If you have been hearing about “new NDIS planning”, support needs assessments, changes to plan reviews, funding reductions or new eligibility assessments, you are not alone.
There are a lot of NDIS changes happening – but importantly, they are not all happening at once.
Some changes are already in place. Others begin from October 2026 and throughout 2027. The much bigger change to the way NDIS plans are developed – known as new framework planning – is expected to start gradually from April 2027. Further changes to NDIS eligibility are not scheduled to begin until January 2028.
So, what actually matters for you right now?
We have broken down the changes we think NDIS participants and their families need to understand, particularly when it comes to planning, therapy, assessments and evidence.
A quick note before we start: The NDIS reforms are still evolving. Some of the rules for future changes are still being developed and consulted on. This article reflects information available as at September 2026 of the changes within the NDIS and will be updated as further details are released.
Firstly: is my current NDIS plan changing right now?
Not simply because the legislation has changed.
The NDIA has specifically advised participants that they can continue using their current plans and supports as usual while the reforms are progressively introduced.
That is probably the most important starting point.
There isn’t one date where everybody suddenly moves onto a completely new NDIS system.
Instead, different changes have different commencement dates, and the new planning system will be progressively introduced over several years.
1. Asking the NDIS to reassess your plan has already changed
This is one of the changes that is already in effect.
From 27 August 2026, the rules around requesting an unscheduled plan reassessment became tighter.
A plan reassessment is intended for situations where there has been a significant and ongoing change in a person’s circumstances or support needs and their existing plan no longer meets those needs.
Importantly, only the participant, their plan nominee, or their child representative can now formally request a plan reassessment.
A provider cannot make the request on a participant’s behalf, even if the participant has given the provider consent to do so.
There is also now a specific plan reassessment request form that needs to be completed.
What does this change mean for you?
If something significant has changed and your existing NDIS plan no longer meets your needs, simply asking your OT, support coordinator or another provider to “put in a change of circumstances” isn’t enough.
You or your representative need to make the request, using the required form.
And the evidence supporting that request is important.
The NDIA says the information provided needs to demonstrate a significant and ongoing change to your support needs. When deciding what to do, the NDIA may consider your current plan, how supports have been used, the evidence provided, mainstream and community supports, your goals and how your overall package of supports is working.
The NDIA then has up to 90 days to decide whether to reassess the plan, vary the existing plan, or decline the request.
If the NDIA does not make a decision within 90 days, the request is treated as refused and review rights become available.
Our OT interpretation
This makes it even more important to distinguish between:
“I would like more funding”
and
“Something significant and ongoing has changed in my function, circumstances or support needs, and my current plan can no longer adequately meet those needs.”
They are not the same thing.
If occupational therapy evidence is being used to support a reassessment request, we think the important question becomes:
What has changed, how has it changed your everyday function or support requirements, and what evidence demonstrates that change?
A report that simply recommends additional hours or supports without clearly demonstrating the change is unlikely to answer the question the NDIA is now being asked to determine.
2. Not every change requires a full plan reassessment
There is another pathway called a plan variation.
A variation changes part of an existing plan rather than creating an entirely new one.
The NDIA can use a variation for things such as changing a reassessment date, goals, statements of supports or some funding management arrangements, as well as correcting or adding information.
The government has also specifically identified plan variations as a pathway in situations involving urgent, minor or short-term changes, including some crisis or emergency situations.
What does this mean for you?
Don’t automatically assume that every problem with your current plan requires a complete reassessment.
Sometimes a plan variation may be the more appropriate pathway.
Your my NDIS contact can help you determine which type of request is appropriate.
3. Evidence and OT assessments still matter – for now
There has been a lot of discussion about the future of Functional Capacity Assessments and allied health reports.
The important distinction is between the current planning system and the future new framework planning system.
Under the current system, the NDIA continues to say that evidence for a plan reassessment can include assessments and reports from treating healthcare professionals, therapists and support workers.
These reports can provide information about how current supports are working and make recommendations about supports that may be required in the future.
Occupational therapists are also specifically identified by the NDIA as professionals who may provide functional evidence for a range of disabilities.
