Understanding your total support coordination cost helps you protect your plan funding while building everyday independence. Standard national hourly price limits set Level 1 at $80.06, Level 2 at $100.14, and Level 3 at $190.54. Participants do not incur personal out-of-pocket fees when these services are approved in their plan and billed within official price caps. If the term is new, start with what support coordination is.
Key Takeaways
- National hourly price caps stand at $80.06 for Level 1, $100.14 for Level 2, and $190.54 for Level 3.
- Support coordination is funded through the Capacity Building category as an explicitly stated support.
- Participants do not pay personal out-of-pocket fees for approved hours delivered within standard caps.
- Professional billable time follows 6-minute billing increments with a 1-minute statutory floor.
- Plan management operates on a flat national fee of $104.45 per month and does not bill on an hourly basis.
Official NDIS Support Coordination Rates by Level
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) sets maximum price limits across Australia. These caps apply to all standard metropolitan services across Sydney, including Parramatta and Cumberland LGA. Limits change each year; see the 2026 NDIS price guide for the full list.
According to the official NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, the NDIA sets three distinct tiers for coordination services. Compare our three levels of support coordination before your next plan review.
Level 1: Support Connection ($80.06 per Hour)
Line item 07_001_0106_8_3 is the entry-level tier. This level assists participants who need short-term help to understand their plan wording, connect with community programs, and set up basic service agreements. Annual plan allocations usually sit between 12 and 24 hours. This rate indexes over time alongside standard disability support worker cost models.
Level 2: Coordination of Supports ($100.14 per Hour)
Line item 07_002_0106_8_3 serves as the primary support coordination tier. It supports participants who coordinate multiple providers, therapy routines, and community activities. It has remained fixed at $100.14 per hour since the 2020–21 financial year. Most standard plans allocate between 24 and 72 hours per year for this tier.
Level 3: Specialist Support Coordination ($190.54 per Hour)
Line item 07_004_0132_8_3 carries the highest rate cap and addresses complex service coordination situations. Delivered by qualified allied health practitioners or social workers working within their professional scope, this tier manages complex health, justice, or housing interfaces. Funding usually spans 50 to 100 or more hours for intensive, time-limited interventions. This hourly cap has also remained steady since 2020–21.
How Support Coordination Funding Works in Your Plan
Once you know the official hourly rates, the next step is looking at how these services sit within your plan structure. Many families wonder if their personal finances can afford support coordination, but services approved under your plan are funded directly through your NDIS budget allocation.
Your NDIS plan contains three primary support categories, each designed for a different purpose:
- Core Supports, which cover daily living activities, consumable supplies, and direct support workers.
- Capital Supports, which fund higher-cost investments like assistive technology and home modifications.
- Capacity Building Supports, which fund services that build long-term independence, including allied health therapies and positive behaviour support.
Within Capacity Building, support coordination is designated as a stated support category. Because stated funds are ring-fenced by law, providers cannot move this funding into your daily care budget, and you cannot convert coordination hours into general therapy or transport. The allocation remains dedicated solely to support coordination tasks.
Typical Support Coordination Hours and Plan Budgets
Because your coordination funding is separate from your daily living budget, the NDIA assigns hours based on your personal needs rather than a flat formula. Planners assess each request using the reasonable and necessary criteria set out in the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.
Lower Need Allocations (12 to 24 Hours per Year)
This allocation suits participants who have a stable support network and face no major life transitions. Hours are generally spent checking provider agreements, reviewing monthly statements, and preparing for an annual plan review.
Moderate Need Allocations (24 to 72 Hours per Year)
This allocation supports participants who balance several allied health clinicians, regular community participation, and behaviour support plans across Western Sydney. Hours allow a coordinator to resolve service scheduling conflicts, maintain provider agreements, and handle minor service disruptions.
Higher Need Allocations (70 to 100+ Hours per Year)
This tier assists participants who face major life disruptions. Common scenarios include moving from a hospital ward to supported independent living, navigating justice interfaces, or establishing emergency accommodation. Coordinators use these hours to lead inter-agency meetings and stabilise care environments.
Billing Rules: What Coordinators Can and Cannot Charge For
After the NDIA approves your annual hours, your coordinator bills against that balance as they carry out their work. All registered providers must adhere to the billing guidelines established by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Reviewing your invoices ensures your balance is used appropriately.
Legitimate Billable Activities
Coordinators can claim time for direct consultations as well as necessary administration directly connected to your care:
- Consulting directly with you, your family, or your appointed nominees via phone, video, or in person.
