Role of the NDIS Nominee
Overview
Being a participant in the NDIS involves a considerable amount of information management and plan coordination. A nominee is a person appointed to make NDIS related decisions or act on a participant's behalf. They have a duty to ascertain the wishes of the participant and make decisions that maximise their personal and social well being.
The two types of nominees that can be appointed under the NDIS Act are:
Plan Nominee
A plan nominee can make decisions about:
- Preparing, reviewing or replacing a participants plan
- Managing a participants plan funding
A plan nominee can be appointed to do either or both of these things. When a plan nominee does something on a participant's behalf, the NDIA treats this as if the participant has done it themselves. A plan nominee receives letters and notices from the NDIA like a correspondence nominee.
A participant can have more than one plan nominee with different responsibilities, but only one can manage the funding In the plan.
Helpful Tip
A plan nominee can be a partner or guardian. For children under 18 years, they are called 'Child Representatives'. When the child turns 18, and if a plan nominee is required, an application for 'Plan Nominee' will need to be made.
Correspondence Nominee
A correspondence nominee has a different role and cannot undertake the functions of the plan nominee in relation to planning and funding. They can:
- Ask the NDIA for information about or for the participant
- Receive letters and notices from the NDIA about or for the participant
When a correspondence nominee writes to the NDIA or when the NDIA sends information, the NDIA treats this as if the participant has done it or received it themselves.
Helpful Tip
One Individual can perform both functions. Or you can have one or more nominees. For example, one plan nominee may manage the funding and the other plan nominee may manage all other aspects of Participant’s plan.
There may also be someone else that acts as a correspondence nominee only.
But what does Participant do?
Please provide details of any nominee arrangements for Participant in the comments box. To illustrate, here is an example:
"Participant currently has one plan and correspondence nominee, Participant, who assists in managing NDIS plan, funding, and receiving correspondence. Participant fulfills both roles, and no other person is appointed as a nominee. Documentation of Participant's existing nominee is stored in Participant's iCloud drive file".
The 'Action Checklist' section of this module, outlines what to do if a change in nominee is required.
Helpful Tip
For more information on nominees, search on the NDIS website for ‘appointing a nominee’.