NDIS, Aged Care and the Federal Budget 2026-27: What Participants and Families Need to Know

7 May

The Federal Budget will be delivered on Tuesday 12 May 2026, and many people connected to the NDIS and aged care will be watching closely.

For NDIS participants, older Australians, families and carers, the Budget may give more detail about funding priorities, upcoming changes and how the government plans to manage the future of disability and aged care support.

This blog post looks at what the Budget is, why it matters, and the key changes proposed for the NDIS, as well as aged care areas to watch, including Support at Home, personal care, dementia care and access to services.

Stay informed, check trusted sources

For participants, older Australians, families and carers, Budget announcements can feel overwhelming, especially when they involve essential supports like the NDIS or aged care. But not every change will happen straight away.

Many of the proposed changes are expected to be introduced over time, with more detail to come after the Budget and through official updates.

For now, the best approach is to stay informed, ask questions, and keep checking trusted sources like the NDIS website, My Aged Care and official government updates.

What is the Federal Budget?

The Federal Budget sets out how the Australian Government plans to raise and spend money for the year ahead.

It can include funding for health, disability, aged care, housing, education and other national priorities. For NDIS participants, older Australians, families and carers, Budget night can be worth watching because it may include updates about funding, support programmes, future reforms or changes that could affect services over time.

The Treasurer is expected to deliver the 2026-27 Federal Budget at approximately 7:30 pm AEST on Tuesday 12 May 2026.

Why NDIS participants and families may be watching this Budget

This Budget matters because the NDIS supports many Australians, with about 760,000 people currently on the scheme. The proposed NDIS changes announced by Minister Mark Butler on 22 April 2026 are significant, and the Budget may help explain how the next stage of changes will be phased in.

The government says the NDIS will continue to grow each year, but at a slower rate. In his speech, Minister Butler said the government wants to slow the growth of NDIS spending while the new changes are introduced.

He said spending is expected to grow by around 2% a year in the short term, before returning to around 5% growth from 2030.

The government has set this as a plan to protect the NDIS for people with permanent and significant disability and for future generations. The plan focuses on fraud and compliance, slowing rapid cost increases, clearer eligibility rules and improving the quality of supports and services.

A new bill, the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill, is expected after the 2026-27 Budget. This means the Budget may help show how some of these changes will be supported or staged.

At a glance - what to watch for

Here are some of the key areas NDIS participants, families and carers may want to watch in the Budget and any follow-up announcements:

Scheme funding and growth - whether the Budget gives more detail on how the government plans to slow NDIS growth while continuing to fund the scheme.
Access and eligibility - future access is expected to focus more on how disability affects everyday life, not just diagnosis.
Reasonable and necessary supports - watch for more detail on tighter rules around what the NDIS will fund.
Support budgets - some social, civic and community participation budgets are expected to start changing from 1 October 2026.
Plans and reassessments - unscheduled plan reassessments, plan rollovers and unspent fund rollovers are expected to become more restricted
Provider rules may become stricter - the government is planning stronger registration, compliance and fraud controls, especially for higher-risk supports. This may affect how some services are delivered over time.
Plan management, support coordination and SIL - watch for more detail on how some services may be organised in the future, including commissioned or government vetted provider models.

What we already know

The government has already announced a number of proposed NDIS changes that are expected to roll out over the next few years.

These include changes to access and eligibility, reasonable and necessary supports, plan reassessments, social and community participation budgets, provider registration, SIL, plan management and support coordination.

For a full breakdown of the recent NDIS announcements and expected rollout dates, you can read our latest NDIS changes blog here.

Why older Australians and families may be watching this Budget

Aged care may also be an important area to watch in this Budget.

For older Australians, families and carers, the Budget may include more detail about Support at Home funding, dementia care, hospital-to-aged-care pathways, and how future aged care services will be delivered.

Some aged care changes have already been announced, including fully government-funded personal care under Support at Home from 1 October 2026 for eligible participants with approved personal care in their support plan.

The Budget may give more detail about how these changes will be supported and what other aged care measures are planned.

Aged care at a glance - what to watch for

Here are some of the key aged care areas older Australians, families and carers may want to watch in the Budget and any follow-up announcements:

Support at Home funding - whether the Budget includes more detail about funding for additional Support at Home places or packages.
Personal care under Support at Home - personal care is already set to be fully government-funded from 1 October 2026 for eligible participants with approved personal care in their support plan.
Dementia care - whether there are further updates for older people living with dementia, especially those with more complex care needs.
Hospital-to-aged-care pathways - whether the Budget includes more support to help older people move from hospital into appropriate aged care.
Access and wait times - whether new funding may affect how quickly people can access aged care services.
Service availability - whether more support is announced for home care, or specialist services.
Contribution arrangements - whether there are any updates that affect what older people may need to pay towards their care.

