What is Support Coordination Under the NDIS?
Support coordination helps NDIS participants understand and implement their plan. But not everyone gets it - here's what it is, who qualifies, and how to make the most of it.
What is support coordination?
Support coordination is a funded support in the Capacity Building budget of some NDIS plans. A support coordinator helps you understand your plan, connect with providers, and coordinate the supports you need to pursue your goals.
Think of a support coordinator as a knowledgeable guide: they don't deliver your supports directly, but they help you navigate the system, build your provider network, and make sure your plan is working for you.
The two levels of support coordination
The NDIS funds two distinct types:
- Support Coordination (Level 2) - Helps participants understand and use their plan. Assists with finding providers, setting up service agreements, resolving issues, and building skills to eventually manage your own supports.
- Specialist Support Coordination (Level 3) - For participants with more complex needs or who face significant challenges in coordinating their supports. Specialist support coordinators are qualified professionals (typically social workers or occupational therapists) who can manage complex situations including crisis planning and navigating multiple service systems.
Who gets support coordination in their NDIS plan?
Not all NDIS participants receive funding for support coordination. The NDIA includes it in a plan when they assess that a participant would benefit from assistance to implement their plan - particularly those with complex needs, limited informal supports, or participants new to the NDIS.
If your plan doesn't include support coordination but you think you need it, you can request it at your next plan review and explain how it would help you achieve your goals.
What does a support coordinator actually do?
Day-to-day, a support coordinator might:
- Help you understand what's in your NDIS plan and how your funding works
- Research and shortlist providers that match your needs and goals
- Assist you to compare providers and make decisions
- Help you set up service agreements and ensure they're fair
- Coordinate multiple providers so your supports work together
- Prepare reports and evidence for plan reviews
- Step in to resolve problems with providers or funding
- Provide crisis support when things go wrong
Finding a support coordinator
Support coordinators are registered NDIS providers under the "Support Coordination" registration group. You can search for registered support coordinators by suburb on AusCareGuide, or ask your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) for recommendations in your area.
When choosing a support coordinator, look for someone who communicates clearly, genuinely listens to your goals, and has experience with your specific disability or circumstances. The relationship is important - you should feel comfortable discussing your situation openly.
How much does support coordination cost under the NDIS?
Support coordinators bill hourly against the price limits in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements. The 2026-27 limits, effective 1 July 2026, are unchanged from the previous year:
| Level | Price limit per hour (2026-27) |
|---|---|
| Level 1 - Support Connection | $80.06 |
| Level 2 - Coordination of Supports | $100.14 |
| Level 3 - Specialist Support Coordination | $190.54 |
The funding sits in its own Capacity Building - Support Coordination budget, so it does not compete with your core supports. A typical level 2 allocation of 60 to 100 hours a year covers roughly one to two hours a week. Coordinators can also claim travel and short-notice cancellations (less than seven clear days) under the same rules as other providers, so check your service agreement.
These limits have now been frozen for four consecutive years, and some coordinators have responded by reducing NDIS caseloads or moving to phone and video delivery. If a coordinator you approach has no capacity, ask whether they can recommend a colleague, or use the directory to compare availability.
Support coordinator, plan manager or LAC?
These three roles are confused constantly. In short: the plan manager pays the invoices, the support coordinator arranges the services, and the local area coordinator (funded by the NDIA, free to you) helps you understand and access the scheme. Plan manager vs support coordinator vs LAC explains which combination suits different situations.
What has changed for support coordination in 2026
Two reforms matter. Since October 2024, plan funding can only be spent on items on the NDIS supports list, and support coordinators are expected to help participants keep spending inside it. And new plans now carry a total budget with funding periods, which makes the coordinator's budget-tracking role more important than it was. See NDIS changes in 2026 for the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an NDIS support coordinator cost per hour?
- Under the 2026-27 price limits, Support Connection (level 1) is $80.06 per hour, Coordination of Supports (level 2) is $100.14 and Specialist Support Coordination (level 3) is $190.54. The funding comes from a dedicated Capacity Building budget in your plan.
- Does everyone get support coordination in their NDIS plan?
- No. Support coordination is only funded when the NDIA decides it is reasonable and necessary, usually because your situation is complex - multiple providers, health or housing issues, limited informal support, or previous plans going unused. You need to ask for it and explain why at planning.
- Can I change my support coordinator?
- Yes, at any time. Choose the new coordinator, agree a start date, then end the existing service agreement under its notice terms. Your remaining support coordination funding follows you.
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