New NDIS changes have passed Parliament, and there's a lot to take in.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 passed Parliament on 19 August 2026. Some of the changes in the Act started on the 27th August, while others will be phased in gradually through to 2030. Importantly, your rights under the current NDIS law keep applying until each new part officially starts.
Here's a breakdown of what's changing, when, and what it actually means for you.
First: your current plan continues as usual
There's no immediate change to how you use the supports in your current plan. You can continue to use your plan as usual because the rules for what you can spend your funding on have not changed. You can also continue to ask for a review of a decision if you don’t agree with it.
So, what's changing?
Changes to the NDIS will include:
- How your future plan and budgets are created
- How your support needs are assessed
- How some funding can be used
- Access and eligibility for the NDIS
- How plan renewals and reassessments happen
- Rules around payments and plan management.
But they're not all happening at once. Each change has its own start date, and many will apply to you only when your plan comes up for renewal or reassessment.
For that reason, we recommend you note when your plan ends. Then you can start to think about it in relation to the timeline below.
You can also see an official timeline of these changes on the NDIS website.
A key change starts from October
From 1 October 2026, budgets for some participant supports will begin to be progressively adjusted. This is known as a Support Determination. A Support Determination is a new legal power to determine a percentage for reducing funding component amounts - which you might simply know as a budget or a support category in your plan.
Learn more about NDIS funding components.
It includes changes to funding for:
- Social, civic and community participation which is a part of your Core budget
- Capacity building daily activities. This is also known as Improved Daily Living or CB Daily Activity.
We will let you know when there is more information about these changes.
Key dates to know
27 August 2026
Tighter rules for what’s called ‘unscheduled plan reassessments’ began. You may have known this as a Change of Situation or Change of Circumstance. You'll now need to show a significant and ongoing change in your functional capacity, support needs or life circumstances — though the change doesn't have to be unexpected (for example, knowing you're about to finish school or moving out of home still counts). Importantly, only the participant, their nominee or a child representative can request one. This means a support coordinator or advocate can no longer submit it on your behalf.
The NDIS has created a new form and process to ask for a change to your plan and you should use this process from now on.
New record-keeping requirements also started, with participants needing to keep records about NDIS payments for 3 years and 5 years for nominees. You must be able to show evidence of a purchase if the NDIS asks you. We suggest that even if you are uploading claims to the portal, you still keep a record. This is because the law gives the NDIA stronger powers to request information and documents.
NDIS supports must now connect directly to the impairment or impairments that made someone eligible for the NDIS in the first place. If you are a new participant, you will have got a letter saying what these impairments are. If you have been on the NDIS for a while it is a good idea to find out what the NDIS has listed. Contact the NDIS or ask for the information.
1 October 2026
After this date, when your plan comes up for renewal, any announced budget changes for social and community participation will be made.
1 December 2026
Claims must be submitted within 90 days of a support being delivered, down from the current timeframe of 2 years.
1 February 2027
From this date, when your plan is renewed or reassessed, any unused funding will no longer automatically carry over. Additionally, updated 'reasonable and necessary' criteria will apply. This means 'plan rollovers' will end, starting with new participants and then extending to existing participants upon their next plan renewal.
1 January 2028
Changes to NDIS access for new applicants begin, based on a standardised functional capacity assessment rather than diagnosis alone. Existing participants will be reassessed progressively over 3 years.
A new way of planning is coming
Starting in April 2027, a new planning approach will roll out. Future plans will include:
- A flexible budget
- Some supports with funding specifically allocated to them
- Budgets informed by a new support needs assessment.
You won't move to the new system all at once — the transition is expected to continue gradually through to the end of 2030.
How your support needs are assessed will change, too
A new support needs assessment will look at things like:
- Different areas of your everyday life
- The type of support you need
- How much support you need
- How often you need it.
It's also expected to consider your life stage and personal circumstances more broadly. This assessment will help inform funding under the new planning approach, with the aim of making budgets more consistent for people with similar needs.
We talked about both these things in our webinar, Answering your NDIS FAQs. You can watch the webinar recording on YouTube.
Other changes will come later
Not every reform is happening at once.
Provider registration requirements are also expanding over the next few years — between 2027 and 2030 the vast majority of providers in the NDIS will need to register, including those delivering personal care and daily living supports. Between 1 October 2027 and 31 March 2027 it is expected the Government will choose a smaller number of plan managers, participants will then be able to choose which plan manager to use from this panel.
Some rules and processes, including the final design of the support needs assessment and the new provider panel criteria, are still being developed, and participants will be told when changes apply to them.
What does this mean for you?
Let’s summarise what action you can take now.
For now: keep using your current plan as usual. Changes will be introduced over time, and the NDIS will let participants know when new processes apply to them.
- Track plan expiry: Note your plan end date to prepare for changes.
- Keep records: Retain payment proof for 3 years (5 for nominees).
- Verify impairments: Confirm listed impairments with the NDIS.
- Review support categories: Start to look at what your current funds are actually being used for, and whether any of them are essential daily supports that should really be funded in a different category. If you have a support coordinator, ask them for help.
- Hear directly from the NDIS: Sign up to the participant newsletter
- Hear directly from the Australian Government: Sign up to the reform newsletter
- Seek advice: Talk to your LAC, plan manager or support coordinator.
Not sure how these changes affect your plan?
If you have questions about how a specific change might affect your plan, your plan manager or support coordinator is a good place to start.
That's also what Mable Compass is here for, especially if you don’t have a support coordinator. It's a free, one-on-one plan consultation that translates your NDIS plan into plain English — breaking down your budgets, clearing up confusing terms, and giving you actionable steps to make every dollar count, especially as these reforms roll out.
Book your free Mable Compass consultation today.
Official NDIS resources
We’ve listed some official sources of information below. Many of these links also have Easy Read resources.
- Reform Hub on the NDIS website
- Downloadable timelines and explainers from the NDIS
- Fact sheets from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Timelines and explainers from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
NDIS changes can feel like a lot
We're here to make them easier to understand. We'll continue to break down important updates into simple, practical information so you know what's changing and what it means for you.
The information provided in this article is general information only and based on current information at the date of publication. In addition to considering the information shared in this article, Mable encourages you to conduct your own research and seek independent advice about funding disability support services.
