The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers people with disability support to live as independently as possible and pursue their goals. Most participants make their own decisions about their NDIS plan, but in some situations, a participant may need someone else to officially act on their behalf. That’s where an NDIS plan nominee comes in.

What is a Plan Nominee?

An NDIS plan nominee is a person appointed by the NDIS to make decisions on behalf of a participant in relation to their NDIS plan. Specifically, a plan nominee can:

Help make decisions about what goes into a plan.
Directly contact the NDIA to accept, change or negotiate the plan.
Manage the participant’s NDIS funding (if authorised).

Who can be an NDIS Plan Nominee?

An NDIS plan nominee is usually someone you trust. It can be a family member, carer or even a friend. But the NDIS must agree to the appointment before it is official. Important things the NDIS look at include:

Whether the person truly wants to be the Plan Nominee.
Whether they understand the role.
If there’s a conflict of interest (ie. a paid provider/worker).
They’re over 18.
They have the best interests for the particiapnt.

**What does a Plan Nominee actually do?**

The role of a Plan Nominee must always focus on supporting the participant’s wishes and wellbeing. Some key duties include:

Supporting decision-making: They must try to find out what the participant would want and act in their best interests.
Helping build decision-making skills: Nominees should help the participant develop independence where possible.
Coordination with others: THis can include family, other decision-makers, support workers, providers.
Providing information and to be a point of contact to the NDIS: When requested.

How to become a NDIS Plan Nominee

The process of becoming a plan nominee is requesting or nomination made to the NDIS by the participant (or someone on their behalf).

Here’s how it generally works:

1) Ask the NDIA - The participant contacts the NDIS planner, LAC or NDIA directly to request a nominee appointment. You can make this request verbally, in writing, or in another preferred communication method.

2) Provide Details - The proposed nominee will need to provide 100 points of ID (passport, drivers licence etc.).

3) Questions and Assessment - The NDIA may ask the participant and the proposed nominee questions to make sure it’s the right fit.

4) Appointment Letter - If approved, the NDIA issues an instrument of nominee appointment, which records:

Who the nominee is
What decisions they can make
Any limitations
The length of appointment.

5) Nominee Starts Responsibilities

If the appointment isn’t working out, the participant or nominee can ask the NDIS to change or cancel the nomination.

Final Thoughts

An NDIS Plan Nominee can be a vital support for participants who find it hard to navigate planning and decision-making with the NDIS alone. But it is also a responsible role where nominees must act in the participant’s best interests and help them grow their own skills where possible.

If you or someone you support is considering a nominee, it is a good idea to talk to your NDIS planner, LAC or Support Coordinator early so you can understand the process and what it means for everyone involved.

Key Documents

Here are official NDIS resource links for deeper reading: