NDIS ALERT.
What the 22 April announcement means for people on the NDIS.
Health Minister Mark Butler announced a package of NDIS reforms on 22 April.
The proposed changes must pass both houses of parliament before they become law. The legislation is expected to be introduced in May 2026 and passed in June 2026 which means some changes could take effect as early as June 2026.
Eligibility and access.
How people access the NDIS will change. Standardised assessments of functional capacity will replace diagnosis lists, and the boundary between the NDIS and mainstream services will be more clearly defined. Changes will be introduced progressively from early 2027.
If you are on the NDIS now, your plan continues under current arrangements.
Plan budgets.
Two changes will affect how plan budgets work. Unspent funds will no longer roll over between plans. Separately, participant budgets for social, civic and community participation and capacity building daily activities will be progressively adjusted from 1 October 2026.
The government has stated these changes will not affect supports essential to critical care and daily living needs.
If your plan includes social and community participation funding, it’s worth being aware this is changing. We’ll share more information as the detail becomes clearer.
In addition, the criteria for requesting an unscheduled plan reassessment will also tighten. People who experience a significant change in their support needs will still be able to request a plan variation. This change takes effect shortly after legislation passes, which is expected following the May budget.
Provider quality and fraud.
Mandatory provider registration is being expanded and a new enrolment system will require providers to supply identifiable information before being paid. These changes roll out progressively from July 2027.
What’s still unknown.
The proposed changes must pass both houses of parliament before they become law. The legislation is expected to be introduced in May 2026 and passed in June 2026 which means some changes could take effect as early as June 2026.
Legislation will be introduced after the May budget, and many details are still being developed. We’ll update this page as more information becomes available.
You can find the government’s fact sheet at health.gov.au/securingtheNDIS.
Questions about your plan?
If you’re a Leap in! Member and unsure of what this means for you, please call our team on 1300 05 78 78 or email [email protected].
Never miss an update.
Subscribe to the Leap in! newsletter for all the latest information straight to your inbox.
What’s changing in the NDIS: All the latest information.
The federal government is rolling out NDIS reforms. With so many changes to the NDIS, it’s hard to keep up. This page is a summary of all the NDIS changes you need to know about from our experienced plan managers. We keep this page updated as new details are released, so you’ll always have the latest information.
Browse the key NDIS updates using the quick links below.
- Unscheduled plan reassessments will be limited
- Plan funding rollovers will end
- Changes to social and community participation funding
- Tighter reasonable and necessary criteria
- New way of planning
- Support needs assessments
- Changes to provider choice and registration
- Thriving Kids
- New digital payments system
- NDIS funding periods
- Short term respite the new name for short term accommodation
- The latest on music and art therapy.
Unscheduled plan reassessments will be limited.
Expected June 2026.
Plan reassessments will be harder to request and will only happen in limited circumstances. Your plan is unlikely to change outside your regular review cycle, unless there is a significant change in your support needs. People with significant changes in support needs will still be able to request plan variations.
Plan funding rollovers will end.
Expected June 2026.
Unspent funds will no longer carry over from one plan to the next. This aims to ensure funding meets your current support needs and plans align with reasonable and necessary decision making. While this change was included in the Government’s April 2026 announcements, no further details are available.
Changes to social and community participation funding.
From 1 October 2026.
The government will introduce significant changes to social and community participation funding to reduce spending in this area and change how supports are delivered.
Budgets for Social, Civic and Community Participation and Capacity Building Daily Activities will be reduced over time from 1 October 2026. The average budget is expected to decrease from $31,000 to $26,000. Supports for critical care and daily living needs will not be affected.
A $200 million Inclusive Communities Fund will be established to rebuild capability among community organisations to host genuine participation activities.
Tighter reasonable and necessary criteria.
From 1 February 2027.
The government will develop clearer rules around reasonable and necessary that:
- Make it easier to assess if the NDIS is the appropriate system of support
- Require tighter assessment of reasonable and necessary supports for both new and existing participants (to be progressively implemented from 1 February 2027).
- Reinforce the boundary between the NDIS and mainstream services (for prospective participants from 1 January 2028, with current participants reassessed over a transition period).
New way of planning.
1 April 2027.
The delayed NDIS planning framework (now called the ‘new way of planning’ is now expected to begin rolling out from 1 April 2027. While the details are not yet clear, the NDIS says support needs assessments will be used to create more consistent, reliable and fairer budgets in NDIS Plans. Participants will get a simpler plan, with a more flexible budget that is easier to use.
The new way of planning will be rolled out slowly with only a small number of participants, so most people won’t notice any changes for a while. Children under 18 years are not included in the changes.
For now, you can continue using your NDIS Plan as usual. The NDIS will contact you before making any changes.
Support needs assessments.