What does this mean for you?
At this point, there has not been a blanket removal of OT reports or Functional Capacity Assessments from the NDIS.
Depending on your circumstances, OT assessment and evidence may still be important for:
- demonstrating changes in functional capacity
- identifying disability-related support needs
- assistive technology
- home modifications
- changes in living arrangements
- complex support requirements
- plan reassessment requests
- access or eligibility evidence in particular circumstances.
For high-cost assistive technology, for example, the NDIA still advises that providers may need to provide quotes and supporting information to inform funding decisions.
What is changing is the role that external reports may play in determining the overall value of a person’s plan once new framework planning begins.
More on that below.
4. Funding periods are already appearing in NDIS plans
Another change that has already started is the introduction of shorter funding periods.
Rather than necessarily having access to an entire plan budget at once, funding can become available progressively.
The NDIA began introducing these arrangements into new and reassessed plans from May 2025, with funding periods commonly set at around three months, although the NDIA can determine different arrangements based on individual circumstances.
An important distinction
If you don’t use all of the available funding during one funding period, the remaining amount can roll into the next funding period within the same plan.
But you cannot bring money forward from a future funding period.
And unused funding will not carry across into a new plan.
What does this change to funding periods mean for you?
This changes how participants and providers may need to plan therapy.
For example, you may have enough Improved Daily Living funding across your whole plan to complete an OT assessment, but we also need to understand when that funding becomes available.
For participants needing larger pieces of OT work – such as Functional Capacity Assessments, complex assistive technology assessments or home modification assessments – planning the timing of that work becomes increasingly important.
5. From October 2026, some plan budgets will begin to be reset
This is one of the more significant upcoming changes.
From 1 October 2026, when a participant receives a new plan or their plan is reassessed, the government intends to progressively reset funding allocations for:
- social, civic and community participation; and
- capacity building daily activities, which includes Improved Daily Living.
For participants whose plans are simply renewed, these changes begin from 1 February 2027.
The government’s published position is that allocations will be reset by:
- 50% for social, civic and community participation
- 10% for capacity building daily activities / Improved Daily Living.
These are described as reductions to budget allocations, rather than a rule that every individual’s existing total plan will simply be cut by those percentages immediately. The changes occur as plans are reassessed, renewed or newly approved.
The government has stated that these changes will not apply to critical supports including assistance with eating and drinking, supports in the home, disability-related health supports, employment supports, home and vehicle modifications, personal mobility equipment and Specialist Disability Accommodation.
What does this mean for OT?
This is particularly relevant because Improved Daily Living is where many participants currently receive funding for occupational therapy and other allied health services.
The government’s stated reduction is 10% at the budget-allocation level for this category.
We do not think it is helpful to assume that this translates neatly into “everyone will receive 10% less OT”.
Individual plans are more complicated than that.
But it does mean that making thoughtful decisions about what you need your therapy funding to achieve is likely to become increasingly important.
6. From February 2027, plan “rollovers” will work differently
From 1 February 2027, the NDIS will introduce what it calls plan renewals.
When a plan reaches its reassessment date, either:
- the plan will be reassessed by the NDIA, or
- a renewed plan will be created based on the person’s existing plan.
This will replace the current plan continuation process used for many participants.
Importantly, unused funding from the previous plan will not carry into the renewed plan.
What does this mean for you?
There is an important difference between unused funding rolling between funding periods within your current plan – which it can – and unused funding rolling into your next plan – which, under the new renewal arrangements, it won’t.
That doesn’t mean you should spend funding simply because it is there.
NDIS funding still needs to be used for appropriate NDIS supports.
But it does mean that participants need to understand their plan dates, funding periods and upcoming support needs rather than assuming unused funding will remain available indefinitely.
7. “Reasonable and necessary” criteria is also changing
From February 2027, new criteria will apply when the NDIA determines what supports are reasonable and necessary to fund.
The legislation places greater emphasis on consistency and equity between participants with similar needs and circumstances, as well as Scheme sustainability.
