Starting from 1 October, some NDIS support budgets will change over the coming 12 months.
This change is part of the new NDIS laws. It will reduce participant budgets for two support categories:
- Social, Economic and Community Participation
- Improved Daily Living Skills.
The budget reductions will be applied as plans are created or reassessed from 1 October 2026 or renewed from 1 February 2027.
The impacts of this change will be different for every participant because every NDIS plan is based on individual goals, circumstances and support needs.
Some groups of supports in these categories won't be affected. This includes supports in employment, disability-related health supports, high intensity supports, intensive and complex behaviour supports, customised and wearable technology and hearing services.
Participant safety and wellbeing are our priority so other parts of participant plans will not be affected by these changes.
Some of the other supports that won’t be affected include essential day-to-day supports like help with eating, drinking, dressing, toileting, laundry, cleaning, nurse care, medication, home and vehicle modifications, personal mobility equipment or specialist disability accommodation.
We’ve published a list of Social, Economic and Community Participation and Improved Daily Living Skills supports that aren’t included below.
This change isn’t a reviewable decision.
Participants can still request plan changes, including a plan reassessment or plan variation, if there has been a significant and ongoing change to their:
- ability to complete daily activities
- living arrangements
- education or employment circumstances
- available informal supports.
New variation pathway for participants with high support needs
We want to make sure participants needing 24-hour disability support have the funding to meet these needs.
Participants can ask us to vary their plan if they:
- have a total budget in their plan for Assistance with Daily Life, Home and Living, and Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation is $215,030 or more; and
- receive 24-hour funded NDIS supports for support needs arising directly from the impairments they access the NDIS for
Find out more about the new plan variation pathway.
Resources
Accessible versions will be available shortly