Before signing an NDIS service agreement, check that it describes the support you want, its full cost and how you can change or end the arrangement. Ask for any unclear terms to be explained and any agreed changes to be recorded.

A standard form is a proposal you can discuss. It should reflect the arrangement you are actually making with the provider.

Check the tasks and schedule

Read the description of the service alongside your own notes about the help you need. Does it name the tasks, the location and how often support will happen?

“Weekly support” may be too vague if you need someone every Tuesday before work. Check how the visit time will be agreed, who handles changes and what happens if the worker cannot come.

The NDIS guide to making an agreement explains what to include and how you can negotiate the wording.

Look beyond the hourly rate

Ask for the expected cost over a normal week and over the period the agreement covers. The calculation should make sense when you compare it with the planned visits.

Check any proposed charges for travel, transport, non-contact work or cancellations. Ask when each charge could apply, how it is calculated and whether it can be claimed under the current NDIS pricing and claiming rules for that support.

An agreement does not, by itself, make a charge eligible for NDIS payment. Ask how each item relates to the service and your funding. If you use a plan manager, they may help check the proposed claims against your plan and applicable pricing arrangements.

Read the cancellation and exit terms

Find the sections covering changes by you and changes by the provider. Check the notice period, how notice must be given and any proposed fee.

Useful questions include:

  • How do I cancel a single visit?
  • What happens when the provider cancels?
  • Can we adjust the schedule if my needs change?
  • How do I end the whole agreement?
  • Who arranges a handover if I change providers?

For housing support, identify which document governs your tenancy and which governs the support service. They are different agreements. Get advice if a term appears to tie your housing to a particular support provider in a way you do not understand.

Understand information sharing

Check the privacy and consent sections. Who can receive your information, for what purpose, and how can you change your preferences?

Discuss who may be contacted about support decisions. A family member attending a meeting does not automatically settle every question about consent or authority.

The NDIS service agreement explainer says an agreement cannot remove a provider’s responsibilities under the NDIS Code of Conduct or Australian Consumer Law.

Take time to resolve unclear wording

Request a format you can use and words you understand. You can involve a trusted person to help review the terms. Ask the provider to include any negotiated changes in the final version and keep your own copy.

Before signing, compare that version with the quote and schedule you discussed. If the figures, tasks or notice rules have changed, ask the provider to explain the difference first.

If you are ending an existing arrangement, the provider-change checklist helps you plan notice, replacement visits and the handover.