There will also be clearer guidance around what parents would ordinarily be expected to provide to a child, including areas such as supervision, personal care, transport, emotional support and behavioural support.
The government has stated that this should still distinguish between ordinary parental responsibility and additional support required because of a child’s disability compared with another child of a similar age without disability.
For families, that distinction will be important.
8. Then comes the biggest planning change: New Framework Planning
From April 2027, the NDIS intends to begin progressively transitioning participants to an entirely different planning process called new framework planning.
This will not happen to everyone at once.
Current government information says participants will progressively transition between April 2027 and the end of 2030.
Under the proposed model there are four broad steps.
Step 1 – Preparing for your new framework plan
The NDIA contacts you and tells you that you are moving to a new framework plan and provides information about preparing.
Step 2 – Support Needs Assessment
You meet with an NDIA assessor.
This is intended to be a structured conversation about your:
- daily life
- functional capacity
- support needs
- circumstances
- preferences.
The assessor then prepares a Support Needs Assessment report.
Step 3 – Your plan and budget are built
The NDIA uses the Support Needs Assessment report to help determine your total NDIS plan budget.
Your plan may contain a more flexible overall budget, alongside some supports that are specifically stated and can only be used for that purpose.
You are expected to receive both your Support Needs Assessment report and your plan so you can see how the budget was developed.
Step 4 – Using your plan
You can have an implementation meeting and begin choosing and purchasing eligible NDIS supports using your plan.
9. So, will an NDIA assessor replace my OT Functional Capacity Assessment?
This is probably one of the biggest questions for participants, families and therapists.
And the answer at this stage is: Not exactly – but the role of OT evidence in planning is likely to change.
Under new framework planning, the NDIA’s Support Needs Assessment is intended to become the consistent information-gathering process used to help determine the overall plan budget.
The NDIA has explicitly said one reason for introducing this model is to reduce the amount of participant funding spent obtaining reports simply to demonstrate support needs for planning purposes.
That is a significant change.
Our OT interpretation
We expect the question around OT occupational therapy assessment to gradually move from:
“Do I need an FCA because my plan review is coming up?”
towards:
“Is there a clinical reason I need an OT assessment, and what decision or outcome does that assessment need to inform?”
That might include:
- understanding why everyday activities are becoming more difficult
- assessing safety and risk
- determining the right level or type of assistance
- identifying equipment needs
- completing an assistive technology assessment
- assessing home modification requirements
- exploring housing and living support needs
- developing strategies to increase independence
- measuring changes in function
- supporting complex clinical decision-making.
In other words, assessment itself isn’t disappearing.
What may reduce over time is the expectation that participants routinely purchase lengthy reports whose primary purpose is to convince the NDIA how large their overall plan should be.
We think that distinction is important.
A good occupational therapy assessment should help you understand your function and determine the right supports – not exist simply because there is an NDIS planning meeting coming up.
However, the detailed rules governing Support Needs Assessments and new framework planning are still being developed. It would therefore be premature for any provider to say exactly what evidence will or won’t be required once participants transition.
10. Will I have any say in my Support Needs Assessment?
The proposed assessment is intended to involve a conversation between the participant and a trained NDIA assessor about everyday life, support needs and preferences.
The government says the assessment is being designed to work across different disability groups and to be culturally appropriate and trauma-informed. Development is occurring with the University of Melbourne and Centre for Disability Studies.
Consultation about the detailed rules is still occurring.
This is one area we will be watching closely.
From an OT perspective, someone’s support needs cannot always be understood from diagnosis alone.
Environment, communication, cognition, fatigue, behaviour, sensory needs, informal supports, equipment, risk and the interaction between different impairments can all significantly affect what assistance somebody needs in everyday life.
So understanding exactly how the assessment captures complexity and individual circumstances will matter.
11. New framework planning and NDIS eligibility are two different things
This is an important distinction because two different types of assessment are being discussed.
Support Needs Assessment
Expected from April 2027 as part of new framework planning.
Its purpose is to help determine your support needs and plan budget.
It is not the new assessment for deciding whether you are eligible for the NDIS.
