How to Use Your NDIS Funding to Find and Connect with Supports

So you’ve gone through the process — the paperwork, the phone calls, the meeting with your planner or local coordinator, the long wait for approval. And now, you finally have your NDIS plan. This is the part that feels a bit more real. You can start putting that funding to work and build a support system that fits your life.

The big question most people have at this stage is simple: how do I actually find support using my NDIS funding?

Before you start browsing, it helps to know one key thing first — how your NDIS plan is managed. Because that shapes what options you have and how flexible things can be.

Understanding NDIS Plan Management Options

The NDIS gives you three main ways to manage your funding: self-managed, plan-managed, and NDIA (or agency-managed). Each of these has its own rules about who can provide your supports, how you pay them, and how much freedom you have to choose.

If your plan is NDIA-managed, it means the National Disability Insurance Agency looks after the payments and record keeping for you. The NDIA pays your invoices directly to registered providers. You don’t need to handle any paperwork, but it does limit your choices — you can only work with NDIS-registered organisations and providers.

If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed, you have more control. You can pick the people you want to work with, including independent support workers and small providers. At Support Network, most participants who come to us are either self-managed or plan-managed because it gives them the flexibility to choose supports that genuinely match their needs instead of being boxed in by limited options.

Finding Support When Your NDIS Plan Is Plan-Managed

When your plan is managed by a plan manager, they handle the finances for you — paying invoices, keeping receipts, and ensuring that everything stays within NDIS rules. But you’re still in charge of deciding who supports you.

With Support Network, you can easily find qualified, verified support workers in your area and arrange your care in a way that works for you. You’ll just need to let your plan manager know that you’re using Support Network to connect with your supports so they can process the payments correctly.

For plan-managed participants, there’s one key rule: your payment rates need to stay within the NDIS Price Limits. This implies that when you and your support worker agree on a rate per hour, this must be within the official guide of prices that this specific type of service is being provided (such as personal care, community access, or allied health support).

Before starting, it is always good to chat with your plan manager to know the rates well and they can assist you in keeping your spending on track as your plan progresses.

Finding Support When You’re Self-Managed

If you’re self-managing your plan, things open up even more. You can connect directly with support workers on Support Network, set your own agreements, and manage your payments independently. You can decide who helps you, how often, and how much you pay them — there’s no need to stay within NDIS line-item limits unless you want to use them as a guide.

Many people who self-manage love the freedom it brings. You can negotiate directly with workers, adjust hours, or change supports as your needs shift. Payments are made from your nominated NDIS bank account, and you’ll need to keep invoices and records for your own files.

If you ever want to switch to self-management, you can talk to your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or planner about reviewing your plan. The process is done through your myGov NDIS portal, where you can also track your funds and view all transactions.

Is Support Network Registered With the NDIS?

It’s important to understand that Support Network isn’t a traditional provider organisation. We’re a platform that helps people find, connect, and manage their supports safely and confidently. That means we don’t “deliver” the support ourselves — we make it easier for participants to build their own team of verified workers and service providers.

Because of that, we don’t fit under the typical NDIS registration categories, but we work within the same quality and safety framework. All independent workers on our platform have relevant checks, including NDIS Worker Screening and Working With Children verifications where required.

Using Support Network gives you more choice and control. You can often pay lower hourly rates than what’s listed under NDIS reference pricing, while support workers can earn fairly for their time — it’s a balance that benefits both sides.

Paying for Your Supports

Once you’ve chosen a support worker through Support Network, you’ll receive a service agreement outlining what has been discussed — hours, rate, duties, and so on. When you approve and sign it, you can begin your sessions.

After each session, your worker submits the hours through our system. You’ll get a quick notification to approve them, and then an invoice is automatically generated. If your plan is self-managed, you’ll receive the invoice directly. You can then claim the amount from your NDIS portal and pay from your NDIS-dedicated account.

If your plan is plan-managed, the invoice goes straight to your plan manager. They then will run it through the agreed time period- typically seven days- and then as soon as the payment is received your worker gets his or her money in two days of business. It is quick, open and keeps the both sides in the same path.

Getting Started With Support Network

You can start by searching for support workers in your local area or by posting a job that describes what you’re looking for — maybe you need help with personal care, transport, household chores, or community participation. The more detail you share, the easier it is to find a good match.

Each worker on the Support Network platform has their own profile showing their qualifications, experience, and hourly rates. You can chat directly, ask questions, and even arrange a short meet-and-greet before deciding.

Whether you’re managing your own plan or working through a plan manager, Support Network gives you an easy way to use your NDIS funding to create real, lasting support. Because the goal isn’t just to spend the budget — it’s to build a life that feels supported, stable, and your own.