How do I submit an invoice to First2Care?

Email your invoice in PDF format to accounts@first2care.com.au, or submit it through our provider portal. On your first invoice, include your bank details so we can set up payment to you.

How long does it take to be paid?

Your invoice is checked and submitted to the NDIA, which usually processes valid claims within 2 to 3 business days. Payment is released after that, and we email you a remittance advice. If we have not paid you before, your first payment may take an extra day while we set up your profile and verify your bank details.

What support item number should I use?

Support item numbers come from the NDIS Pricing Schedule, published by the NDIA. If you are not sure which number applies to the service you are delivering, contact our team and we will help you confirm it before you submit.

Do I need to be registered with the NDIS to work with First2Care participants?

Not necessarily. Plan managed participants can use both registered and unregistered providers. If you are unregistered, you can still submit invoices to First2Care, provided a service agreement is in place with the participant. Some supports do require registration regardless of how a participant's plan is managed, so contact us if you are not sure.

What happens if my invoice has an error?

Our team will contact you directly to explain the problem and help you correct it. We do not reject invoices without explanation.

What is a service agreement, and do I need one?

A service agreement confirms the arrangement between you and the participant, including the services, prices and conditions. One must be in place before First2Care can process invoices for services you have delivered. If you are new to working with plan managed participants, our team can answer questions about what it needs to include.

Can First2Care help me understand the NDIS Pricing Schedule?

Yes. It is an NDIA document, but our team works with it every day and can help you understand how it applies to the services you deliver. Read our guide: NDIS Pricing Arrangements Explained.

I have participants who are not plan managed. Can I tell them about First2Care?

Yes. If your participants are NDIA managed or self managed and are interested in plan management, they can ask for it at any time. They do not need to wait for a plan reassessment, and can request a plan variation instead. You are welcome to send them to our website, or contact us and we will explain the process to them directly.

What if my bank details change?

Tell us as soon as you can. We will confirm the change with you before we pay again. This is a protection against payment fraud, so please expect that extra check.

NDIS Guide

Updated July 2026 • 7 min read

How Providers Get Paid Faster with First2Care

Q: Does the participant see my invoice?

Yes. We email the participant to confirm your invoice has been submitted. If they are happy for it to be processed, no response is needed. If they identify a problem, they have 24 hours to contact our accounts team.

Illustration showing how provider sending an invoice that moves through a checking step to payment, showing how First2Care processes provider invoices.

If you are an NDIS support worker, therapist, allied health professional, or any provider delivering services to participants, you already know that getting paid should be simple. You do the work. You send the invoice. You get paid.

In practice, that is not always how it goes. Some plan managers take ten, fourteen, sometimes twenty or more days to process an invoice. Others reject invoices with little explanation. And when you try to reach someone to sort it out, you are left waiting.

First2Care works differently. Paying providers promptly is central to how we operate. This guide explains how our process works, what your invoice needs to include, and how to get set up with us.

In this guide

01

Why payment speed matters and what slow payments really cost

02

How First2Care processes your invoices

03

What does your invoice need to include

04

What causes delays

05

Do you need a service agreement to work with First2Care participants

07

If you are not registered with the NDIS

08

What providers tell us matters

09

How do providers get paid faster with First2Care

10

How do you get set up to work with First2Care

11

Frequently asked questions

06

New to working with a plan manager

This is one of the clearest signals that something is not right. You can switch plan managers at any time, without NDIA approval and without affecting your funding. A reasonable notice period in your service agreement (often two to four weeks) is completely normal, it simply allows a clean handover of any outstanding invoices. What is not normal is a plan manager who becomes evasive when you ask about leaving, discourages you from exploring other options, or makes the process sound far more complicated than it is. A confident, trustworthy plan manager will always respect your right to choose. For a step by step, read: How to Switch NDIS Plan Managers.

Why payment speed matters and what slow payments really cost

For large registered organisations with strong cash flow reserves, a two week payment delay is an inconvenience. For an independent support worker, a sole trader therapist, or a small allied health practice, it is a genuine financial strain.

Most NDIS providers are not large corporations. They are professionals who have committed to delivering quality support to people with disability, people who need them to be available, consistent, and financially stable enough to keep showing up.

