NDIS Changes 2026: What Participants, Families and Carers Need to Know
If you are worried about what the new NDIS laws could mean for you, your family or someone you support, you are not alone.
The changes cover several important areas, including NDIS plan reassessments, social and community participation funding, support for people who need continuous 24-hour care, family and carer responsibilities, provider practices and future eligibility.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 passed Parliament on 19 August 2026. It received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026 and is now law. However, the changes are being introduced gradually rather than affecting every participant immediately.
The most important points
Most participants can continue using their current NDIS plans and supports.
Some changes to plan reassessments began on 27 August 2026.
Changes to some social and community participation budgets are expected to begin progressively from October 2026.
Additional protections have been introduced for some participants who require continuous 24-hour support.
New NDIS access and eligibility arrangements are not expected to begin until January 2028.
What are the NDIS changes in 2026?
The new laws change parts of how the NDIS manages:
access and eligibility
NDIS plan reassessments
participant budgets
reasonable and necessary supports
provider conduct and record keeping
fraud and non-compliance
plan management and support coordination
administrative and automated processes.
The Australian Government says the reforms are intended to clarify eligibility, improve provider quality, address fraud and make the NDIS financially sustainable over the long term. Disability advocacy organisations have welcomed some added safeguards but continue to raise concerns about how funding and eligibility changes may affect participants in practice.
What the 24/7 NDIS support changes mean
Additional protections have been introduced for some participants who need disability-related support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If a future funding decision affects part of a participant’s budget, an eligible participant with continuous 24-hour support needs may be able to request a plan variation. The NDIA may then increase funding where necessary to prevent a gap in essential disability support.
The government has stated that reductions to social and community participation funding should not leave people without the critical care they need.
Participants with complex or continuous support needs should keep clear records showing:
the level of support required
when support is needed
the risks created by a reduction in support
why informal support cannot safely replace formal support.
People exploring continuous or shared living support can learn more about our Supported Independent Living services.
How family and carer support will be considered
The NDIA may consider the support available from family members, carers and other informal supporters when making funding decisions.
However, the updated law requires consideration of whether that support is realistic, appropriate and safe.
Relevant factors may include:
the age of the family member or carer
whether they are physically and practically able to provide the support
how much support the participant requires
the type of support required
whether it is appropriate for a particular person to provide that support
whether reducing formal support could create a risk of harm
the potential effect on family relationships and informal support networks.
This is important because family support should not automatically be treated as unlimited or permanently available.
Families and carers should document changes such as:
declining health or capacity
ageing carers
changes to work responsibilities
family breakdown or relationship changes
increased behavioural or clinical needs
the loss of another informal support person.
NDIS plan reassessment changes in 2026
The process for requesting an NDIS plan reassessment became more formal from 27 August 2026.
A plan reassessment can now be requested by:
the participant
the participant’s nominee
a child representative.
Requests must be submitted using the correct form and explain what has changed and why the current plan may no longer meet the participant’s needs. Supporting evidence may also be required, including information from a GP, allied health professional or another relevant practitioner.
Once the NDIA has the information it needs, it generally has 90 days to decide whether to:
reassess the plan
refuse the reassessment request
vary the existing plan.
Participants can still request a plan variation for changes that are urgent, minor or short term.
Examples of changes that may support a reassessment request include:
a change in where the participant lives
a significant change in functional capacity
new employment or education support needs
a reduction in available family or carer support
increased health, behaviour or personal-care needs.
Keep copies of assessments, incident records, support-worker notes and other evidence that clearly demonstrates what has changed.
NDIS social and community participation funding changes
One of the most significant reforms relates to funding for:
social, civic and community participation supports
capacity-building daily activities.
The government has announced that these budget allocations will be progressively reset as plans are reassessed, renewed or newly approved.
The announced reset includes:
a 50% reduction in budget allocations for social, civic and community participation supports
a 10% reduction in capacity-building daily-activity budget allocations.
The government notes that this will not necessarily mean every participant’s actual spending falls by exactly 50% or 10%, because some participants do not currently use their full allocation.
The changes are expected to begin progressively from 1 October 2026 rather than applying to every participant on the same day. Critical care and daily-living supports are intended to be protected.
Participants should review how they currently use these budgets and consider documenting:
which activities they attend
the support needed to participate
how the activities relate to their goals
the effect that losing support could have on independence, safety, health or isolation
why informal or mainstream options may not meet their disability-related needs.
New NDIS provider rules and inducements
The new laws include stronger measures aimed at fraud, conflicts of interest and inappropriate provider practices.
An inducement is something offered to influence a participant’s choice of provider. This may include certain gifts, money, gift cards or other benefits.