Functional capacity assessment for NDIS eligibility
A separate reform is scheduled from 1 January 2028.
Under these changes, NDIS eligibility will increasingly be assessed using a standardised, evidence-based assessment of functional capacity.
Current participants will also begin to be progressively reassessed against the new eligibility criteria from 2028, with the transition occurring over approximately three years.
The detailed assessment methodology and thresholds are still being developed, including through a Technical Advisory Group.
So if you have heard that “everyone is being reassessed for NDIS eligibility”, that is not what is happening in September 2026.
This is a future reform scheduled to commence in 2028.
What should I actually do now?
With so much changing, it can be tempting to rush out and obtain assessments or reports “just in case”.
We don’t think that is necessarily the best response.
Instead:
1. Understand your current plan
Know your plan dates, funding categories and funding periods.
2. Tell your providers if your plan changes
A new plan or funding period can affect how and when services can be delivered.
3. If your circumstances have significantly changed, document the change
Think about what has changed in your function, living arrangements, work, education, informal supports or everyday assistance requirements.
4. Don’t wait until the last minute to discuss major assessment needs
If you know you require an equipment assessment, home modification, housing assessment or other substantial piece of OT work, talk to your therapist about the likely timeframe.
5. Think about the purpose of an assessment before commissioning one
Rather than asking “Do I need an FCA?”, ask “What do we need to understand or demonstrate, and what is the most appropriate assessment to do that?”
6. Keep an eye on communication from the NDIA
The move to new framework planning will be progressive. The NDIA should contact participants when it is their turn to transition.
And if you aren’t sure what something in your plan means, ask.
Our perspective at Optimal Living Therapy
There is still a lot we don’t know about exactly how these reforms will work in practice.
There are also legitimate concerns being raised within the disability community about assessment design, individualisation, participant choice and how complex disability will be understood within a more standardised planning process.
We think it is important to acknowledge those concerns without assuming an outcome before the final rules and assessment processes have been settled.
From an occupational therapy perspective, one principle remains the same:
Understanding a person’s actual function in their real life matters.
A diagnosis alone doesn’t tell us whether someone can prepare a meal safely, transfer out of bed, remember their medication, navigate their community, manage fatigue, live independently, use a shower safely or communicate what they need when something goes wrong.
That is why occupational therapists assess function.
As the NDIS changes, our role may increasingly be to make sure assessment is purposeful – identifying the functional problem, understanding why it is occurring and determining the right intervention, equipment, environmental modification or support.
For participants and families, our advice for now is not to panic about every headline.
Know which changes actually apply to you, understand what is happening with your current plan and get advice when you need it.
We will continue to monitor the changes to new framework planning and update our information as the final rules, Support Needs Assessment process and implementation details become available.
Key dates to remember
27 August 2026
New rules for unscheduled plan reassessment requests commenced.
1 October 2026
Progressive reset of social/community participation and Improved Daily Living allocations begins for new and reassessed plans.
1 December 2026
The timeframe for submitting NDIS claims reduces to 90 days after support delivery.
1 February 2027
Plan renewals begin replacing plan continuations; unused funding will not carry into the renewed plan. New reasonable and necessary criteria also begin to be introduced.
1 April 2027
Progressive rollout of new framework planning and Support Needs Assessments begins.
1 January 2028
Changes to NDIS access and eligibility assessment begin, including progressive eligibility reassessment of existing participants over approximately three years.
Where can I read more? Helpful Resources
For the most up-to-date information, we recommend going directly to official NDIS and Australian Government sources, including:
- NDIS – Changes to the NDIS
- NDIS – New way of planning
- NDIS – Changes to plan reassessments
- NDIS – What is a plan reassessment?
- Australian Government – New framework planning
- Australian Government – NDIS legislation changes and Securing the NDIS for Future Generations
- Federal Register of Legislation – National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026
The Growing Space also provides participant and family-focused commentary on NDIS reforms and their potential practical implications.
Information current as at 22 September 2026. This article provides general information about the NDIS and should not be taken as individual advice about a participant’s eligibility, plan or funding.
