You will likely be able to self-manage your NDIS funding well if you: 

  • shop around to find the right supports that offer you best value and are good quality
  • learn about which type of supports, such as assistive technology, work best for you
  • can manage money and keep good records
  • understand your NDIS plan, so you can spend your funding on NDIS supports and in line with your plan
  • can make sure your funding lasts for the length of your plan and the length of any funding periods
  • can access and use a computer or smartphone to make claims in the portal or app. 

How can you learn to self-manage?

If you'd like to self-manage but need some help to build your skills and capacity to do it, there are lots of ways to learn and get support.

You can: 

  • use our website resources on self-management or use the NDIS Guide to self-management booklet
  • connect with peer support networks and talk with other self-managers about how they do it 
  • find organisations that provide training and support with self-management 
  • talk to your my NDIS contact or support coordinator about how to best set up your budget and supports. 

Trying self-management 

You can request a mix of options to manage your plan funding.

For example, you can ask to start self-managing a small amount of your funding for NDIS supports and have the rest managed by a registered plan manager or the NDIA.

If self-managing works for you, you can ask to self-manage more of your funding at any time. 

You can ask to change how you manage your NDIS funding at any time. There's no limit on how often you can request this change.

If it’s the only change you need to your plan, we can generally do a plan variation without a full plan reassessment. 

Learn more about changing your plan

Participant story 

Learn how Bree and Mitch built their capacity to self-manage by starting small and learning what works best for them.

Informal supports

You may have friends or family who you can trust and can help you self-manage.

They might be able to help you set up your budget or negotiate prices with your providers.

They might be able to show you how to make claims, pay for your NDIS supports or keep receipts and invoices.

There are also peer support groups and online networks for self-managers that support each other, share advice, tips and resources to make self-management easier. 

Funded supports 

If you need support to build your skills to manage your funding, we might be able to fund NDIS supports to help. Talk to your my NDIS contact about this.

If it meets the NDIS funding criteria we can include funding in your plan for capacity building and training in self-management.

You might choose to use the funding on training with another organisation. As you build your capacity in self-managing, you’re likely to need less of this support in the future.

We may include NDIS supports in your plan that you can use to help you learn how to self-manage.

For example, you might buy an online training package to help with things like learning to budget and keeping records. Or you might buy bookkeeping services to help with payroll for staff you employ.

Learn more in our guide to Directly engaging your own staff .

Participant story

Learn how parents Jennifer and Josh are thinking creatively to get the most from their sons’ NDIS plans.

This page current as of
16 January 2025
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