- Make a list of ALL possible supports (products and services) you think you will need during the year (ie. therapy, equipment, home/vehicle modifications, or assistance with personal/household tasks etc).
- Alongside each of the items on your list, jot down why you need each of these supports, and more importantly, how they will help support or improve your quality of life. This will help you explain why the supports are ‘reasonable’, ‘necessary’ and directly related to your disability.
- If possible, try to obtain the following documents before the meeting (of course, this is not always possible, particularly if this is your first plan):
- Any quotes or estimates for the supports on your list; and
- Any supporting letters from doctors or therapists that have been working with you.
- If possible, do not agree to have the NDIS meeting over the phone. Although it may seem more efficient, telephone meetings are very impersonal, and a lot of vital information gets missed. If possible, schedule a face-to-face meeting with the NDIS Planner. Also, if mobility is a major issue, request a home visit.
PLEASE NOTE: AccessiTips are friendly tips that you may, or may not, find helpful or relevant to your personal circumstances. They are not (and are not intended to be) professional advice.
© Accessilife 2026
- Remember, no one knows your needs better than you! Be confident about the supports you need and reasons why you need them (refer to your list).
- At the start of the meeting, take a few minutes to explain your disability to the NDIS Planner. Unfortunately, some NDIS Planners have very limited knowledge or experience about disabilities, and its important for them to understand how your disability impacts you on a daily basis.
- Ask lots of questions, and request full explanations about any decisions or statements being made by the NDIS Planner. For example, if a decision or statement is being made about funding (or lack of it) for a particular product or service, ask “Could you please explain how I will be able to do [# insert activity #] without funding for [# XYZ product or service #]?”
- Take as many notes as possible of this meeting. This will be a useful written record, especially if you end up seeking reviews of any decisions relating to your NDIS Plan.
- Ask for your NDIS Planner’s contact details. They won’t give you a direct phone number, but they should give you their full name, job title and email address.
PLEASE NOTE: AccessiTips are friendly tips that you may, or may not, find helpful or relevant to your personal circumstances. They are not (and are not intended to be) professional advice.
© Accessilife 2026
- Soon after your NDIS meeting, send a follow-up email to your NDIS Planner. In that email:
- Confirm what supports you need and why. It’s helpful to articulate things in writing, and also for the NDIS Planner to see your requests written down in black and white.
- Send the NDIS Planner any extra information (in particular, any supporting letter or reports from doctors or therapists), and if possible, copies of any hard copy documents already provided at the meeting.
- Ask the NDIS Planner to:
- keep you informed of any development, in particular, if a decision is made to not approve (or to cut) any supports; and
- provide an approximate timeframe for finalising your NDIS Plan.
- The information in this email will be a useful written record, particularly if you are not happy with your final NDIS Plan and need it reviewed.
PLEASE NOTE: AccessiTips are friendly tips that you may, or may not, find helpful or relevant to your personal circumstances. They are not (and are not intended to be) professional advice.
© Accessilife 2026