If you’re new to the NDIS, one of the first questions people ask is, “what is a Local Area Coordinator, and how is it different from a support coordinator?” The two roles sound similar, and participants often assume they are interchangeable, but they actually sit in quite different parts of the NDIS system.
This guide breaks down what each role does, how they differ, and who you should contact depending on your situation. Getting this right matters, since calling the wrong person can mean delays in getting the help you actually need.
What Is a Local Area Coordinator?
A Local Area Coordinator, usually shortened to LAC, is your first point of contact with the NDIS for most participants aged around 9 to 64. LACs are employed by community organisations that the NDIA contracts to deliver services locally, under what the NDIA calls its NDIS partners in the community program.
An LAC can help you understand whether you are eligible for the NDIS, work with you to develop your first plan, and connect you with community and mainstream supports once your plan is approved. Importantly, this service is completely free and does not use up any of your NDIS funding.
If you are supporting a child under 9, you will usually work with an Early Childhood Partner instead of an LAC, since young children are supported through a slightly different pathway. LACs also link people to the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program, which funds community activities and inclusion projects that anyone in the local area can access, whether they are an NDIS participant or not.
What Does a Support Coordinator Do?
A support coordinator is a different kind of role altogether. Rather than being a free NDIA partner, support coordination is a funded support written into your NDIS plan, sitting under the Capacity Building budget.
There are three levels: Support Connection, Coordination of Supports, and Specialist Support Coordination for more complex situations. A support coordinator’s job is to help you put your plan into action, connecting you with providers, setting up service agreements, and managing more complicated support arrangements once your plan is already in place.
For example, if you have several providers across therapy, personal care, and community access, all needing to work together around your goals, a support coordinator is often the person keeping that whole picture organised.
LAC vs Support Coordinator: What’s the Difference?
| Factor | Local Area Coordinator (LAC) | Support Coordinator |
| Cost | Free, does not come from your NDIS plan | Funded, must be included as a line item in your plan |
| Who delivers it | An NDIA partner organisation in the community | A registered or unregistered provider you choose |
| Main focus | General coordination, referrals, and connecting you to community and mainstream supports | Implementing your plan, setting up providers, and managing more complex support arrangements |
| When they’re involved | Often early, helping you access the NDIS and build your first plan | Typically once a plan is approved, to help put it into action |
| Level of need | Suited to most participants, including general or straightforward situations | Suited to more complex situations, multiple providers, or plans needing closer management |
| How long it lasts | Ongoing, ready to help with broader questions and plan reviews over time | Often tied to a specific plan period, reviewed and re-requested at each plan |
Neither role replaces the other. They exist to support different stages and different levels of need within the same system.
Can You Have Both an LAC and a Support Coordinator?
Yes, and for many participants, this is exactly how it works. Your LAC might help you build your plan and request support coordination as part of it, then hand over to your support coordinator once that plan starts.
From there, your LAC often remains available for broader questions, plan reviews, or connecting you to community activities, while your support coordinator focuses on the day-to-day running of your supports. Neither should leave you feeling unsure about who to call. If that happens, it is worth asking both parties to clarify who is responsible for what.
It can help to think of your LAC as the person who oversees the bigger picture of your NDIS journey over time, while your support coordinator is more hands-on with the specific supports listed in your current plan.
What if There Is No LAC in Your Area?
Not every region has an LAC partner organisation, and some participants have needs that fall outside what an LAC typically manages. In these cases, the NDIA appoints a staff member as your my NDIS contact instead.
This usually applies if you live somewhere without an NDIS partner, have complex or intensive support needs, or are in a hospital, aged care, or justice setting. Your my NDIS contact’s name and details should be listed in your NDIS plan, so it is worth checking there first if you are unsure who your main contact actually is.
For general enquiries, you can also call the National Contact Centre directly. Whoever answers should be able to help you or point you to the right person, so you are never left waiting purely because you are unsure which title applies to your situation.
How Hyre Support Coordination Can Help
At Hyre Support Coordination, we work alongside LACs rather than replacing them. If your plan includes funded support coordination, our team can help you set up providers, manage your budget, and prepare for plan reviews, while your LAC continues to support broader NDIS questions.
If you are not sure whether you need a support coordinator or simply want help understanding your plan, get in touch with our team today.