The changes strengthen rules and penalties relating to kickbacks and inducements used to attract or direct participants to particular providers. The intention is to ensure that participants choose services based on suitability, quality and personal preference rather than financial pressure or incentives.
Providers should review their:
referral arrangements
promotional offers
gifts and incentive policies
relationships with plan managers and support coordinators
record-keeping practices
marketing and participant-acquisition processes.
Providers should seek professional compliance advice where they are uncertain about how the new requirements apply to their activities.
When will the NDIS changes take effect?
The reforms will be introduced over several years.
From 27 August 2026
Some changes relating to plan reassessments and record keeping began seven days after Royal Assent.
From 1 October 2026
The government expects to begin progressively adjusting budgets for social, civic and community participation and capacity-building daily activities.
These changes will generally occur when a participant’s plan is reassessed, renewed or newly approved. They will not affect every participant at the same time.
From 1 February 2027
Updated reasonable and necessary support criteria are expected to be progressively applied during planning, plan reassessments and plan renewals.
From 1 April 2027
Participants are expected to begin gradually transitioning to a new planning process known as new framework planning.
A support needs assessment will be used to help determine a participant’s overall budget. The transition is expected to continue progressively rather than moving everyone into the new process at once.
From 1 January 2028
New NDIS access and eligibility arrangements are expected to begin.
Future applicants will be assessed using a standardised assessment of functional capacity. Existing participants are also expected to be reassessed progressively against the new access criteria over a three-year period.
The government says people with permanent and significant disability will continue to be able to access the NDIS.
Will your current NDIS plan change immediately?
For most participants, the answer is no.
Participants can continue using their current plans and supports unless the NDIA contacts them or their plan changes through the usual planning process.
The passage of the new law does not mean every current plan will automatically be reduced or replaced. Different reforms have different commencement dates, and many changes will only apply when a plan is renewed, reassessed or transitioned into a new planning framework.
What NDIS participants and families should do now
There is no need to make sudden changes based only on general headlines.
A practical approach is to:
Continue using the current plan as approved.
Check the plan’s reassessment or renewal date.
Keep clear records of current support needs.
Record any major changes in health, housing, work, education or informal support.
Keep reports and evidence from relevant professionals.
Ask the NDIA how a proposed change applies to the individual plan.
Speak with an independent advocate if a decision may affect safety, rights or essential support.
Participants may also wish to speak with their:
my NDIS contact
nominee
support coordinator
plan manager
allied health professional
independent disability advocate.
What NDIS providers should do now
Providers should monitor official updates and review how the reforms may affect service delivery.
Useful preparation may include:
reviewing referral and incentive practices
improving service and participant records
checking provider-registration obligations
discussing upcoming changes with affected participants
preparing for possible changes to social and community participation services
reviewing how plan reassessments and renewals affect service agreements
training relevant employees on the new requirements.
Providers should avoid giving participants definitive advice about future funding decisions. Those decisions are made by the NDIA based on the participant’s circumstances and the applicable legislation and rules.
Frequently asked questions about the NDIS changes
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Yes. The legislation passed Parliament on 19 August 2026 and received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026. It is now the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026.
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Usually, no. Most participants can continue using their current plan and supports. The reforms will be introduced progressively, and the NDIA has said it will notify participants when a change affects them.
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Changes to some social, civic and community participation and capacity-building budgets are expected to begin progressively from 1 October 2026. They will generally apply as plans are reassessed, renewed or newly approved.
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Eligible participants who require continuous 24-hour disability support may be able to request a plan variation if a support determination affects essential funding. The NDIA may increase funding where required to prevent gaps in critical support.
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The NDIA can consider informal support, but it must also consider whether a family member or carer is realistically able to provide it, whether the arrangement is appropriate and whether a lack of formal support could create a risk of harm.
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The major changes to NDIS access and eligibility are expected to begin from 1 January 2028. Existing participants are expected to be reassessed progressively over a transition period rather than all at once.
What to do next
The new NDIS laws are significant, but they will not change every participant’s plan at the same time.
The most important steps are to stay informed, keep evidence of current support needs and seek clarification before making decisions based on broad public information.
Our team can discuss available support options, including:
For advice about an individual NDIS plan, funding decision or review right, contact the NDIA, a qualified professional or an independent disability advocate.
Sources and perspective
This article draws on information published by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the NDIS, Inclusion Australia, People with Disability Australia and the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations. Inclusion Australia welcomed some of the additional safeguards introduced by the Senate but stated that it did not support the legislation overall.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only. It is not legal, financial or individual NDIS plan advice. Implementation details may continue to change as new rules, determinations and guidance are released.