When invoices sit unpaid for weeks, providers absorb that cost personally. Some reduce their availability. Others stop taking on participants from slow paying plan managers altogether. In a sector already stretched for capacity, the effect of poor payment practices reaches well beyond the invoice itself.

Prompt, reliable payment is not just a courtesy. It is how a plan manager shows respect for the work providers do, and it is how participants keep access to the people they rely on.

How First2Care processes your invoices

At First2Care, our commitment is straightforward: we process provider invoices within 2 to 5 business days of receipt. In practice, many invoices are processed faster than this.

Here is what that process looks like from the moment your invoice arrives.

Step 1: Your invoice is received. You send your invoice to account@first2care.com.au in PDF format, or submit it through our provider portal. It enters our processing queue as soon as it arrives.

Step 2: Your invoice is checked. Our team reviews your invoice against three things: the current NDIS Pricing Schedule, to confirm the price and support item number are correct;

the participant's service agreement
to confirm the service is covered
and the available budget in the relevant support category.

This step protects you as much as it protects the participant. An invoice that has been checked before submission is far less likely to be rejected by the NDIA, which means you are paid sooner and without having to correct and resubmit.

Step 3: The participant is notified. We email the participant to confirm your invoice has been submitted. If they are happy for it to be processed, no response is needed. If they identify a problem, they have 24 hours to tell our accounts team.

This is a normal part of our process and it is how we make sure nothing is claimed from a participant's funding without their knowledge. It is worth knowing about, because it forms part of the timeline.

Step 4: Any problems are raised with you quickly. If there is an error on your invoice, such as a support item number that does not match the service delivered, a price above the current maximum, or a missing detail, our team contacts you directly to sort it out.

We do not reject the invoice and wait for you to notice. We contact you, explain the problem clearly, and help you correct it so we can process it without further delay.

Step 5: The claim is submitted to the NDIA. Once your invoice has passed our checks, we submit the claim through the NDIA portal. The NDIA usually processes valid claims within 2 to 3 business days.

Step 6: You are paid. Payment is released to you once the NDIA has processed the claim. We then email a remittance advice to the email address on your invoice. If we have not paid you before, your first payment may take an extra day. This is so we can set up your profile and verify your bank details in our system. It only happens once.

What does your invoice need to include?

Getting your invoice right the first time is the single most effective way to be paid sooner. An invoice that passes our checks on first review moves through the system without delay. Every invoice sent to First2Care should include the following:

confirmation that the document is intended as an invoice
your provider details, including your ABN
the participant's full name and NDIS number
the date the service was delivered
the date the invoice was issued
a description of the service, and the quantity delivered
the NDIS support item name and number, if you know it
the total cost of the service
the GST amount payable, if it applies. Most NDIS services are GST free
your payment details, if this is your first invoice to us

The date of service matters here. The NDIA requires the actual date the service was delivered on all claims, not the date the invoice was issued. You need both on the invoice.

If you are not sure which support item number applies to your service, contact us before you submit and we will help you confirm it.

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What causes delays

These are the problems we see most often. Each one has to be corrected before an invoice can be processed.

pricing above the NDIS maximum for that support item
missing or incomplete bank details
an incorrect support item number
calculation errors
no service agreement in place for the period the service was delivered

If you tell us your bank details have changed, we will confirm that change with you before we pay again. This protects you and the participant from payment fraud.

Do you need a service agreement to work with First2Care participants?

Yes, and it is worth understanding clearly, because it affects when your first invoice can be processed.

A service agreement is a document that sets out the arrangement between you and the participant you are supporting. It confirms the supports you will deliver, the prices you will charge, and the conditions of the arrangement.

First2Care, cannot process invoices for services delivered before a service agreement is signed. This is an NDIS requirement, not a First2Care policy.

If you are starting with a new First2Care participant, make sure a service agreement is signed before you begin delivering services. If you are not sure whether one is in place, contact us and we will check for you.

If you are an existing provider and a participant is moving to First2Care, we will contact you during their account setup to introduce ourselves and confirm your service agreement is on file. In most cases this happens before their first invoice is due.

New to working with a plan manager?

