NDIS Reform Timeline: What is changing and when?
The NDIS is changing, but not everything will change at once.
Some reforms have already started. Others will be introduced gradually between now and the end of 2030. Many of the details are still being developed through consultation, design and testing.
The Australian Parliament passed the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 on 19 August 2026. The new laws were signed on 20 August 2026. They will change how people access the NDIS, how plans and funding are managed, and how providers operate.
For now, participants can continue using their current plans and supports as usual. If a change affects you, the NDIA has said it will provide information about what is happening and what support is available.
This article explains the official NDIS reform timeline and what the changes may mean for participants, families and providers.
What has already changed?
Changes to unscheduled plan reassessments
There are new rules covering when a participant can request a plan reassessment before their scheduled reassessment date.
Only the participant, their plan nominee or child representative can make this request. A provider cannot request an unscheduled reassessment on a participant’s behalf.
Participants can still request an unscheduled reassessment when there has been a significant and ongoing change to:
- their functional capacity and support needs
- their living arrangements
- their education or work arrangements
- their informal supports.
The NDIA will have 90 days to decide whether to reassess the plan after receiving the request.
Participants can also continue to request a plan variation, including where a short-term or urgent change is needed.
Changes to NDIS pricing decisions
The Minister for Disability and the NDIS now has the power to make pricing determinations for NDIS supports. These determinations can set the maximum amounts payable for supports.
The NDIA will provide advice to the Minister through the existing Annual Pricing Review process.
There are no immediate changes to NDIS pricing arrangements.
New record-keeping requirements
Participants, nominees and providers will be required to keep records relating to NDIS supports and payments for set periods:
- participants must keep records for three years
- nominees must keep records for five years
- providers must keep records for seven years.
The NDIA has said it will provide more information about which records need to be kept and how people can meet these requirements.
Stronger compliance and information-gathering powers
The NDIA will have stronger compliance, enforcement and information-gathering powers. These changes are intended to help the NDIA investigate fraud, address non-compliance and respond to suspicious behaviour more quickly.
Participants and providers may be asked to provide information showing that NDIS funding has been used appropriately. Providers may face penalties if they do not comply with certain requirements under the NDIS laws.
Automated administrative actions
Computer systems will be able to automate some administrative actions, including parts of claims and payment processing.
The NDIA says oversight and safeguards will apply to automated actions. Decisions that are complex, discretionary or require judgement, including decisions about plans, will continue to be made by people. The NDIA will also be required to publish information about where and how automated systems are being used.
NDIS changes from October 2026
Thriving Kids begins rolling out
From 1 October 2026, the phased rollout of Thriving Kids supports is scheduled to begin.
Thriving Kids is intended to support children aged eight and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs. These supports will sit outside the NDIS and will also provide assistance to children’s families.
Thriving Kids will be fully operational nationally from 1 January 2028. Children with permanent and significant disability, including children with developmental delay and/or autism who have high support needs, will remain eligible for the NDIS subject to the usual eligibility arrangements.
Support budgets begin to be reset
From 1st October 2026, participant budgets for social, civic and community participation supports and capacity building daily activities will begin to be progressively reset.
Participants will not see an immediate change on 1st October. The changes will apply when a plan is reassessed, renewed or newly approved. Funding changes will not be backdated.
The NDIA states that these changes will not affect funding for:
- help with eating and drinking
- education supports
- employment supports
- disability-related health supports.
The budget changes will be introduced over a 12-month period:
- from 1st October 2026 when a plan is reassessed or a new plan is approved
- from 1st February 2027 when a plan is renewed.
A new plan variation pathway will be created for participants with high support needs who require continuous 24-hour care. These participants will be able to apply for a plan variation within 90 days of a support determination being applied.
Where required, the NDIA will be able to increase funding through a plan variation to make sure essential 24-hour disability supports continue.
Plans may be suspended when people do not respond
The NDIA will be able to suspend a participant’s plan if the participant does not respond to requests for information.
The NDIA says this will only happen after reasonable attempts have been made to contact the participant, their nominee or authorised representative. Reasonable attempts mean at least five contact attempts over an extended period.
