NDIS changes for current participants: what they may mean for you
If you are an NDIS participant, family member or carer, you may have heard about the proposed changes to the NDIS.
We touched on these changes in our recent Federal Budget update, Federal Budget 2026-27: what it means for NDIS and aged care.
In this post, we look more closely at what the proposed NDIS changes may mean for current participants.
These are big changes, but they are not expected to happen all at once. Some changes are planned to start from late 2026, while others would roll out over several years.
This first post in our short NDIS changes series looks at three areas that may be most relevant for current participants:
new support needs assessments and framework planning
changes to some social, community participation and capacity building budgets
changes to how plans are managed, including reassessments, claims and plan rollovers
A quick note before we get into the details
It is understandable if these changes feel overwhelming.
The important thing to know is that many of the changes are expected to happen in stages. The NDIA has also said participants and providers will be told before changes happen, with updates available through the NDIS website and official newsletters.
People living with permanent and significant disability will still be able to access the NDIS, and the government says the changes are intended to protect the scheme for future generations.
At a glance: key points for current participants
| Change | What it may mean | When it is expected |
|---|---|---|
| Unscheduled plan reassessments | The rules for asking for an unscheduled reassessment will become tighter. | 7 days after the new laws are approved |
| Social and community participation budgets | Some social, civic and community participation budgets are expected to change when a participant’s plan is renewed or reassessed. | From 1 October 2026 |
| Capacity building daily activity budgets | From 1 October 2026, some capacity building daily activity budgets are expected to be reduced by 10%. | From 1 October 2026 |
| Claims timing | Claims will need to be made within 90 days of the support being delivered. This applies to participants or plan managers making the claim. | From 1 December 2026 |
| Reasonable and necessary supports | The NDIA will use clearer criteria to decide what supports are reasonable and necessary to fund. | From 1 February 2027 |
| Plan rollovers | Unspent funds will no longer roll over when a renewed plan is created. | From 1 February 2027 |
| New support needs assessments | A new assessment process will help work out plan budgets. It will look at support needs, functional capacity, life stage and environmental factors. | From 1 April 2027 |
Source: Department NDIS changes page.
1. New support needs assessments and framework planning
One of the biggest changes for current participants is the move to new framework planning.
Under this new planning process, participants will go through a support needs assessment. This assessment will look at a person's support needs based on their functional capacity, life stage and environmental factors. It will be used to help create NDIS plan budgets, but it will not be used to decide whether someone can access the NDIS.
The start date for participants moving to the new framework planning process is currently planned for April 2027.
What is a support needs assessment?
The support needs assessment is expected to become part of the planning process for current participants.
In simple terms, it is designed to look at:
what support a person needs in everyday life
how their disability affects daily activities
their life stage
their home, family and community environment
the types of supports they may need in their plan
The government says the support needs assessment will be the new way plan budgets are made. It is separate from the access process for people applying to join the NDIS.
2. Changes to social and community participation budgets
Another important change is planned for some social and community participation supports.
From 1 October 2026, some support budgets are expected to change as participants' plans are reassessed or renewed. This includes a proposed 50% reduction to social, civic and community participation budget allocations, and a 10% reduction to capacity building daily activity budgets.
This does not necessarily mean every participant's actual spending will reduce by exactly 50% or 10%, because some participants may not currently use their full budget allocation.
These changes are expected to be introduced gradually over 12 months, as participants' plans are reassessed or renewed.
What are capacity building supports?
Capacity building supports may be included in an NDIS plan to help participants build skills, independence and confidence over time.
They are designed to help participants build skills, become more independent and work towards their goals. A participant may not have funding in every capacity building category, because each plan is based on individual needs.
| Capacity building category | What it is |
|---|---|
| Increased social and community participation | Helps you join activities, meet people, build social skills and take part in your community. |
| Support coordination | Helps you understand and use your plan, connect with providers and manage supports. |
| Improved living arrangements | Helps you work towards finding and keeping a suitable place to live. |
| Finding and keeping a job | Helps with work-related goals, such as building work skills or preparing for employment. |
| Improved relationships | Helps build positive behaviours and social skills. |
| Improved health and wellbeing | Helps support physical and mental wellbeing, where related to NDIS goals and supports. |
| Improved learning | Supports the move from school into further education, training or other learning pathways. |
| Improved life choices | Helps build skills to manage funding, providers and plan responsibilities. |
| Improved daily living | Can include therapies, assessments or training to help build everyday skills and independence. |
Source: NDIS capacity building supports page.