1 April 2027.
A support needs assessment is a guided conversation with a trained NDIS assessor to understand a person’s disability support needs that will be introduced in the new way of planning. It will collect information from participants, families and carers to help develop your NDIS Plan and budget.
The NDIS announced in September 2025 that it would introduce a new needs assessment tool, known as the Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs (I-CAN) version 6. I-CAN will be used by trained, accredited assessors, who will meet with participants to help assess their disability support needs, as part of the new way of planning.
The tool will be used alongside questionnaires that assess each individual’s circumstances. Further targeted assessments will be used for people with more complex support needs.
Changes to provider choice and registration.
From July 2026.
Most NDIS providers will need to register for a new enrolment system with basic identifiable information to help reduce fraud and increase transparency.
Previously announced mandatory registration for some providers to reduce risks for participants and offer greater oversight will be expanded across more types of providers.
There are also proposed changes for plan management and support coordination providers.
- Supported Independent Living: From 1 July 2026, the NDIS will require mandatory registration for Supported Independent Living (SIL) and platform providers. This was previously announced and remains on track.
- Providers who deliver supports to participants who are at high risk: The government proposes to expand mandatory registration of providers delivering support to participants who are most at risk of abuse and/or exploitation. If implemented, registration by support workers, and providers of daily living supports, personal supports and other higher risk activities would begin from July 2027 and be completed by the end of 2030.
- Plan management: From 1 October 2027, the government has proposed a new approach to plan management. You will still be able to choose your plan manager, but only from a list of approved providers.
- Support coordination: A similar approach is expected to apply for support coordination, where participants will choose support coordinators from a government-vetted panel, from July 2028.
Thriving Kids.
1 October 2026 (or earlier).
Thriving Kids is a new program to support children aged eight and under with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs. Announced by the Federal Government in 2025, the program is expected to kick off in October 2026 and be fully rolled out by 1 January 2028.
Thriving Kids aims to identify concerns earlier and create a national support system outside the NDIS. Children with permanent and significant disability, including those with developmental delay and/or autism with high support needs, will continue to be eligible for the NDIS.
Thriving Kids will be delivered jointly by the Federal and state governments, with each responsible for different supports.
Parents and families will be able to access trusted information, advice and evidence-based child development supports delivered by allied health professionals. Each child’s needs and circumstances will guide decisions about which Thriving Kids services and supports are best suited for them and their family.
Access to the NDIS will be limited for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs from 1 January 2028.
New digital payments system.
From July 2026 to December 2030.
A digital payments system will be introduced to help address fraud and standardise information on invoices. Increased evidence will be required for payments for NDIS supports, including payments at the point of service. Changes to claims and payments systems will begin from July 2026 and be rolled out by the end of 2030.
NDIS funding periods.
From 19 May 2025, all new and reassessed NDIS Plans include funding periods. This means your full plan funding will no longer be released all at once. Instead, funds will be made available in smaller portions at set times throughout the plan period.
A funding period is a set timeframe, usually three months.
- Each period allows access to a portion of your total plan budget
- You can only spend funds from the current or previous periods
- When a period ends, the next portion becomes available
- Different funding periods may be introduced over time.
For details, see Funding periods in new plans and Funding periods are here: What you need to know.
Short term respite the new name for short term accommodation.
In October 2025, the NDIS released new guidance about short term respite (previously called short term accommodation).
The name change to Short Term Respite (STR) helps make the purpose of this support clearer. It’s about meeting your everyday needs while giving you and your informal supports (such as family or friends) some time apart to rest and recharge.
For details, see Short term respite replaces short term accommodation.
The latest on music and art therapy.
An independent review, led by Dr Stephen Duckett, has provided new guidance on pricing, qualifications and how art and music therapy will be delivered in the future.
The review confirmed that art and music therapy can be beneficial when delivered by qualified professionals and directly linked to a participant’s disability-related needs and goals.
From 24 November 2025, the maximum hourly rate changed to $156.16. This aligns with counselling services and replaces the old rate of $193.99.
See our article The latest on NDIS art and music therapy funding for more information.
Where to get more information.
It’s important to stay informed as changes to the NDIS take place. At Leap in! we are dedicated to helping people navigate the NDIS and the upcoming changes.
We’ll continue to share updates and practical information about changes to the NDIS through our regular channels, including this page.
Here are some useful links that relate to the changes.
Looking for an NDIS plan manager that can help you stay on top of the NDIS changes?
Keeping up with NDIS changes can be challenging, especially when rules, funding and processes are updated regularly.
That’s what makes Leap in! plan management so helpful. We will not just take the pressure off managing your funding and paying providers, we’ll keep you across the updates as they happen. Giving you more time to focus on your goals and day-to-day life.
Joining Leap in! plan management is fast and easy. And we make the switch seamless if you’re moving from another plan manager.