NDIS Counselling Rates 2026-27
- 12 item numbers
- Support Catalogue 2026-27 v1.1
- Pricing Schedule, 24 Sep 2026
National
$156.16
per hour · Modified Monash 1–5
Remote
$218.62
per hour · MM 6: national + 40%
Very remote
$234.24
per hour · MM 7: national + 50%
2 supports
Every counselling item number for 2026-27
The direct-service number for each support, the most that can be claimed per hour, and the change from 2025-26. Open any number for its full details.
| Support | Item number | Paid from | National | Remote | Very remote | vs 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TherapyCounsellor | 15_043_0128_1_3 | Capacity Building: Improved Daily Living Skills | $156.16 | $218.62 | $234.24 | no change |
| Early childhoodCounsellor | 15_606_0118_1_3 | Capacity Building: Improved Daily Living Skills | $156.16 | $218.62 | $234.24 | no change |
One session, six numbers
The claim types for 15_043_0128_1_3
Therapy, Capacity Building: Improved Daily Living Skills.
| Claim | Item number | National | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct service | 15_043_0128_1_3 | $156.16 | The session itself, face to face. |
| Telehealth | 15_043_0128_1_3_TH | $156.16 | The same session delivered by video or phone. |
| Non-face-to-face | 15_043_0128_1_3_NF | $156.16 | Work for this participant away from them, such as preparing resources or writing notes, where the service agreement allows it. |
| NDIA requested reports | 15_043_0128_1_3_RR | $156.16 | A report the NDIA asks for, such as a progress report before a plan reassessment. |
| Short-notice cancellation | 15_043_0128_1_3_CA | $156.16 | A session cancelled with less than 2 clear business days’ notice, or a no-show. |
| Provider travel | 15_043_0128_1_3_PT | $78.08 | Time travelling to the participant, at half the direct price. |
Worked example
A session priced line by line
| Line | Item number | Hours | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour counsellor session | 15_043_0128_1_3 | 1.00 | $156.16 | $156.16 |
| 30 minutes travel to the participant | 15_043_0128_1_3_PT | 0.50 | $78.08 | $39.04 |
| 30 minutes preparation and documentation for this participant | 15_043_0128_1_3_NF | 0.50 | $156.16 | $78.08 |
| Total | $273.28 |
National prices, for a session in a city or regional centre (MM 1–5). Travel and non-face-to-face time can only be claimed where the service agreement says so. In MM 1–3, up to 30 minutes of travel to a participant can be claimed (60 minutes in MM 4–5), and the NDIS Provider Travel Calculator works out the rest.
How counselling is priced in 2026-27
Every counselling support item carries the same national price limit, $156.16 an hour. In a remote area (Modified Monash 6) the limit is 40% higher and in a very remote area (MM 7) 50% higher. The area is where the support is delivered, not where the participant lives.
From 2026-27 each counselling support has a set of six item numbers instead of one. The session itself, telehealth, non-face-to-face work, NDIA requested reports and short-notice cancellations are priced the same; provider travel has its own number at half the price. Before, all of these were claimed on the one item number with a claim type.
Which budget pays
- Therapy item numbers starting 15_ are paid from Capacity Building: Improved Daily Living Skills.
- Early childhood (ECI) item numbers are in registration group 0118, Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood.
Travel, cancellations and reports
- Travel is claimed on the _PT number at half the hourly price, up to 30 minutes each way in MM 1 to 3 and 60 minutes in MM 4 to 5, with no limit in remote areas.
- A session cancelled with less than 2 clear business days’ notice, or a no-show, can be claimed at up to 100% of the agreed fee on the _CA number, if the service agreement says so and the time could not be filled.
- Non-face-to-face time and NDIA requested reports need to be allowed for in the service agreement too.
These conditions come from the Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26. The NDIA has said it will publish updated claiming guidance for 2026-27; until then, that is the document it points providers to. If you bulk upload claims, check that the new numbers go through before sending a whole batch.
Other professions
Psychologist · Occupational Therapist · Speech Pathologist · Physiotherapist · Dietitian · Exercise Physiologist · Podiatrist · Rehabilitation Counsellor · Social Worker · Art Therapist · Music Therapist · Developmental Educator · Audiologist · Orthoptist · Orientation and Mobility Specialist · Therapy Assistant · Behaviour Support Practitioner
Compare every profession on one page in NDIS therapy price limits 2026-27, or search any item in the NDIS Price Guide. Rostery builds therapy invoices from these numbers and checks every line against the price limit before a claim goes out.
What this tool follows
- NDIS Support Catalogue 2026-27 v1.1: every item number, name, unit and price
- NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27: the price limits in law, effective 24 September 2026 (the same amounts applied from 1 July 2026)
- NDIS Support Catalogue 2025-26 v1.1 (archived copy): last year’s price for each item number
- NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26 v1.1: travel, non-face-to-face, report and short-notice cancellation rules, which still apply until the NDIA publishes 2026-27 claiming guidance
General information only, not financial, legal or claiming advice. Always check a claim against the current official documents.
Questions people ask
What is the NDIS price limit for a counsellor in 2026-27?
$156.16 an hour nationally, $218.62 in remote areas (MM 6) and $234.24 in very remote areas (MM 7), under the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27. That is the most an NDIA-managed or plan-managed participant’s plan can be charged.
Did the NDIS counselling rate change for 2026-27?
No. The price limit is $156.16 an hour, the same as 2025-26. What changed is the item numbers: each support now has six, one for each way of claiming it.
Can a counsellor charge travel to an NDIS participant?
Yes, where the service agreement allows it, at half the hourly price: $78.08 an hour on 15_043_0128_1_3_PT. In MM 1 to 3 areas up to 30 minutes each way can be claimed, and up to 60 minutes in MM 4 to 5. There is no travel time limit in remote and very remote areas.
Which item numbers are used for counselling telehealth, reports and cancellations?
For 15_043_0128_1_3 (therapy, Capacity Building: Improved Daily Living Skills) they are: telehealth 15_043_0128_1_3_TH, non-face-to-face 15_043_0128_1_3_NF, NDIA requested reports 15_043_0128_1_3_RR, short-notice cancellation 15_043_0128_1_3_CA and provider travel 15_043_0128_1_3_PT. Each is priced the same as the session except travel, which is half.
Can a counsellor charge more than the NDIS price limit?
Not to an NDIA-managed or plan-managed participant: a claim above the limit is paid only up to the limit. Self-managed participants are not bound by the price limits and can agree a different price with the provider.
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