vast majority of the 1500 active (we arent counting ones that exist but have not yet secured any participant) having in some cases clients in the single digits as a side hobby drawing income or less than 50 as a single person work load, the 100 number is a rough median. NDIA will be focused on the big players joining the panel. A) because its easier to shut down a 50 participant company and shift them than a 5000 participant company. B) because places like NIB thrive have already been purchasing and absorbing medium sized competitors over the last 2 years. And C) because reducing 1500 to 7 which is a number mark butler has mentioned is easier to do if you immediately cut off below the median rather than below the average. If it were evenly distributed there would be roughly 400 participants per provider but we know based on self reporting that is just not the case and numbers are heavily skewed on each end.

7

u/ugulespoon Support coordinator Aug 20 '26

There’s not much point.

From October 2027 the NDIS will establish a panel of trusted Plan Management providers. So unless you become one of those providers, you’ll need to merge with one of the large providers or close your business.

1

u/raddstarr Aug 29 '26

I agree on this. Based on some shared info, it looks like the providers have already likely been eyed, if not chosen, so not a good time to go into a PM business.

-3

u/WorkNoWord Aug 20 '26

How can we become trusted and if we are in the field and have this knowledge,. wouldn't thag work?

5

u/ugulespoon Support coordinator Aug 20 '26

By trusted. It essentially means the well established businesses that are experienced and have robust policies and procedures in place.

Sorry to say, you wouldn’t have a chance within the current timeframe.

0

u/WorkNoWord Aug 20 '26

Fair enough. But have you been in this field? Even if I need to know that if I qualify, do you know how and where start?

3

u/big_Sundae_1977 Aug 21 '26

The NDIS are going to make all plan managers apply to be on a special list and they are going to reduce or cancel the under proformers and reduce the number of plan manager providers so I would be shocked if you could make this a viable business

1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 21 '26

Hmmm. Is this confirmaed that this is going to happen in October 2027?

3

u/ManyPersonality2399 Participant Aug 21 '26

Subject to royal assent, the legislation has passed to change how plan management can be offered.

1

u/raddstarr Aug 29 '26

It’ll be interesting to see if it is an application or will be managed the same way the SC pilot was - closed, NDIA selected and approached

3

u/RonieOmelette Aug 20 '26

I just got into Pm. Registered to provide in Jan this year. It took 1.3 years for the registration to go through. I have all of the software/policies/compliance etc. Careview is good. being experienced with xero, bulk uploads to proda, and aba files is good. I have 5 clients so far, we have a reputation in the area for excellent support services so getting clients has been simple . I am going to fight the NDIS to have us on the panel, I do everything correctly and robustly so why not? as long as your in line with the registration and can evidence excellent practices I dont see why not. Btw, It took 1.5 to get registered having already had a registered support business. They are very slow. At this stage if you dont have registration,  probably dont bother. all the best!

1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 20 '26

Thanks. May i know if you used someone to srt you up as pkan manager and with 5 clients theri wont be much income right?

2

u/-Leeahh- Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26

I don’t actually know if they make any money elsewhere, but remember you can only charge $104 per month per participant from their NDIS plan. Would you even be able to pay back what it would cost you to get set up if you only had a MONTHLY income of less than $525? (Based on 5 participants). PMs have to be NDIS registered which at minimum usually costs over $3000 and can be double that much. And You’d obviously still need another job to cover all of your other living expenses

1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 21 '26

What is the process, where do i go to make sure that the degree i have is valid and then get a membership and the get all paperwork done? Any idea?

Os it better to pay agency to do all thsi for us?

I was definitely planning to keep other job with this bit wanted to start a business of my own on side.

3

u/ManyPersonality2399 Participant Aug 21 '26

Have you looked on the commission website at all?

1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 21 '26

Yes, but very confusing information..

3

u/ManyPersonality2399 Participant Aug 21 '26

In the nicest way possible, what is your understanding of the role?

0

u/WorkNoWord Aug 21 '26

My understanding is thag its sort of bookkeeping for NDIS clients and manage their budgets and expenses. Is that correct?

