NDIS Support Worker Travel Costs: What Can Be Claimed?

Support worker travel is one of those NDIS costs that can look straightforward until it appears on an invoice. Is the worker charging for the time they spent travelling? Is there a separate kilometre charge? Can both happen in the same visit? Sometimes, but not always.

The answer depends on the type of travel, the support being delivered, your service agreement, and the current NDIS pricing rules. Before approving an invoice, it helps to separate the different charges instead of treating “travel” as one thing.

The main types of travel charges

A support worker may travel to you so they can deliver an agreed support. Don't assume that travel time is automatically claimable: the current NDIS rules do not allow disability support workers and other support providers to claim provider travel time in the same way as therapy providers. Ask the provider to explain the exact support item and rule they are relying on.

There may also be a non-labour travel cost, such as road tolls, parking, or vehicle running costs. This is different from paying for the worker's time. Providers can continue to claim some non-labour travel costs, but they should discuss the charge with you and explain how it was calculated.

A third situation is travel with you, such as taking you to an appointment or community activity. The support worker's time may be claimable as part of the support, while transport costs need to be handled according to the applicable NDIS rules and your agreement. The provider shouldn't simply bundle every kilometre or parking cost into a vague “travel” line.

Check your service agreement first

Your service agreement should spell out how travel is charged. Look for:

• whether travel time is charged at all
• the hourly rate used for travel time
• any per-kilometre rate
• who pays tolls, parking, or public transport costs
• whether travel is charged when a booking is cancelled
• whether there is a minimum booking or travel distance

If the agreement is silent, ask before the next support rather than waiting for a surprising invoice. This is one reason we recommend reading agreements carefully before signing; our NDIS service agreement guide covers the clauses worth checking.

What makes a travel claim reasonable?

A travel claim should be connected to an actual support you agreed to receive. It should be clear enough for you, your plan manager, and the NDIA to understand what happened.

Check the date, start and finish details, travel distance, time claimed, worker name, support delivered, and the relevant support item. If a worker is travelling between two participants, you may not be responsible for the whole trip. Providers need to apply the relevant rules rather than passing every business travel cost to one participant.

This trips people up: a provider's normal operating cost isn't automatically an NDIS claim. The fact that a worker has to travel doesn't, by itself, mean the full cost can be taken from your plan.

What if the invoice doesn't look right?

Don't ignore a charge you don't understand. Ask the provider for an itemised explanation and compare it with your service agreement. If the support hasn't happened, the dates are wrong, or the charge appears duplicated, tell the provider and your plan manager promptly.

A plan manager can check whether an invoice has the information needed for a claim and whether it appears consistent with your plan and the relevant claiming rules. They can't decide that an unsupported charge is acceptable just because it has been invoiced.

Keep copies of messages, rosters, invoices, and any corrected versions. If you believe a provider is charging above the applicable price limit or claiming something that wasn't delivered, our guide on what to do if an NDIS provider overcharges you explains the practical next steps.

How to avoid disputes

The easiest time to agree on travel is before services begin. Ask the provider to give you a written example using one ordinary visit. For example: “For a two-hour support at your home, will there be travel time, kilometres, tolls, or parking? Which of those comes from my plan?”

If you use several workers or providers, keep a simple record of bookings and travel arrangements. Review your monthly statement regularly so a small misunderstanding doesn't become a large budget problem. Our monthly NDIS statement guide shows what to look for.

Travel charges aren't automatically wrong, and they aren't automatically payable. The fair answer comes from the rules, the agreement, and what actually happened on the day. If those three things don't line up, pause the claim and ask for clarity before it is paid.