If youโve heard that NDIS planning is changing and youโre not sure what it means for your plan, your funding or your supports, youโre not alone. These NDIS planning changes are among the biggest the scheme has seen, and the dates have moved more than once.
Here is the short version: the new way of planning, called new framework planning, will begin from April 2027, and adult participants will move across in stages until the end of 2030. Your current plan stays in place until it is your turn. This guide explains what is changing, what stays the same, and how to prepare, using the Australian Governmentโs and the NDIAโs own pages, with the date each was current.
NDIS Planning Changes 2026: Quick Summary
- Start date: the NDIA says it will begin introducing the new way of planning from April 2027. Earlier updates had aimed for mid-2026.
- Who and when: the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing says all participants aged 18 and over will gradually move to new framework plans from April 2027 to 31 December 2030.
- Children: the NDIA says children under 18 wonโt be part of the initial changes.
- Support needs assessment: a guided conversation with a trained assessor, used to build your budget.
- Budgets: funding will be a flexible budget plus stated supports.
- People still decide: the NDIA says plans will always be approved by trained NDIS staff.
- Testing now: from July to December 2026, the NDIA is running simulated assessments with volunteer participants.
What Is the New NDIS Planning Framework?
In 2024, Parliament changed the NDIS Act to set the direction for improving the NDIS. To put those changes into practice, the Australian Government is updating some existing NDIS rules and introducing new ones. The new approach to building plans is called new framework planning.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing says the NDIS Review found that, to make the NDIS more person-centred, it needs clearer processes for assessments and planning, more transparent decision-making for funding, and greater flexibility in plans.
The NDIAโs update on the new way of planning says it will focus on a personโs disability support needs rather than functional impairment, use a person-centred and strengths-based approach, create fairer and more consistent budgets, reduce the need for expensive reports, and result in simpler, more flexible plans.
When Do the NDIS Planning Changes Start?
This is where many articles, including earlier versions of this one, have been overtaken by events. The timeline has moved:
| When the NDIA said it | What it said |
|---|---|
| 17 December 2025 and 9 February 2026 | Aiming to start with a small number of participants from mid-2026 |
| 14 May 2026 | “From April 2027, the NDIS will start a new way of planning” |
| 11 June 2026 | Testing runs July to December 2026, before the rollout from April 2027 |
| 23 September 2026 | Changes from April 2027: “Weโll begin introducing the new way of planning” |
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (page last updated 22 September 2026) adds that all NDIS participants aged 18 and over will gradually move to new framework plans from April 2027 to 31 December 2030, in stages, so many participants will not notice any difference at first. Only people who are already participants take part; applying to join the NDIS is a separate process.
The NDIA says children under 18 wonโt be part of the initial changes, that current plans stay in place until participants move to the new way of planning, and that participants will receive information before anything changes for them.
The 4 Steps of New Framework Planning
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing plans to have 4 steps in the participant journey, each with its own NDIS rules:
| Step | What the rules will cover |
|---|---|
| 1. Preparing for a support needs assessment | Which groups of people move across, and when |
| 2. The support needs assessment | The assessment tool and process, the report, and how a replacement assessment works |
| 3. Building a plan | How a budget is worked out, which supports are stated, funding periods, and any restrictions on the flexible budget |
| 4. Using a plan | Which supports are, and are not, NDIS supports |
The department says setting out each step in rules will make it clearer how plans and budgets are generated.
The Biggest NDIS Planning Changes, Explained
1. A Support Needs Assessment
According to the NDIA, a trained assessor will work with you to understand your life and disability support needs. They will meet you at a suitable time and place, and you can bring family, support people or a carer. The assessor has a structured conversation with you about your daily life, then submits a support needs assessment report, which is used to build the budget in your new plan.
The NDIA says it will use the Instrument for the Classification and Assessment of Support Needs (I-CAN v6), developed by the Centre for Disability Studies, as a base for developing the assessment, alongside a new personal and environmental circumstances questionnaire. Assessors complete a training and accreditation program developed with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies. Some participants with more complex support needs may still be asked for reports from their treating health professionals.
For more detail, see our guide to the NDIS plan assessment tool.
2. A Flexible Budget and Stated Supports
In new framework plans, the NDIA says funding will be provided either as a stated item or as part of the flexible budget. Funding for stated supports must be used for a particular purpose or support, while the flexible budget can be used flexibly on NDIS supports. The rules for building a plan will also cover funding periods and any restrictions on how flexible funding is spent. See our guide to NDIS funding periods.
3. Longer Plans
The NDIA says plans will cover longer periods, so participants have more certainty and fewer scheduled plan reviews. You will still be able to ask for a reassessment or variation of your plan if your circumstances change.
4. People Still Approve Plans
The NDIA says plans will always be approved by real people who are trained NDIS staff, and that under the new way of creating plans, NDIS staff will spend more time with participants than they do now.
5. More Transparency
Because each step will be set out in NDIS rules made by the Australian Government with state and territory governments, the department says it will be easier to understand how plans and budgets are generated.
Other Changes Already Under Way
New framework planning is only part of the reforms under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026. The NDIAโs page on the new NDIS laws (current as of 23 September 2026) lists, among others:
- Plan reassessments (now in effect): only participants, plan nominees or child representatives can ask for a reassessment before the scheduled date, when there is a significant and ongoing change. See our NDIS plan reassessment guide.