- Researching and contacting allied health clinics in Westmead, Parramatta, and surrounding areas to find open appointments.
- Reviewing complex service agreements and checking line-item billing accuracy.
- Writing formal reassessment reports to provide objective evidence for your upcoming plan review.
- Travelling between participant appointments, provided travel terms are explicitly detailed in your service agreement.
Prohibited Non-Billable Charges
Coordinators are prohibited from billing your plan balance for general agency costs:
- Agency marketing, onboarding outreach, or general business development.
- Internal team meetings and staff professional development courses.
- General administrative overheads, such as office printing and system upgrades.
- Travel from a coordinator's personal home directly to their first morning appointment.
Billing Increments and Travel Rules
Coordinators track their time in 6-minute billing increments (0.1 hour), even though the NDIA technical claim minimum allows 1-minute entries. If a coordinator spends 5 minutes speaking with your therapist, they bill 0.1 hours. Provider travel claims can only occur between participant meetings and must stay within the geographical travel boundaries set out in your signed service agreement.
Regional Loadings and Plan Management Impacts
Geographic location can influence billing limits. Standard metropolitan suburbs, including Blacktown, Lidcombe, and Wentworthville, use standard national hourly caps. Remote and regional communities apply higher ceilings calculated under the Modified Monash Model health workforce classifications:
- Remote Areas (MMM 4–5) apply up to a 40% loading, setting Level 2 at $140.19 per hour and Level 3 at $266.75 per hour.
- Very Remote Areas (MMM 6–7) apply up to a 50% loading, setting Level 2 at $150.21 per hour and Level 3 at $285.80 per hour.
How Support Coordination Differs from Plan Management
Participants sometimes confuse plan managers with support coordinators, but their roles and fees operate under completely separate structures:
- Support Coordination is billed hourly up to the $100.14 per hour cap for Level 2. The coordinator helps you select service providers, negotiates service agreements, troubleshoots service interruptions, and builds your self-advocacy skills.
- Plan Management is billed as a flat national fee of $104.45 per month under Capacity Building. The plan manager processes provider invoices, files claims through the NDIA portal, and tracks budget balances. Plan management does not carry hourly rates, and the former $232.35 establishment fee was removed on 1 July 2025.
Preventing Budget Depletion and Safeguarding Choice
Keeping track of your coordination hours prevents unexpected funding gaps. If an agency uses up your coordination hours early in the plan cycle, you may be left managing complex multidisciplinary teams on your own.
To protect your plan, check your funding statements every two to three months. Confirm that all recorded non-face-to-face billable activities reflect genuine tasks. If unexpected health or living changes occur, your coordinator can help you submit a plan variation request to the NDIA alongside supporting clinical notes and documentation.
Reforms under recent NDIS legislative updates focus on clarifying provider responsibilities and managing conflicts of interest. Participants maintain choice and control by engaging independent providers and ensuring their support coordination team operates transparently alongside their financial plan management.
Multidisciplinary Care Coordination in Western Sydney
Managing a team of allied health practitioners requires local community relationships. Our central clinic is located at 12 Caroline Street in Westmead, a five-minute walk from Westmead Station and near Westmead Hospital. We coordinate services across Wentworthville, Merrylands, Granville, Harris Park, Auburn, and North Parramatta.
Our multilingual team works with participants across English, Turkish, Kurdish, Tagalog, and Farsi. Whether you require coordinated psychological care, positive behaviour support, or routine plan navigation assistance, we structure clear service schedules that protect your plan funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay for NDIS support coordination myself?
No personal payment is required when support coordination is funded within your Capacity Building budget and delivered by providers charging at or below the official price caps. Invoices are settled through the NDIA portal, your plan manager, or claim reimbursement if self-managed.
Can a support coordinator charge whatever they want?
No. Registered providers must follow the legal hourly caps published in the official pricing arrangements. For standard Level 2 support in metropolitan areas, registered providers cannot charge more than $100.14 per hour.
What happens if my support coordination hours run out?
You can request a plan variation with the NDIA if your circumstances have changed. You must provide clear case notes and documentation showing why additional hours are reasonable and necessary.
Can self-managed participants negotiate lower hourly rates?
Yes. Self-managed participants have the legal freedom to negotiate rates directly with unregistered providers. However, most providers in Western Sydney align their billing with standard NDIS price limits.
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