The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has announced a major update to the way National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plans are developed, with a new planning framework set to begin rolling out from mid-2026. This “New Way of Planning” is designed to simplify planning, make funding more flexible, and create clearer pathways for participants to access supports that align with their individual needs and goals.
Under the updated planning model, the focus shifts from traditional, highly detailed line-by-line support lists to a support needs-based assessment approach. Rather than documenting extensive past evidence and reports, the NDIA will work with participants to assess current and future support needs in a more streamlined, forward-looking way.
What the New Planning Framework Includes
The New Way of Planning introduces several key changes:
- Support Needs Assessment: Plans will be based on a structured assessment of support needs using a validated assessment tool. This tool helps identify a participant’s level of need across various life domains, such as daily personal activities, community participation, and health-related supports.
- Flexible Funding Budgets: Instead of rigid service item lists, participants will receive flexible budgets that align with their assessed needs. This allows greater choice and control in how support dollars are used throughout the life of a plan.
- Simplified Evidence Requirements: The framework reduces the emphasis on extensive medical or allied-health reports for plan approvals. By focusing on current functional support needs, participants may experience less administrative burden.
- Clarity Around Funded Supports: The NDIA has worked to clarify what supports are funded by the NDIS, what kinds of supports require justification, and how budgets relate to individual goals.
These changes are intended to reduce planning complexity, enhance transparency, and promote predictability in how plans are developed and funded.
What This Means for Participants
For people currently receiving NDIS supports, existing plans will remain in place until their scheduled review or expiry. Participants do not need to take immediate action. When it is time for a new plan under the updated framework, they will experience a different planning conversation focused on functional needs and budgets rather than a long list of historical evidence.
The aim is to empower participants with greater control and flexibility — allowing them to choose supports that best meet their needs within a plan budget that reflects their assessed level of support requirement.
Participants will still have access to internal and external review processes if they disagree with plan outcomes. The NDIA has emphasised that participant choice and rights remain central to the process.
Why the Change Matters
The NDIS has long been criticised for complexity in planning and inconsistency in outcomes. Advocates, providers, and participants have called for a system that is easier to navigate, less administratively burdensome, and more centred on people’s real-life needs.
By focusing on support needs and flexible budgets, the new planning model is expected to deliver:
- More consistent outcomes across participants
- Reduced duplication of effort in gathering evidence
- Increased clarity about what the NDIS will fund
- Better alignment between participant goals and funded supports
Next Steps and Consultation
The NDIA delayed the implementation from 2025 to mid-2026 to allow additional time for consultation with participant groups, providers, and carers. Ongoing engagement will continue as planning tools, training, and guidance are refined.
Stakeholders are encouraged to stay informed, ask questions, and engage with the NDIA as the transition approaches to ensure a smooth implementation that continues to prioritise participant choice, dignity and quality supports.