- Budget changes from 1 October 2026: see our guide to the NDIS budget resets from October 2026.
- Claiming from December 2026: claims must be submitted within 90 days of delivering a support.
- Record keeping (coming): 3 years for participants, 5 years for nominees and 7 years for providers.
- Support coordination from 1 July 2028: a new commissioned support coordination and connection service.
What Stays the Same?
Change can feel overwhelming, so here is what the NDIA says continues:
- Your current plan stays in place until you move to the new way of planning
- Your right to ask for changes: you can still request a reassessment or variation if your circumstances change
- Your review rights: you can request an internal review of a plan decision, and then an external review through the Administrative Review Tribunal
- Information first: the NDIA says participants will receive information before anything changes for them
What About the Future of Support Coordination?
The government has announced a new commissioned NDIS support coordination and connection service from 1 July 2028. In its news item of 7 September 2026, the NDIA said this service will replace the way participants currently receive support coordination. The design is not final: feedback is open until 11.59 pm AEST on 2 October 2026, and government will decide the final design.
Until then, support coordination is funded as it is today. Our NDIS support coordination levels guide explains the three current levels.
How a Support Coordinator Helps You Navigate the Changes
If your plan includes support coordination, your coordinator can help you:
- Understand what is changing and when it is likely to affect you
- Prepare for a support needs assessment by getting your daily support needs and goals down on paper
- Plan how to use a flexible budget once your plan moves across
- Work across systems such as health, housing and justice, which is the focus of Level 3 specialist support coordination
- Ask for a review if something about a new plan doesnโt feel right
If you have psychosocial disability, a recovery coach can play a similar role. Our guide to psychosocial recovery coach vs support coordinator explains the difference.
5 Steps to Prepare for the NDIS Planning Changes Now
Nothing changes for your plan until the NDIA contacts you, but preparing early helps.
Step 1: Note Your Daily Support Needs
Keep notes on the support you need through a typical day and week: personal care, getting around, social participation, household tasks and anything else. The support needs assessment is a conversation about your daily life, so these notes help.
Step 2: Review Your Goals
Think about what you want to achieve over the next few years, whether that is more independence at home, work, community involvement or managing your mental health.
Step 3: Keep Your Reports Together
The NDIA says the new approach aims to reduce the need for expensive reports, but some participants with more complex needs may still be asked for reports from treating health professionals. Keep what you already have in one place.
Step 4: Talk to Your Support Coordinator
If you have a support coordinator, ask them how the changes might affect you. If you donโt, you can ask for support coordination at your next plan reassessment if you think it would help.
Step 5: Stay Informed Through Official Channels
Follow the NDIAโs news and the departmentโs new framework planning page. The department says further consultation on the rules will occur from August 2026. Participants aged 18 and over, and plan nominees, can also apply to help test the new way of planning until 31 December 2026, and can join the New Framework Planning Pool.
Frequently Asked Questions About the NDIS Planning Changes
When do the NDIS planning changes start?
The NDIA says it will begin introducing the new way of planning from April 2027. The department says participants aged 18 and over will move across gradually between April 2027 and 31 December 2030.
Will my current NDIS plan be affected immediately?
No. The NDIA says current plans stay in place until participants move to the new way of planning, and that you will receive information before anything changes for you.
Do I need to do anything right now?
The NDIA says participants donโt need to do anything right now. Noting your support needs and goals, and talking to your support coordinator, can still help you prepare.
Will a computer decide my plan?
No. The NDIA says plans will always be approved by real people who are trained NDIS staff.
Will testing affect my plan?
No. The NDIA says taking part in testing wonโt change your current plan, affect your future funding or eligibility, or result in a new plan or budget.
Can I still choose my own providers?
Choice and control remain core NDIS principles, and the flexible budget can be used flexibly on NDIS supports. The rules for building and using a plan, including any restrictions on the flexible budget, are still being developed.
What about children under 18?
The NDIA says children under 18 wonโt be part of the initial changes. Separate changes for young children are covered in our guide to NDIS access changes for children under 8.
Can I still ask for a review?
Yes. The NDIA says participants will still be able to request an internal review of a plan decision and then an external review through the Administrative Review Tribunal.
You Donโt Have to Navigate This Alone
Change can feel unsettling, especially when it involves your NDIS plan. Centre of Hope is a registered NDIS provider in NSW. Through support coordination and psychosocial recovery coaching, we help participants understand what is changing, prepare for their next plan, and use the supports they have.
Your goals. Your plan. Our support.
๐ Call us: 0432 250 900
๐ Visit: centreofhope.com.au
โ๏ธ Email: hello@centreofhope.com.au
๐ Refer: Submit a referral
Disclaimer: This article is general information only and does not replace personal advice about your plan. It is current as at 24 September 2026, and reflects the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing page New framework planning (last updated 22 September 2026), the NDIA page on the new NDIS laws (current as of 23 September 2026), and NDIA news items of 17 December 2025, 9 February, 14 May, 11 June and 7 September 2026. The rules for new framework planning are still being developed and dates have changed before, so confirm at ndis.gov.au or call the NDIA on 1800 800 110.