At least once a year, the NDIS updates its price guides. Changes usually include updates to price caps and the types of supports that can be claimed, as well as the rules around claiming them.
Here’s what’s changed in the 2025-2026 Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits Guide (referred to as PAPL for convenience). If you are a provider, please make sure to consult the PAPL and Support Catalogue to ensure you are claiming correctly. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements
Increases to Maximum Rates
The following supports have a higher hourly or unit rate. Relevant rates are shown in PAPL and the Support Catalogue.
- Support Work – any supports provided by a support worker or similar, within all budget categories, and for Standard, High Intensity, and Intensive & Complex Behaviour Supports. This includes supports in Employment, Increased Social & Community Participation, and Capacity Building.
- Centre Capital Costs
- Establishment Fees
- Gardening
- Cleaning
- STA (Short Term Accommodation)
- MTA (Medium Term Accommodation)
- Nursing Supports – any supports provided by a nurse, and within any budget category.
- Psychologists
- Support Connection Level 1
- Psychosocial Recovery Coaches
- Behaviour Therapists
- AT Mentoring
Decreases to Maximum Hourly Rates
The NDIS has removed the higher rates that were claimable in WA, SA, TAS and NT for some providers.
As well as this, the maximum hourly “National Rate” has been reduced further for the following providers:
- Dietitian now $188.99 (was $193.99)
- Physiotherapist now $183.99 (was $193.99)
- Podiatrist now $188.99 (was $193.99)
Plan management Set up Fees have been removed entirely.
Therapy Providers’ Travel Time
The maximum hourly rate claimable for a therapy provider’s travel time has now been halved. It only affects travel time, not the actual support itself. The provider can charge no more than 50% of their hourly rate when claiming travel time.
It is important to remember that the hourly rate for travel cannot exceed the hourly rate being charged for the support. A provider charging $150 per hour for a support, cannot charge more than $150 per hour for travel. The new rules cap this at 50% of the hourly rate, so travel in this instance would be charged at $75 per hour.
This PAPL also makes it clear that supports should only be claimed according to the time spent delivering the support. It specifically includes travel time, meaning that providers who were previously charging a ‘flat fee’ of 30 minutes travel time for example, need to ensure that they are only charging for the actual time taken for the provider to travel.
A speech therapist travels to see a client in their home to provide supports. Their hourly charge is $193.99. They spend one hour with the client, and also charge for 15 minutes of travel time, as agreed to by the client previously.
1 hour of supports billable at $193.99 per hour = $193.99
15 minutes of travel time billable at 50% of the hourly rate ($97 per hour) = $24.25
Total cost = $218.24
Other Changes
Early Childhood codes are now able to be used for participants up to the age of 9. New codes have been added specifically for these participants:
- 15_062_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Dietitian
- 15_610_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Art Therapist
- 15_613_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Developmental educator
- 15_615_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Music Therapist
- 15_617_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Occupational Therapist
- 15_619_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Podiatrist
- 15_621_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Social worker
- 15_622_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Speech Pathologist
- 15_625_0118_1 _3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Early Childhood Teacher or Educator
Other new codes that have been added:
- 10_055_0128_5_3 Employment Related Assessment, Counselling and Advice – Physiotherapist
- 10_613_0128_5_3 Employment Related Assessment, Counselling and Advice – Developmental Educator
- 10_617_0128_5_3 Employment Related Assessment, Counselling and Advice – Occupational Therapist
- 10_620_0128_5_3 Employment Related Assessment, Counselling and Advice – Rehabilitation Counsellor
- 10_622_0128_5_3 Employment Related Assessment, Counselling and Advice – Speech Pathologist
Support Category names have been tabled to show those in the PACE system, as well as the legacy NDIS computer system. This can help determine whether some supports can be paid for a participant or not.
For example:
A participant who only has Core funding in the PACE category of 16 Home & Living, cannot claim for Gardening or Cleaning services, as these have to come from the 01 Assistance with Daily Life category.
Conflicts of Interest in the Provider Market information has been added.
My Providers – an explanation around when a provider needs to be listed as a “My Provider” in the PACE system is also given.
