Mable allows support workers to invoice clients for travel by the kilometre – we refer to this as travel rates.
Some important reminders:
- From 26 July 2024, Mable’s customer platform fee (7.95%) and support worker platform fee (10%) will apply to agreed per kilometre travel rates.
- Travel rates can only be submitted along with your support hours.
- Travel rates must be approved by your client in your agreement prior to the beginning of the support session.
- You negotiate the per kilometre rate with your client. However, the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits includes recommended travel rates. Many Plan Manager organisations and Home Care Package providers have a maximum rate for transport set in their payment systems of $1 per km which is similar to this price guidance. This means an agreed rate of $0.89 per km after Mable’s client fee is deducted.
What do you need help with?
What are travel rates?
Travel rates are the amount that a support worker charges a client for their travel costs. The amount is charged per kilometre. It is agreed upon between the support worker and the client before the job begins. If a support worker wants to charge a client for travel via Mable, a travel rate must be included in their agreement with that client.
How do support workers invoice for travel rates?
Mable makes it easy for support workers to invoice a client for travel per kilometre. It is an automatic part of the client’s payment process. The support worker will include their travel rates in the agreement they send to their client. If the client accepts the agreement, the travel rates will be automatically charged after the session is complete, along with support worker’s rates and Mable’s fees.
The support worker should discuss their travel rates with their client before putting them in the agreement.
To invoice for travel rates, follow the steps below. Support workers should only begin this process when they are ready to send the client an agreement.
- Log in
- Select Inbox from the left hand menu
- Select the conversation with the relevant client
- Select Offer an agreement
- Fill out the agreement as normal
- At the bottom of the first page, tick the box next to the statement: Include a rate for travel during support sessions (optional)
- Input in your travel rate
- Continue filling out the agreement as normal and send it to the client
If you want to add a travel rate to an existing agreement, follow these steps:
- Log in
- Select My Clients from the left hand menu
- Select View agreement below the relevant client
- Select the arrow to the right of Manage agreement
- Select Update agreement
- Tick the box next to the statement: Include a rate for travel during support sessions (optional)
- Type in your chosen travel rate
- Select Continue
- Select Save and send to [Client’s name]
How do travel rate fees work?
From 26 July 2024, Mable’s customer platform fee (7.95%) and support worker platform fee (10%) will apply to agreed per kilometre travel rates.
For clients, this means Mable’s 7.95% platform fee will apply to travel rates. When clients are paying for travel rates, an additional 7.95% of the total amount will be applied – this amount will be paid to Mable.
For example:
If the travel rate agreed upon between the support worker and client in the agreement is $15 for the session, the 7.95% fee will be calculated on top of the agreed rate and an additional $1.19 will be applied. This makes the total rate (travel rate plus the client charge): $16.19. The $1.19 is paid to Mable.
For support workers, this means Mable’s 10% platform fee will apply to travel rates, as set out in the agreement. When receiving their travel rates payment, 10% of the amount is deducted and paid to Mable, which means the worker would receive $13.50 (travel rate minus the worker charge).
Can support workers charge for travel to and from a support session?
As long as certain conditions are met, support workers can charge for travel costs incurred to and from a support session. The rules regarding this differ depending on whether you are seeing an NDIS client or an aged care client.
If your client is paying for support with a Home Care Package, you can charge for your travel to and from a session as part of your travel rates as long as you have discussed it with your client and included it in your agreement.
If your client is using NDIS funding, there are some regulations to consider.
In most cases, you may charge for travel up to 30 minutes to and from your client’s location (a total of 60 minutes) when you are providing most types of support. You can charge for both your time (using hourly rates), and the number of kilometres you drive in this time, if you are using your own vehicle. You can charge additional fees but there is a risk that some plan managers may reject invoices for being over the maximum travel rate they have set, which is based on unit prices in the NDIS Price Guide.
For more information on Provider Travel allowances, refer to the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document, at the bottom of page 18.
What are the NDIS rules around charging for transport costs?
The NDIS requires that the transport costs being charged are a direct result of the participant’s disability support needs. There are three types of transport that can be charged to NDIS clients, and the types of transport you can charge for depend on the type of support you will be providing, and what support categories your client has funding for.
For more information on covering transport costs to meet a participant’s support needs using NDIS funding, you may refer to the NDIS Transport Funding page or the more detailed Transport section of the Operational Guidelines.
Activity based transport
You can charge for transporting your client to and/or from a particular support activity when you are providing certain types of support via Mable, including:
- Social support and/or community access
- Group activities*
- Supports in employment*
- Assistance With Accommodation And Tenancy Obligations – Improved living arrangements*
- Skill development and training – Improved Living Arrangements.*
- Life transition planning – Improved Living Arrangements*
- Supports in employment – Finding and Keeping a Job*
- Individual social skills development – Improved Relationships*
- Transition Through School And To Further Education – Improved Learning*
*These are specialised services that must be requested when you create or edit your agreement rates.
You can charge for both your time (using hourly rates), and the number of kilometres you drive in this time (using the travel rate), if you are using your own vehicle.
Transport as a service
Some clients have funding for transport as a service. This may include dropping your client off at appointments or transporting your client to work or home.
Your client will need to approve your travel rate, and hourly rates. You need to include what types of transport you will charge your client in your agreement.
