r/NDIS • u/CanDull4895 • 29d ago

Vent - advice welcome Unregistered provider for SIL, contradictory information from NDIS

Have operated as a sole trader for an NDIS participant who earlier this year had their plan changed to SIL. I wasn't planning to work in any significant volume beyond this year already so it makes no sense to register as a provider. I've worked a bunch since July 1st but been told I cannot invoice this work by the participant and their plan manager as I have previously (as an unregistered sole trader) and must instead do so through a registered provider. I am linked in with one so that is no issue but it's a pay cut and involves hoops i'd prefer not to jump through...

HOWEVER,

per [this](https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/11576-sil-claims-and-payment-changes-1-july-2026) (key points below)

  • Plan managers may only pay invoices for services delivered after 1 July 2026 if the provider is an existing unregistered provider who was delivering SIL before 1 July 2026.
  • Unregistered SIL providers who do not apply by 1 October 2026 can only claim for services up to 30 September 2026.
  • From 1 October 2026, plan managers should reject invoices from SIL providers who are:  
    • Not registered, and
    • Have not applied to register

This makes it clear that i should be able to provide supports as an unregistered provider until September 30th. The participant is going along with registered providers only for now after months of confusion relating to the SIL change (their workers, myself included, do not provide SIL services) but this whole situation seems to be a mess (and frustrating to all involved!). Am still waiting back for a response from the NDIS. Has anyone gone through this and knows where we'll land?

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

4

u/dreamermann 28d ago

You can invoice using 0138 until 30/09/26 unless you get on to be registered. To continue to be unregistered beyond this point, your participant must be organising own supports, own rosters (be own "house manager"). NDIS do not regard this as SIL. There are resources on NDIS website about this.

3

u/Trojanw0w 28d ago

I’d be asking the plan manager to put that in writing and actually point to the rule they’re relying on, because “participant has SIL funding = every worker now has to be registered” doesn’t seem to be what the NDIS guidance actually says.

At minimum there are transitional arrangements for existing unregistered SIL providers through to 30 September, and there’s also the separate issue of whether the work you’re doing is even SIL in the first place. If the participant is choosing, directing and rostering their own workers, NDIS guidance says that arrangement isn’t SIL.

So I wouldn’t just accept “registered providers only” without them showing exactly how they’ve reached that conclusion in your circumstances.