NDIS News & Updates

The NDIS is changing how long providers and plan managers have to claim for supports. From 1 December 2026, the claiming window will reduce from two years to 90 days. Any support delivered on or after this date must be claimed within 90 days, or the claim may not be processed.

This change is part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026, which commenced on 27 August 2026.

What this means

• This change doesn't affect a participant's plan or funding — it changes how quickly invoices need to be submitted and processed. 
• Supports delivered before 1 December 2026 remain subject to the current two-year claiming rule. 
• Supports delivered from 1 December 2026 onward must be claimed within 90 days of the support being delivered. 
• Faster invoicing should give participants a clearer, more up-to-date view of their remaining plan balance.

What providers and participants should do

1. Submit invoices promptly rather than batching or delaying them, as delays now carry a greater risk of a claim missing the window. 
2. Review any outstanding or aged invoices for supports already delivered, so they can be submitted well ahead of the 1 December 2026 change.
3. Build extra buffer time into invoicing schedules, especially where invoices are sent to a plan manager for processing rather than claimed directly.
4. Keep good records — providers, plan managers and participants will also need to retain records relating to the payment and receipt of NDIS funds for 7 years.

If you have questions about how this change affects your invoicing or claims, please get in touch with our team. 

From 27 August 2026, keeping accurate records of NDIS supports and payments is a specific legal requirement for participants, nominees and providers. Records need to be sufficient to show that a claim was correct and that the support was actually delivered. If records can't be produced when requested, the NDIA may seek repayment of funding, and providers who fail to meet their obligations may face civil penalties.

The length of time records must be kept depends on your role:

• Participants: must keep records for 3 years.
• Nominees: must keep records for 5 years.
• Providers: must keep records for 7 years.

It's a good idea to review how and where records are currently stored, and to make sure invoices, receipts and supporting documentation are kept somewhere secure and easy to access if they're ever requested. 

An unscheduled plan reassessment is a request to review a plan before its scheduled reassessment date. From 27 August 2026, new requirements apply to these requests.

A request for an unscheduled reassessment must show there has been a significant and ongoing change to:

• Functional capacity or support needs; or
• Living, education, work or informal support arrangements.

The request needs to clearly explain what has changed and include supporting evidence, which may include evidence from a GP or other health professional. Once the NDIA has the information it needs, it will generally make a decision within 90 days. If a decision isn't made within that period, the request is treated as refused.

This change relates to unscheduled reassessments only. If there is an emergency, crisis, or a short-term change in support needs, a plan variation may still be requested through the existing variation pathway rather than a full reassessment. 

From 27 August 2026, only the following people can request an unscheduled plan reassessment:

• The participant;
• The participant's plan nominee; or
• A child representative, where applicable.

Support coordinators and other providers are no longer able to request a plan reassessment on a participant's behalf. Providers and support coordinators can still support a participant or nominee to gather evidence and prepare a request, but the request itself must come from the participant, their nominee, or a child representative.

Plan variations for emergencies, crises or short-term changes continue to be available and are not affected by this change.

From 1 October 2026. This will impact budget allocations in participant plans for:

• social, economic and community participation supports, and
• improved daily living skills supports.

For existing produced gradually over 12 months from 1 October 2026 when a participant’s plan is created, reassessed or renewed. Participants will be notified ahead of their plan reassessment or renewal. Participants can continue using their current plan and supports until their plan is reassessed or renewed. 

Changes to funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports will be applied to participants’ plans after they are created, reassessed or renewed. This will reduce the amount available in participants’ plans by:

• 50% for social, economic and community participation supports 
• 10% for improved daily living skills supports.

Safeguards are in place to ensure participant safety and wellbeing. For example: 

• Only social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports will be impacted. Other parts of participants’ plans will not be impacted.
• Some supports within the relevant categories will not be impacted. 
• Eligible high support needs participants will be able to request a plan variation if a funding reduction would impact their 24-hour disability supports. 
• All participants can continue to request a variation or unscheduled plan reassessment where there have been significant and ongoing changes in their functional capacity, support needs or circumstances.

 For new participants:

• New participants will follow the usual planning process to create their first plan. More information on the process is available here.
• When a participant receives their new plan, they will be notified how much their funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports is reduced by. 
• The funding change applies as soon as the new plan commences. 

For existing participants

• Unscheduled reassessments
  • Participants may request an unscheduled reassessment if they experience a significant and ongoing change to their support needs.
  • The NDIA will have 90 days to decide whether a participant is eligible for a reassessment. 
  • The reassessment will occur following the usual process. Participants can choose if their reassessment is done by phone, video call, or face-to-face. The reassessment will consider if a participant’s support needs have changed and if changes are needed to make sure the plan meets their needs. More information on the reassessment process is available here.
  • When a participant is notified of the outcome of the reassessment and provided with their reassessed plan, they will be notified how much their funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports is reduced by.
  • The funding change applies as soon as the reassessed plan commences. 
• NDIA CEO initiated or scheduled reassessments 
  • The NDIA will contact participants 2-3 months ahead of their reassessment date. 
  • The reassessment will occur following the usual process. Participants can choose if their reassessment is done by phone, video call, or face-to-face. The reassessment will consider if a participant’s support needs have changed and if changes are needed to make sure the plan meets their needs. More information on the reassessment process is available here.
• When a participant is notified of the outcome of the reassessment and provided with their reassessed plan, they will be notified how much their funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports is reduced by.
• The funding change applies as soon as the reassessed plan commences. 

From 1 February 2027, changes to funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports will continue to apply when participant plans are created or reassessed, as outlined above. Funding changes will also begin to be applied to plan renewals. 

• All participants who receive funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports and have not had a plan created or reassessed since 1 October 2026 will have their plan renewed by 30 September 2027. 
• The NDIA will contact participants 60 days before their plan renewal. 
  • If a participant’s scheduled reassessment date is before 1 October 2027, this will be the renewal date. 
  • If a participant’s scheduled reassessment date is on or after 1 October 2027, this will be brought forward to occur on or before 30 September 2027.
• Participants don’t need to give the NDIA any extra information.
• When a participant receives their new plan, they will be notified how much their funding for social, economic and community participation and improved daily living skills supports is reduced by.
• The funding change applies as soon as the new plan commences.