Apportioning NDIS Support Items
This article outlines how to divide the price of Support Items by the number of participants in the 'NDIS Support Allocations' window of an Activity record.
Assigning a 'Portion' (i.e. ratio) of the unit price for each allocated Support Item allows each Client to be charged for the portion of the costs associated with the services delivered in scenarios where support is being provided to two or more Clients at a time. Additionally, apportioning can be utilised when two or more Staff Members are providing support to one Client.
While the concept of apportioning Support Items was originally introduced by the NDIS to manage group services, the rules around what Support Items could be apportioned were often open to interpretation. In response to customer feedback and the NDIS relaxing the rules dictating which Support Items can be apportioned, SupportAbility now allows the apportioning of all Support Items effective from Price Guide 2024/25 - October 1st onwards as per update to v9.0 in May 2025.
Audience: Finance Team, Team Leaders
Summary
The following list summarises the content of this article. Click on the links below to take you to the relevant sections:
Where are Support Items Apportioned?
Potions are selected as part of the NDIS Support Allocations process in the Activity record:
Default ratio (1:1)
When a Support Item is selected, the Portion will automatically default to a ratio of 1:1.
In addition to showing the Full Price of the Support Item, the 'Portion' value will automatically display.
In the example below, the Full Price for this Support Item is $67.56, and the Portion is 1:1, therefore, the Portion price is $67.58:
Selecting a different ratio
To nominate a different ratio, select the down arrow in the Portion section of the NDIS Support Allocations window.
This will open a list of the available ratios:
For example, in a scenario where one (1) Staff Member provides support to five (5) Clients, a 1:5 ratio will be required.
In the screenshot below, we've selected 1:5 as the Portion and then selected the green Save button to lock in the changes.
While the Full price of $67.56 is still displaying, the Portion price has been updated to $13.51 to reflect the ratio:
The new total Value for this support item will be Quantity x Portion Price.
In this example, that is 3 x $13.51 = $40.53
Custom Prices
In scenarios where a Support Item allows for a Custom Price to be entered, the value entered should be the Full price (i.e. 1:1 equivalent) an the selected Portion will calculate based on the Custom Price.
For example, a $27 Parking Fee can be shared between five (5) Clients by adding $27 as the Custom Price and then selecting the 1:5 ratio:
This would result in the $27 Full value being divided into five (5) for a Value of $5.40.
Why isn't every ratio available?
When service delivery is comprised of two or more Staff, these ratios can generally be expressed in simpler forms.
For example, a 2:10 ratio is not available, as this can be expressed in the simpler form of 1:5 as this equates to the same price.
- $67.56 x (1/5) = $13.51
- $67.56 x (2/10) = $13.51
In the event a ratio cannot be simplified further into one of the available ratios, please contact the Support team to see if it might be added.
When should a ratio greater than 1:1 be used?
In scenarios where multiple Staff Members are supporting one Client, services are being delivered at a ratio greater than 1:1.
While ratios 2:1 and 3:1 are available for selection, consideration should be given as to when these ratios are utilised in order to avoid Claims or Invoices from being rejected.
After consultation with providers and industry experts, SupportAbility has made these ratios available on the understanding that they can be used on the condition that they are a Stated Support in the Client's NDIS Plan.
When a ratio greater than 1:1 is selected, the Full price will remain as per the Price Limit in the corresponding Price Guide, however the Portion price and Value will update to reflect this ratio.
In the example below, the Full price of $67.56 is still displaying, however the Portion price and Value has been updated to $135.12 and $405.36, respectively to reflect the three (3) hours of supports at a 2:1 ratio:
Where are Portions Displayed?
In addition to the NDIS Support Allocations window, Portions will also display in different places across the system for added transparency and reporting.
Activity record
Badges are displayed in Clients section of the Activity record reflecting the portion ratio/s selected:
N.B. A badge will not display when the default 1:1 ratio has been selected to reduce clutter on the Activity record.
Client Funding Statement
The ratio is also included at the end of the Support Item description in the 'Detail' section of the Client Funding Statement once the related Activity has been Signed Off:
Bulk Payment Requests (BPR)
In the Support Item section for each Claim in a Bulk Payment Request (BPR):
Direct Invoice Batch
In the Description section of each Invoice Item in a Direct Invoice Batch:
