First NDIS Plan
Getting your first NDIS plan can feel overwhelming. If it’s also your first time using a Plan Manager, there’s often extra confusion about what you can spend, who pays invoices, and how everything fits together.
Many people feel pressure to understand the NDIS system immediately. You don’t need to. What matters most is understanding how your NDIS plan works in practice and knowing what to check before you start using supports.
This guide explains what to focus on when you receive your first NDIS plan, especially when your plan includes plan-managed supports.
Understand which supports in your NDIS plan are plan managed
Did you know that even when you are plan managed, not every support in your NDIS plan is automatically paid by a Plan Manager.
This is because an NDIS plan can include different management types for different supports. This is one of the most common points of confusion for people new to the NDIS (and rightly so!)
As Plan Managers, we can only pay for supports that are plan managed. We can’t pay invoices for supports that are:
NDIA-managed (also called agency managed)
Self-managed
This matters because it affects:
Who your provider sends invoices to
Whether an invoice can be paid
Which providers you can use
Before starting any new support, it’s important to check both:
Which budget category the support comes from, and
How that specific support is managed
Example: one plan, different management types
Example
A participant’s NDIS plan includes:
Funding for a support worker, which is plan managed
Funding for behaviour support, which is agency managed
The support worker sends invoices to the Plan Manager for payment.
The behaviour support provider must be registered with the NDIS and will send invoices to the NDIS directly. The Plan Manager cannot pay these invoices, even though both supports are part of the same plan.
If a provider sends the invoice to the wrong party, payment delays or rejected invoices can happen — even when the support itself is reasonable and necessary.
Understanding this early helps make sure supports are set up correctly from the start.
NDIS budgets explained in simple terms
You don’t need to understand every line item in your plan. What does help is understanding the purpose of each budget.
Most NDIS plans include:
Core supports – funding for everyday supports like personal care, community access and some transport
Capacity Building supports – funding for therapy, behaviour support, support coordination and skill development
Capital supports – funding for equipment, assistive technology or home and vehicle modifications
A common question with a first NDIS plan is whether funding can move between budgets. It can, but only in the CORE part of your NDIS plan.
If you’re unsure whether a support fits your plan or which budget it should come from, it’s always better to check with your Plan Manager before committing to the service.
Read more about understanding your NDIS Plan.
What does a Plan Manager do?
Many people search for “what does a Plan Manager do?” because the role is often misunderstood.
A Plan Manager supports the financial administration of your NDIS plan. This includes:
Paying invoices for plan-managed supports
Tracking budgets and your NDIS spend rate
Helping you understand what supports you can and can’t claim
Checking whether supports are plan managed
Requesting reports or documents needed to process claims (with your consent)
A Plan Manager does not:
Organise your supports
Book appointments
Coordinate therapy or clinical care
If you need help building a support team or managing providers, that role belongs to a Support Coordinator or Local Area Coordinator (LAC).
Read more about the difference between a Plan Manager and a Support Coordinator.
Do I need a Plan Manager for my first NDIS plan?
You don’t have to use a Plan Manager, but many people choose plan management for their first NDIS plan because it reduces the stress of knowing what you can and can’t spend your NDIS funding on.
Plan management can help:
Reduce invoice stress
Avoid payment errors
Make it easier to understand how funding is being used
Give you more flexibility with providers
- Take care of all the record keeping and admin – remember the NDIS can ask to see your records at any time
This can be especially helpful while you’re still learning how the NDIS works.
An awesome Plan Manager like Plan Hero will support you as get started and find your feet.
Don’t rush to spend your NDIS funding
It’s common to feel pressure to set everything up quickly once a plan starts.
You don’t need to spend your funding straight away. It’s okay to:
Start with essential supports
Trial providers before committing
Adjust supports as your needs change
TIP: Ask your Plan Hero Plan Manager to explain funding periods in your NDIS plan so that you know how much you are allowed to spend at a time.
Simple habits that help from the start
A few small habits can make a big difference:
Always use written service agreements to protect yourself and read your service agreement carefully before signing
Ask about cancellation rules before signing
Confirm provider rates and travel charges upfront
Ask questions before spending, not after
- If you are unsure of anything ask your Plan Hero Plan Manager
These steps help prevent avoidable issues later.
A clear understanding at the start makes managing your NDIS plan much easier over time.
Why Plan Hero is the best Plan Manager for you
Managing an NDIS plan is complex enough without feeling unsure about spending, rules, or what you can safely claim.
That’s why people choose Plan Hero.
We’re specialist Plan Managers — plan management is all we do.
We focus on paying invoices correctly and on time, tracking your budgets clearly, and giving you calm, plain-language answers so you can make confident decisions.
You will have your own Plan Manager who gets to know you, so you don’t need to repeat yourself.
Our goal is simple: we make sure you have less stress, more confidence and you feel safe using your NDIS funding.
