NDIS Funding Guide • 2026–27 support and claiming guidance

The 2026–27 schedule lists an establishment fee for specified personal-care and participation support families at a national maximum of $735.80 per eligible instance. Its presence in the schedule is not permission to add a setup fee to every new participant's invoice.

Checked 20 October 2026 • Source effective 24 September 2026 • Amounts may change • Australian English.

What is an establishment fee intended to cover?

It is a separate, specifically itemised payment potentially available for initial arrangements associated with providing personal care or participation support. Unlike ordinary support worker care, it is a per-instance Each item rather than a direct hourly support service. The exact eligibility conditions for claiming it are in detailed claiming guidance, not fully stated in the attached 96-page maximum price schedule.

Which 2026–27 establishment codes and prices are published?

These are the six item numbers in Table 1 of the attachment (pages 8–9). Use the matching funded support category; the code is not interchangeable simply because all prices are identical.

What have previous detailed pricing arrangements required?

The 2025–26 Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits included detailed conditions for an establishment fee and said each provider could claim one in respect of a participant across all plans when the conditions applied. A provider with services across several registration groups or funding categories was not meant to claim multiple establishment fees for the same participant. This is prior-year guidance, not a substitute for the new detailed 2026–27 conditions when published.

Example of a questionable fee

A new participant attends a single one-hour group activity. The provider adds a $735.80 establishment fee without explaining why the specific establishment criteria are met. The participant should ask to see the applicable 2026–27 conditions and evidence rather than accepting it as a standard onboarding charge. Conversely, where ongoing personal care involves qualifying establishment activity, the provider should explain how the applicable current requirements are satisfied.

What evidence should a plan manager request?

Ask for the participant's service agreement, relevant support category, the actual commencement arrangements, whether this provider already invoiced an establishment fee for that participant, service timeframe, applicable item restrictions and a calculation showing the charge does not exceed the correct geographical maximum.

Common questions

Official sources

2026–27 NDIS Pricing Schedule · 2026–27 Support Catalogue · Pricing Guide Overview.

Independent educational guide by Beyond Health Services; not an official NDIA publication or a guarantee of funding.