The NDIS recognises that people with disabilities have the ability to make decisions that shape and drive their lives. The scheme gives them the power to do so. However, there are some instances where an NDIS participant may require someone to be appointed to make decisions on behalf of them.
It’s important to remember that appointing a nominee is the last resort considered by the NDIS.
This area of the NDIS can be confusing to wrap your head around, so we’ve broken down the jargon for you.
What’s the difference between a guardian and a nominee?
Nominees are different from guardianship. Guardianship is the authority to manage the affairs of a person such as power of attorney or Centrelink payments and decisions.
A nominee, on the other hand, is a person nominated by the participant to support them in the management of their NDIS plan.
Guardians are not automatically nominees under the NDIS. While it’s assumed that if a participant has a guardian that this guardian will
What is a plan nominee?
A plan nominee is able to action any decisions a participant might make regarding their plan. They are usually involved in making decisions around the preparation and review of the participant’s plan and/or the management of funding for supports.
The plan nominee may be limited to certain things by the NDIA such as only managing the plan but being prevented from determining the goals of the participant.
What is a correspondence nominee?
A correspondence nominee has a narrower role than a plan nominee. A correspondence nominee’s role is restricted to making requests to the NDIA on behalf of the participant and receiving notifications on behalf of the participant.
How do I get a nominee?
There are two ways nominees are appointed. The most common and preferred option is for the participant to request a nominee. The other option which occurs less often is the CEO of the NDIA requesting a nominee for a participant.
If you want to request a nominee, let your Local Area Coordinator or your plan manager know and they will walk you through the steps!
Are you a nominee struggling with the day-to-day admin of managing an NDIS plan? Our team can help! Reach out to Bright Plan Management today to chat about how we can help.