NDIS changes in 2026: what participants need to know

From 1 October 2026, the NDIS started reducing funding for two groups of supports. This does not mean every plan changed on 1 October. The changes roll out over the next 12 months, and how much they affect you depends on what is in your own plan.

This guide explains what changed, when it can apply to you, and what else is coming for NDIS planning and support coordination.

What changed on 1 October 2026

The government made a legal instrument called a support determination. It reduces the funding available for two groups of supports:

• Social, Civic and Community Participation (also called assistance with social, economic and community participation): affected budget allocations are reduced by 50%.
• Capacity Building Daily Activities (also called improved daily living skills): affected budget allocations are reduced by 10%.

These are reductions to the affected funding in those two groups. They are not a 50% or 10% cut to your whole NDIS plan.

When could it affect my plan?

What matters is when your new or reassessed plan starts.

From 1 October 2026 the reduction can apply when:

• a new participant receives their first NDIS plan
• an existing participant has a scheduled reassessment
• the NDIA starts a reassessment
• a participant asks for an unscheduled reassessment and the NDIA agrees.

From 1 February 2027 the reductions also start to apply when plans are renewed. If your plan has affected funding and hasn't been created or reassessed since 1 October 2026, the government says it will be renewed by 30 September 2027. The NDIA says it will contact participants 60 days before a plan renewal.

Until your plan is reassessed or renewed, you can keep using your current plan and supports.

Which supports are not affected?

Other parts of your plan are not affected by these particular reductions. Government examples of supports that are not affected include supports in the home (such as help with eating, dressing, toileting, cleaning, medication and community nursing), home and vehicle modifications, personal mobility equipment and transport, some consumables, and Specialist Disability Accommodation.

Some supports inside the two affected groups are also excluded from the reductions:

• supports in employment
• disability-related health supports
• high intensity supports
• intensive and complex behaviour supports
• customised and wearable technology
• hearing services.

The NDIA checks for these when the reduction is applied, and the Department says you don't need to send extra information for them to be identified.

If you rely on 24-hour supports

If the reduction leaves you without enough funding to safely keep your 24-hour disability supports, you may be able to ask the NDIA for a plan variation. According to PWDA's summary of the government information, you need to receive NDIS-funded supports throughout the day and night and have at least $215,030 across specified support budgets before the reduction. You generally need to ask within 90 days of the reduction being applied. The NDIA has up to 21 days to decide if you're eligible and up to another 21 days to decide on the variation.

If approved, extra funding goes to Assistance with Daily Living or Home and Living supports. It does not restore the reduced community participation or daily activities funding.

Can I ask for a review?

You can't ask for a review of the 50% or 10% reduction itself, and the reduction on its own is not treated as a significant change that lets you request a reassessment or variation. Other NDIA decisions about your plan can still have review rights, so check each decision letter for the date, the reason, and how long you have to ask for a review.

What's coming next

New framework planning from 1 April 2027. The government has delayed new framework planning until 1 April 2027. It is a new way of building plans in four steps: preparing for a support needs assessment, the assessment itself with an NDIA assessor, the NDIA building your plan and total budget from the assessment report, and then using your plan. It will be phased in, and participants will be told before anything changes for them. Consultation on the rules has been running in 2026.

Support coordination from 1 July 2028. The government has announced a new commissioned Support Coordination and Connection service from 1 July 2028. Under the proposed model, the NDIA would contract providers directly instead of participants buying support coordination from their plan funding. All participants keep accessing support coordination under the current arrangements until then.

What you can do now

You don't need to do anything just because it's past 1 October. Some practical steps:

• Keep your current plan, NDIA decisions, reports and information about your supports.
• If the NDIA contacts you, ask what process it is (reassessment, renewal or variation), why, and whether there is a deadline.
• Make sure your evidence describes your support needs, not only your diagnosis: what support you need, how much and how often, and what happens without it.
• Read any new plan carefully and check what changed.
• Talk to your support coordinator, plan manager or Local Area Coordinator if something is unclear.
• For independent help, the Disability Gateway can connect you with advocacy services on 1800 643 787.

If you need a support coordinator or plan manager who can help you through a reassessment, you can browse providers in your area below.