What supports are not expected to be affected?
The government says the reset will not affect budgets for critical supports. Examples listed include:
supports in home, such as help with eating, drinking, dressing, toileting, laundry, cleaning, community nursing care and medication
home and vehicle modifications
personal mobility equipment and transport
consumable products to help with incontinence and menstruation
Specialist Disability Accommodation
The government has also announced a $200 million Inclusive Communities Fund to help community organisations offer more genuine participation activities. Consultation on the fund is expected to start in July 2026.
3. Reasonable and necessary supports will be made clearer
From 1 February 2027, the NDIA is expected to use clearer criteria when deciding what supports are reasonable and necessary to fund. For participants, this means that when you go through the planning process, the NDIA will look at the new criteria and apply them more consistently across people with similar needs and circumstances.
This is one of the areas where more practical detail may still be needed, especially around how the criteria will be explained to participants and families.
4. Changes to how plans are managed
There are also planned changes to how NDIS plans are managed.
The government says these changes are designed to improve service quality, strengthen integrity standards and reduce fraud.
| What is changing? | What this may mean for participants | When it is expected |
|---|---|---|
| Unscheduled plan reassessments | Only participants, plan nominees or guardians will be able to request an unscheduled reassessment. These requests will only be available in certain situations, such as significant and ongoing changes to support needs or living arrangements. | 7 days after the new laws are approved |
| Record keeping for claims | You or your plan manager will need to keep records for NDIS support payments for 3 years. | 7 days after the new laws are approved |
| Time limits for claims | Claims will need to be made within 90 days of the support being delivered. This applies to participants or plan managers making the claim. | 1 December 2026 |
| Plan rollovers | When your plan reaches its reassessment date, a renewed plan will be created. Any unused funding from the previous plan will not carry over into the renewed plan. | 1 February 2027 |
| Easier claims for self-managed participants | An updated NDIS App is expected to make claiming simpler, including tap-and-go claiming for some self-managed participants. Some claims over a certain amount will need supporting documents. | 30 June 2028 |
Source: Department NDIS changes page.
5. Changes to plan management and support coordination
There are also future changes planned for plan management and support coordination.
From 1 October 2027, a government panel of plan management providers is expected to be set up. Participants who use plan management will need to choose a provider from that panel. If a participant's current plan manager is not on the panel, there is expected to be a 6-month transition period to move to a new provider.
From 1 July 2028, a new support coordination and connection service is expected to begin. Under this model, support coordination would no longer be funded individually in a participant's plan. Instead, participants would choose from providers funded directly to deliver the service.
What should participants do now?
For now, most participants do not need to make immediate changes.
The most helpful steps are to:
keep checking official NDIS updates
ask questions if you are unsure how a change may affect you
keep good records for supports and claims
speak with your local area coordinator, support coordinator, plan manager or provider if you need help understanding your plan
prepare for future plan reassessments or renewals by keeping notes about your support needs
Many of these changes are still staged over time, and more detail is expected before each stage begins.
What happens next?
This is the first post in our short series on the proposed NDIS changes for current participants. In our next post, we'll focus on the proposed changes to eligibility criteria, and what they may mean for people applying to the NDIS, as well as current participants coming up for plan renewal or reassessment.
For the latest official updates, visit the NDIS website and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing NDIS changes page.
Need Help?
If you're looking for support with managing your NDIS plan, 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 26 2026. For the latest official information, visit budget.gov.au, health.gov.au and ndis.gov.au.
FAQs
Will NDIS changes happen straight away?
Not all changes will happen at once. Some changes are linked to legislation, consultation and staged rollout dates. Current and future participants should keep checking official NDIS and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing updates for confirmed timing.
Where can I find the latest official updates?
For the latest official information, check budget.gov.au, health.gov.au, and ndis.gov.au.
Information correct as at 26 May 2026. Please refer to the NDIS website for the latest updates.
Sources:
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Reform timeline online - https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/securing-the-ndis-for-future-generations-timeline-0
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - FAQs for Participants PDF
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - About the changes to the NDIS: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/ndis-legislation-changes/amendments/ndis-amendment-securing-the-ndis-for-future-generations-bill-2026/about-the-changes-to-the-ndis?language=en
NDIS - What are capacity building supports: https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/using-your-funding/different-budget-types/what-are-capacity-building-supports
Information correct as at 26 May 2026. Please refer to the NDIS website for the latest updates.
The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of the content, we encourage you to visit the relevant government websites for the most up-to-date and official information.