October NDIS Changes

Important NDIS Funding Changes from October 2026 – What This May Mean for You

As a Support Coordinator, I want to make sure the participants and families I work with are aware of some significant NDIS funding changes that are due to start from 1 October 2026.

There has understandably been a lot of concern and confusion around these changes, particularly the headlines about a 50% reduction to Social, Economic and Community Participation funding.

So, I want to explain what we currently know and, most importantly, what this may mean for your individual NDIS plan.

What is changing?

The Australian Government has announced changes to funding allocations within two NDIS support categories:

Social, Economic and Community ParticipationFunding allocations in this category will be reduced by 50%.

Improved Daily Living SkillsFunding allocations in this category will be reduced by 10%.

The Government has stated that these changes are intended to bring average spending in these areas back towards 2023 levels.

However, it is important to understand that a 50% reduction to the budget allocation does not necessarily mean that every participant will lose 50% of the supports they are currently using.

Many participants do not currently use 100% of the funding allocated to them. This means the actual effect will be different for every participant depending on their current funding, how much of that funding they use, their disability-related needs and the supports they require.

When will this happen?

These changes will not be applied to every NDIS participant on 1 October 2026.

They will be introduced progressively over approximately 12 months.

The reductions will begin to apply:

• from 1 October 2026 when a new plan is approved or a participant's plan is reassessed; and

• from 1 February 2027 when a plan is renewed.

Until your plan is changed, reassessed or renewed, you can continue to use the funding available within your current NDIS plan.

What supports are protected?

Importantly, the Government has confirmed that a range of essential and critical disability supports will not be affected by these reductions.

This includes supports such as assistance with eating and drinking, dressing, toileting, laundry and cleaning, community nursing care, medication assistance, disability-related health supports, employment supports, home and vehicle modifications, personal mobility equipment and Specialist Disability Accommodation.

High-support-needs participants who require continuous 24-hour disability support are also intended to continue receiving these critical supports.

What does this mean for my clients?

For the participants and families I support, please don't panic when you hear "50% funding cut."

Every participant's circumstances are different.

As your Support Coordinator, part of my role is to help you understand your funding and make sure we are planning ahead.

Where these changes may affect your plan, we will need to look carefully at your current services, what you are actually spending, what supports are essential to you, and how those supports relate to your disability needs and NDIS goals.

It will also become increasingly important that providers give us accurate information about the supports they are delivering and the outcomes being achieved. Good reports, progress notes and evidence will continue to be extremely important when we are demonstrating your ongoing support needs.

If there has been a significant and ongoing change in your circumstances or functional capacity, there are still pathways to request a change to your plan.

Another important change – the 90-day claiming rule

There is another change coming that participants, families and providers need to be aware of.

From 1 December 2026, the timeframe for making a claim for an NDIS support will reduce from two years to 90 days from the delivery of the support.

For participants who are plan managed, your plan manager will generally manage the claiming process. However, providers will need to make sure invoices are submitted promptly.

If you are self-managed, this change is particularly important, as you will need to make sure claims are submitted within the required timeframe.

I would encourage everyone to make sure there are no outstanding invoices sitting with providers and that invoices are being submitted regularly rather than months after a service has been delivered.

What should you do now?

For my participants and families, there is no need to suddenly cancel services or make major changes simply because these reforms are commencing.

I will continue to work with you to:

• monitor your NDIS budget and spending;

• work with your therapy and support providers to ensure services remain appropriate;

• obtain reports and evidence where required;

• prioritise the supports that are most important to your safety, independence and goals; and

• advocate for changes where there has been a significant change in your circumstances or disability-related support needs.

  
  

The NDIS is changing, and I know that announcements like these can cause considerable worry for participants and families.

You don't need to navigate these changes alone.

As more information becomes available from the NDIA about how the changes will be implemented, I will continue to keep my participants and families updated and work through what the changes mean for each person individually.

Care Connect CoordinationSupporting you to understand your plan, navigate change and get the most from your NDIS supports.