If this is your first time working with a plan managed participant, the process is simpler than it may appear.

When a participant joins First2Care, we contact their current providers to introduce ourselves and explain how to submit invoices. If you are an independent support worker or a sole trader who has not worked with a plan manager before, our team will make sure you know exactly what to send and where.

If you are not registered with the NDIS

One of the benefits of plan management for participants is that they can use both registered and unregistered providers.

If you are an unregistered provider working with a plan managed participant, you can still submit invoices to First2Care. You need a service agreement in place, and your pricing should be consistent with the NDIS Pricing Schedule.

If you have questions about whether your services can be funded through a participant's plan, contact us. We will give you a clear and honest answer.

What providers tell us matters

Plan managers vary in how they operate. Some are efficient and easy to work with. Others create extra work at every step. Here is what providers tell us matters most.

Speed. Your invoice is processed promptly, not left sitting for a fortnight while you wait to be paid for work already done.

Someone you can actually reach. When you have a question about an invoice, a support item number, or a payment that has not arrived, you can call or email and get a real response. Every First2Care participant has a Client Services Officer, so when you call about that participant's account, you are speaking to someone who knows it.

Problems raised early. We do not reject invoices without explanation. If something needs correcting, we tell you what it is and help you fix it. Our aim is to get your invoice paid, not to find reasons to delay it.

Consistency. Providers who work regularly with First2Care participants know what to expect. Same process, same timeframes, same standard every time. That predictability makes your own financial planning easier.

Respect for your work. Providers are the ones delivering support to participants every day. Paying you promptly and handling your invoices carefully is the minimum that work deserves.

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How do providers get paid faster with First2Care?

Plan managers vary significantly in how they operate. Some are efficient, responsive, and easy to work with. Others create unnecessary friction at every step. Here is what providers consistently tell us matters most and how First2Care measures up.

Speed. We process invoices within 2 to 5 business days. Your participants' providers are not waiting a fortnight to be paid for work already done.

A team you can actually reach. When you have a question about an invoice, a support item number, or a payment that has not arrived, you can call us or email us and get a real response. Every First2Care participant has a dedicated specialist, which means when you call about that participant's account, you are speaking to someone who knows it.

Proactive error resolution. We do not silently reject invoices. If something on your invoice needs to be corrected, we tell you what it is and help you fix it. Our goal is to get your invoice processed and paid not to find reasons to delay it.

Consistency. Providers who work regularly with First2Care participants know what to expect. Same process, same timeframes, same standard every time. That predictability makes your own financial planning easier.

Respect for your work. The people at First2Care understand that providers are the ones actually delivering support to participants every day. Paying you promptly and treating your invoices with care is the minimum standard of respect that work deserves.

How do you get set up to work with First2Care?

You do not need to register with First2Care separately, or go through an approval process, to work with our participants. If a participant chooses your services and is plan managed by First2Care, there are three steps.

Step 1: A service agreement is signed between you and the participant. This is the foundation of the arrangement. It can be a standard service agreement template or one you already use with other NDIS participants. Once it is signed, you are set up to deliver services and invoice.

Step 2: You send us your first invoice. Send your invoice by email to First2Care's accounts team, including all the details listed above. On your first invoice, also include your bank account details so we can set up payment to you.

Step 3: We process and pay. From receipt to payment, your invoice moves through our process within the timeframes above. After your first invoice is set up in our system, subsequent invoices are even faster to process.

That is the whole process. No provider registration form and no waiting weeks to be approved before you can submit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Work with a plan manager that works for you

Providers who work with First2Care participants tell us the same things: we pay on time, we respond when something comes up, and we do not create extra work.

That is not a coincidence. It is how we have operated since 2014, and it is what we will keep doing because when providers are well-supported, participants are better supported too.

If you have participants with First2Care or are looking for a plan manager to recommend to participants you work with, we would be glad to hear from you.

Join First2Care today →

Contact us now →

Book a free online chat→

Call 1300 322 273

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First2Care is a registered NDIS plan management provider (ABN: 24 601 046 155), approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This article is for general information only. For advice specific to your plan, please speak with your NDIA planner, Local Area Coordinator, or the First2Care team directly.