Registered vs Unregistered NDIS Providers – A Participant’s Guide

Providers are the people, businesses or organisations that deliver National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funded supports to participants. You have the right to choose which NDIS provider you work with – but the type of plan management you use, and the category of support you need, can limit the pool you have to choose from.

What are NDIS registered providers?

Registered providers in the NDIS have been formally approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (QSC) to deliver supports and services to NDIS participants. This is essentially a regulatory trust-mark in the NDIS sector.

In order to become registered with the NDIS, providers must demonstrate compliance over several areas including:

• Compliance with applicable NDIS Practice Standards, and with the NDIS Code of Conduct
• Compliance with state, territory and Commonwealth laws
• Having effective systems and practices for managing complaints or incidents
• Having relevant NDIS Worker Screening clearances
• Meeting notification requirements (telling the NDIS when something impacts their ability to deliver NDIS supports, or if there are significant changes to the organisation or its financial situation)
• Meeting quality audit requirements
• Where applicable, meeting behaviour support requirements (i.e. for restrictive practices)

What is the difference between registered and unregistered providers?

The main differences between registered and unregistered NDIS providers lies in regulatory obligations and access to the market.

Unregistered NDIS providers have not gone through the NDIS registering process with the NDIS Quality and Safeguard Commission. This means they do not have the same level of consistent regulatory oversight from the QSC, though they must follow the same standards.

Registered NDIS providers have completed the process and are held to high, specific standards through regular auditing. They are often seen as the more credible or trustworthy option because of this.

Registered NDIS providers can also offer their services to a wider pool of participants than unregistered NDIS providers can. This means NDIS participants who are eligible to purchase supports from either type of provider can have a bigger range of options to choose from.

How does the difference affect NDIS participants?

This affects who you, an NDIS participant, can purchase supports from. 

Not all participants can choose unregistered NDIS providers to deliver their supports, and not all services can be provided by an unregistered organisation or individual.

Related: Capacity Building Supports Budget: Choice and Control

How your plan management impacts your choice of providers

There are three plan management models NDIS participants may be assigned. The kind you have will be determined as part of your NDIS planning session.

• If you’re agency managed, this means the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) directly manages your NDIS plan. You will only be able to choose a registered NDIS provider for your supports.
• If you’re plan managed, you can choose either type of provider so long as their services comply with current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.
• If you’re self-managed, you can choose either type of provider and you are able to negotiate rates outside of the NDIS price guide. However, you also have the full responsibility for all financial record keeping, paying providers directly, and managing your budgets and purchases in compliance with your plan.

Related: How to Choose the Best NDIS Plan Manager

Services that must be delivered by registered NDIS providers

Some supports have very high quality and safety standards. You can only purchase supports from a registered provider for:

• Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
• Specialist behaviour support services
• Plan management services

Are unregistered providers okay to use?

The best provider for you is the one that can deliver the support you need, while valuing your safety and wellbeing. Regardless of whether they are registered or unregistered, all NDIS providers must act within the NDIS code of conduct and have a comprehensive complaints process. They must have the relevant qualifications to provide their services; additionally, the support being purchased must be both ‘reasonable and necessary’, and an approved NDIS support.

Related: Reasonable and Necessary Supports Under the NDIS

Why don’t all providers go through NDIS registration?

Often, it’s a matter of practicality. Being an NDIS-registered provider means higher start-up costs, ongoing costs for registration and audits, stricter compliance requirements, and more paperwork. This isn’t a realistic financial investment for some providers; especially if they are smaller, sole operators, or if they have a wider non-NDIS client base.

4 tips for finding trustworthy support providers

1. Do your due diligence

Try to research providers beforehand – this can include going through their Google reviews, or just searching the name online to see what you can find. If you’re part of any support forums, you can ask if anyone has used the provider before and what their experience was.

Try to find an established provider. This means they will have more history the NDIS system and with past clients (more reviews and feedback); you may be able to get a better idea of the provider’s service quality that way.

Related: Maximising Value from Your Plan Manager: 5 Questions You Should Ask

2. Sign a service agreement before service delivery

It’s best to have a comprehensive service agreement that covers the scope and cost of the service, as well as any other fees (such as late fees or cancellations) to ensure everyone is on the same page. This should be standard practice no matter what type of provider you’re working with, just in case something unexpected happens.

3. Ask for recommendations

Looking in the right places can save you a lot of time and hassle. If you’re not sure which local providers to use or are having trouble finding the right fit, try asking your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) for a recommendation. If you are eligible for Support Coordination, your support coordinator will be able to help you find providers and support workers that suit your needs.

There are dedicated, free online tools that can assist you in your search too:

• The NDIS provider finder lists NDIS-registered support providers
• NDSP’s provider finder lists both registered and unregistered providers from across Australia
• The Clickability provider directory can help you find disability and allied health providers

4. Look for the NDIS logo

Only registered NDIS providers can use the NDIS logo. If you’re looking for a NDIS-registered support provider, the logo is a quick way to check whether they have undergone all the necessary processes to meet NDIA requirements. You can also check for their name on the NDIS registered providers list, which is on the NDIS website (see link above).

How NDSP helps you navigate your NDIS plan

NDSP are your NDIS-registered plan management experts. We empower NDIS participants living with disability by taking on the financial management of their plan, freeing up time and energy for better things. We assist you in understanding your plan funding and how it can be used.

This includes helping set up service agreements with new providers, checking that all your provider invoices are compliant with your plan and NDIS requirements, and making sure your providers get paid in a timely manner. We work with NDIS participants across Australia, using our team-based strategy and national network to deliver a personalised plan management experience for every client. 

You’re not reliant on any one person, because the level of service and care you receive will be the same no matter who answers your call. You don’t have to make an appointment to speak to us either; our free-call number has an average response time of 75 seconds or less during business hours, and our email queries are tracked with reference numbers for easy follow-up.

If plan management with us sounds like the right fit for you, why not contact NDSP today to find out more about how we can help make your NDIS journey run smoother.