What Can I Claim With NDIS Plan Management?
One of the most common questions NDIS participants ask is: "What can I claim?" Here is a practical guide to help you understand what is covered and how plan management expands your options.
NDIS Funding Categories
Your NDIS plan is divided into three main budget categories:
Core Supports
Day-to-day supports that help you live independently. This includes:
- Assistance with daily living (personal care, household tasks)
- Transport
- Consumables (everyday items related to your disability)
- Social and community participation
Core supports are generally flexible — you can move funding between Core sub-categories as needed.
Capacity Building Supports
Supports that help you build skills and independence. These are category-specific and include:
- Support coordination
- Plan management (this is where your plan manager's fees come from)
- Improved daily living (therapy services like OT, speech, physio)
- Employment support
- Community participation
- Relationships and social skills
Unlike Core, Capacity Building funding cannot be moved between categories.
Capital Supports
Higher-cost items and home modifications, including:
- Assistive technology (wheelchairs, communication devices, vehicle modifications)
- Home modifications
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
Registered vs Unregistered Providers
With plan management, you can claim services from both registered and non-registered NDIS providers. This is a significant advantage over agency-managed plans.
Registered providers have met the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission's standards. They are listed on the NDIS provider register.
Non-registered providers have not gone through the NDIS registration process but can still deliver quality services. Many sole traders, small businesses, and independent practitioners choose not to register due to the cost and complexity of the registration process.
With a plan manager, you can use either type — as long as the service is a reasonable and necessary support under your NDIS plan and meets the pricing requirements.
Common Claims
Here are some of the most common items participants claim through their plan manager:
- Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy
- Support worker hours (personal care, community access)
- Psychology and counselling services
- Cleaning and household assistance
- Transport assistance
- Gym memberships (where linked to disability-related health goals)
- Consumables (continence supplies, specialised equipment)
- Assistive technology
What Cannot Be Claimed
The NDIS does not fund supports that:
- Are not related to your disability
- Duplicate supports provided by other government services (e.g., Medicare, education)
- Are considered day-to-day living costs that everyone pays (e.g., rent, groceries, standard utilities)
- Pose an unreasonable risk to you or others
Your plan manager can help you understand whether a specific claim is likely to be approved.
Pricing Rules
All claims must comply with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which set maximum prices for different support types. Your plan manager checks every invoice against these limits before processing payment.
For non-registered providers, the same pricing limits apply. Your plan manager ensures no invoice exceeds the NDIS price cap for that support category.
How Your Plan Manager Helps
At Ripper Plan Management, we:
- Verify every invoice against your plan budget and NDIS pricing rules
- Process payments within 2 business days
- Track your spending across all categories so you know where your funding stands
- Flag any potential issues before they become problems
If you have questions about what you can claim, contact us or call 03 9022 1229. You can also start a referral to get set up.