What we already know about aged care

The government has announced that the 2026 Budget will include a $3 billion investment aimed at delivering more beds, more packages and better care for older Australians. This includes funding linked to Support at Home, personal care, dementia care and hospital-to-aged-care support.

For older people receiving support at home, one important change is already known. From 1 October 2026, personal care under Support at Home will be fully government-funded for eligible participants, where personal care is approved in their support plan and they have available Support at Home funding. This may include approved personal care services such as help with showering, dressing and non-clinical continence care.

The Budget may also provide more detail on Support at Home places, dementia care and hospital-to-aged-care support. For older people and families, the practical questions are likely to be: will more support be available, how long might people wait, and what costs or contributions may apply?

What we do not know yet

Before Budget night, it is important not to assume what will be announced.

The Budget may confirm funding, provide more detail, or leave some questions for future legislation, guidance or consultation.

Some measures may be announced in the Budget papers, while other details may come later through the new NDIS bill, aged care updates, official guidance or further consultation.

At this stage, we do not yet know exactly what new NDIS, disability support or aged care measures will be included in the Budget.

What this may mean for participants, older Australians and families

For NDIS participants, older Australians, families and carers, many changes may not start straight away. Some changes are expected to be introduced in stages, with more information to come after the Budget, through legislation, consultation and official updates.

If you are connected to the NDIS, it may be helpful to watch for updates about:

access and eligibility
reasonable and necessary supports
plan reassessments and renewals
support budgets
social and community participation
new framework planning

If you are connected to aged care, it may be helpful to watch for updates about:

Support at Home funding
personal care under Support at Home
dementia care
hospital-to-aged-care pathways
aged care wait times
service availability
contribution arrangements

If you are unsure how any changes may affect you or someone you care for, speak with your support coordinator, plan manager, provider, aged care contact, the NDIS or My Aged Care.

What happens next?

The Federal Budget will be delivered on Tuesday 12 May 2026 at around 7.30 pm AEST.

After the Budget is released, more information should be available through official government channels, including the Australian Government Budget website, health.gov.au, ndis.gov.au and My Aged Care.

We will publish a follow-up blog post after the Budget to cover the key NDIS, disability support and aged care updates, and what they may mean for participants, older Australians, families and carers

Need Help?

If you're looking for support with managing your NDIS plan or aged care, we're here to help. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to learn more. Call the BCD team on 1800 275 223, or contact us online through our contact form.

Information correct as at Tues May 5 2026. For the latest official information, visit budget.gov.au, health.gov.au and ndis.gov.au.

FAQs

When is the 2026-27 Federal Budget?

The 2026-27 Federal Budget is expected to be delivered at approximately 7:30 pm AEST on Tuesday 12 May 2026.

Will the Budget include NDIS changes?

We do not know the full details until the Budget is released. However, the government has already announced that a new NDIS amendment bill is expected after the 2026-27 Budget, so participants, families and carers may want to watch for updates.

Where can I find the latest official updates?

For the latest official information, visit budget.gov.au, health.gov.au and ndis.gov.au.

Will the Federal Budget include aged care changes?

Some aged care measures have already been announced ahead of the Budget, including a planned $3 billion investment in aged care and changes to fully fund personal care under Support at Home from 1 October 2026 for eligible participants. The Budget may provide more detail on Support at Home places, dementia care and hospital-to-aged-care support.

What is changing with personal care under Support at Home?

From 1 October 2026, personal care under Support at Home is set to be fully government-funded for eligible participants. This means there will be no out-of-pocket cost for approved personal care services, as long as personal care is included in the person's support plan and they have available Support at Home funding.

What aged care areas should families watch in the Budget?

Families may want to watch for updates on Support at Home funding, extra aged care beds, dementia care, hospital-to-aged-care pathways, wait times, service availability and contribution arrangements. These areas may affect how older people access support and what costs may apply over time.

Where can families find the latest official aged care updates?

For the latest official information, families can visit My Aged Care and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. We will also publish a follow-up blog post after the Budget to summarise the key NDIS, disability support and aged care updates.

Information correct as at 7 May 2026. Please refer to the NDIS website or My Aged Care for the latest updates.

Sources:

- NDIS announcement - Securing the NDIS for future generations

- Department fact sheet - Securing the NDIS for future genera tion s (PDF)

- Minister Butler speech at the National Press Club - 22 April 20 26

Budget.gov.au: https://budget.gov.au/index.htm

- Health media release - https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/more-beds-more-packages-and-better-care-for-older-australians

- My Aged Care personal care update - https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/news-and-updates/personal-care-be-fully-funded-under-support-home-october