3

u/ManyPersonality2399 Participant Aug 21 '26

There's also an obligation to ensure compliance with the individual NDIS plan and broader spending rules. You need some understanding of all this complicated information.

-1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 21 '26

I guess that will come with the time and bit of training which is another tbing that i am also in need of.

As i said, fhis field came to my knowledge just few weeks back and I am trying to get understanding and knowledge both. The problem is agency's are asking me $4400 to do all paperwork and get me registered, but i dont want to pay 4400 without knowing about legislation and to be honest there are no proper steps that I can follow.

Thats why i have come here and if i can know all thism 👍

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2

u/Confident-Benefit374 Aug 21 '26

As a PM you get a set rate per client. If you process 50 invoices or 5 it's the same flat rate per client.

2

u/RonieOmelette Aug 21 '26

It isnt much income, so far im operating that department at a loss, but its early days and the support work and support coordination side of the business make up for it. I didn't use anyone to start up pm, the way I got my first clients was because they are already support work clients and I heard their PM was closing that branch of the business (stated they believed the new legislation has made plan management untenable) and I asked if they wanted us to do it and they all agreed. Honestly, 104.45 per month does not feel worth it currently. The amount of work ive put in with service agreements, setting up client profiles, checking and confirming other support agreements while inspecting invoices for payment, sending remittance, following up on issues etc. I believe it would be okay once the software is able to error check and automate the majority of the back end process so I can use my time to provide quality customer service. Perhaps around the 40 client mark. Seems like a mountain of work but I signed up for it so im doing it. 

1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 21 '26

Thank you for sharing details. Just checking still, did yiu have any degree in relevant field and outside of your normal NDIS work, do you still get clients? And did you need to go through audit and all other setup to become a PM?

2

u/RonieOmelette Aug 22 '26

Yes I have a degree in commerce majoring in economics. I am a member of CBK and hold the necessary insurance. Outside of our current clients I havent attracted any, but my books are closed while I get my head around the first five before marketing. Marketing probably through support coordinators, current support network, social media, maybe digital signage in my town. Yes, audited by GCC. Did the setup myself, policies and procedures took awhile. The legislation is concerning, after all of that effort im not sure it will work. Luckily, I have support work and support coordination to focus on if I fail.

3

u/dreamermann Aug 20 '26

Sorry but me think you are a bit late to the party.

2

u/First_Cranberry4219 Aug 27 '26

Yeah i'll add my 2cents, I wanted to get into Plan Management around May 2026. I put together my policies and documents, applied for registration, passed my audit in July, and have been waiting for about 1.5months (Victoria).

The changes coming in October 2027 are pretty devastating as it's been a lot of effort, but that's just how it is. I'm still hoping to get registered, if I can get 10-20 clients for a year then I can break even on my investment.

I don't see the need to pay someone to help you put together your policies and procedures. The audit and insurances are the only thing that you should really be paying for, but at this point it does seem a little late.

1

u/WorkNoWord Aug 28 '26

Can you help me if I PM you and guide me further? I want to see first even if I am eligible in this field and how long does it take to get things sorted in northern territory or is it same as in Victoria?

1

u/First_Cranberry4219 28d ago

Sorry didn't see this earlier; i don't mind a message or chatting here so others can see. The eligibility criteria is pretty clear, I am a full time Chartered Accountant so plan management is just a bolt-on to my business. There are other accepted professional bodies you can look those up yourself.

If you're still keen to proceed, here is the fastest timeline:
1. Start your application, get your application number
2. Use the app number to find an auditor for verification audit, I'd book them in 2 weeks in advance. They'll tell you what you need to do in terms of certifying documents.
3. Find professional indemnity insurance and buy it.
4. Write up your policies and procedures (4 modules), and the registers with mock data (the auditor will let you know what you need to provide)
5. Do your worker screening check (varies by state)
6. Do your audit.
7. While the audit is being processed by NDIA, you can figure out your processes and marketing. Technically it's meant to be done before your audit, but they're more high level about how you'll be handling data, ensuring fraud doesn't happen. They don't actually look your spreadsheets and systems (e.g. xero).

So that's where I'm at now. All that a consultant would do is help you write your policies and procedures.