It is important to keep your contact details and communication preferences up to date with the NDIA. If you receive a request for information that you do not understand, ask for support rather than ignoring it.
NDIS changes from December 2026
New claiming timeframe
From December 2026, claims must be submitted within 90 days of the date a support was delivered.
This will make accurate and timely record keeping increasingly important for participants, plan managers and providers.
NDIS changes from February 2027
Plan renewals replace plan continuations
From 1 February 2027, the current plan continuation process will begin to be replaced by plan renewals.
When a plan reaches its scheduled reassessment date, it will either:
- be reassessed by an NDIA planner, or
- be renewed with the same supports as the previous plan.
Unspent funding from the previous plan will not carry over into the renewed plan.
Participants should continue using their funding for the disability supports included in their plan. It may also be helpful to regularly review expenditure with a plan manager, support coordinator or trusted support person.
New reasonable and necessary criteria
From February 2027, the NDIA will begin applying new criteria when deciding which reasonable and necessary supports should be funded for new participants.
The new criteria will be progressively applied to current participants as their plans are reassessed.
There will also be clearer guidance about what parents are generally expected to provide for a child, including supervision, personal care, transport, emotional support and behavioural support.
This does not include additional support a child needs because of their disability, compared with a child of a similar age without disability.
New framework planning from April 2027
From 1st April 2027, participants will begin moving to new framework plans.
Under the new approach, planning will use a support needs assessment and a new method for developing participant budgets. The transition will happen gradually rather than moving every participant to the new process at the same time.
The proposed rules cover:
- how a participant’s disability support needs will be assessed
- how reasonable and necessary budgets will be developed
- how participants can use their plans
- how a new framework plan can be changed.
The official timeline states that the transition to new framework plans will continue until 31 December 2030. By that date, all participants are expected to have transitioned to the new planning system.
Further operational details are still being developed. The NDIA has said it will provide participants with more information before they move to the new planning process.
NDIS provider changes from July 2027
Expanded mandatory registration
From 1st July 2027, expanded mandatory registration requirements will begin rolling out for providers delivering higher-risk supports.
This includes providers delivering:
- personal care
- daily living supports
- supports in closed settings.
Providers covered by the new requirements are expected to be registered by December 2030.
New provider enrolment system
A new NDIS provider enrolment system will also begin rolling out from 1st July 2027.
The system will require a minimum level of identifying information for most NDIS providers. The government timeline states that all providers within scope are expected to be enrolled by December 2027.
Plan management changes from October 2027
From 1st October 2027, a new panel of plan management providers will begin.
Participants will have a six-month transition period to move to a plan management provider approved for the panel.
More information will be needed about how participants will choose a provider, how existing arrangements will be affected and what support will be available during the transition.
NDIS eligibility changes from January 2028
From 1st January 2028, new eligibility requirements will begin for people applying to access the NDIS. Existing participants will be reassessed against the new requirements over three years.
The changes will include:
- eligibility decisions based on a new standardised, evidence-based assessment of functional capacity
- more consistent consideration of whether an impairment is permanent or can be alleviated or treated
- more consistent consideration of whether another compensation scheme should provide support.
The new functional capacity assessment process will be informed by advice from the Technical Advisory Group.
The detailed assessment process and its practical impact will become clearer as the rules, tools and transition arrangements are finalised.
Changes for children from January 2028
From 1st January 2028, children aged eight and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids rather than the NDIS.
Children in this age group who were already enrolled in the NDIS before 1 January 2028 may be reassessed under the eligibility criteria that applied before that date.
Children with permanent and significant disability, including children with developmental delay and/or autism who have substantially reduced functional capacity and high support needs, will remain eligible for the NDIS subject to the usual arrangements.
Support coordination changes from July 2028
From 1st July 2028, a new commissioned support coordination and connection service will begin.
The government has not yet released all the practical details about how the commissioned model will work or how participants will move from existing arrangements. Civic will share further information when confirmed guidance becomes available.
The NDIS reforms represent a significant change to Australia’s disability support system. People should not be expected to understand or navigate those changes alone.
If you have questions about the NDIS reforms or are concerned about how the reforms may affect you or someone you support, contact Civic.
Call: 1300 692 484
Email: enquiries@civic.org.au
