The way your NDIS budget is worked out is changing. From April 2027, the NDIA will begin introducing a new NDIS plan assessment tool: a support needs assessment built on a tool called I-CAN v6. It is the first step of new framework planning, and all participants aged 18 and over will move to it gradually between April 2027 and 31 December 2030. If you are an NDIS participant, understanding it now will help you prepare.
The support needs assessment is a guided conversation between you and a trained assessor about your daily life and the support you need. The NDIA says it will reduce the need for expensive reports and lead to fairer, more consistent and more flexible plans. It is different from a functional capacity assessment, the allied health report many participants still provide today, and it is one of many changes in the new NDIS laws.
In this guide, we explain what the new NDIS plan assessment tool is, what the NDIA has and has not published about it, how it is expected to work, and how to prepare. Every fact comes from the NDIA or the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and we say plainly where the detail is not public yet.
What Is the NDIS Plan Assessment Tool?
The new NDIS plan assessment tool is the NDIA’s support needs assessment. The NDIA is developing it from I-CAN v6, the Instrument for the Classification and Assessment of Support Needs, version 6. In the NDIA’s words, it will use I-CAN v6 “as a base for developing the new support needs assessment”, so the final assessment may differ from the original tool.
The NDIA bought a licence for I-CAN v6 in September 2025. The tool was chosen through a competitive procurement process, supported by a disability lived experience expert advisory group.
Key Facts About I-CAN v6
- Developed by the Centre for Disability Studies: the NDIA is now developing the assessment with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies
- More than 20 years of development in Australia, tested through multiple research studies across a range of disability groups
- Already in use: a customised version has been used in the Disability Support for Older Australians programme for over 4 years
- Strengths-based: built on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a framework recognised around the world
- Run by trained, accredited assessors: they complete a training and accreditation programme developed with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies
- Adults first: children under 18 are not part of the initial changes
Why the NDIS Needs a New Assessment Tool
Thousands of participants, families, carers and providers told the NDIS Review that planning needed to improve. The NDIA and the department sum up what they heard:
- Getting evidence is a burden: participants said it can be frustrating, time-consuming and expensive to get supporting evidence
- Decisions need to be clearer: the Review called for clearer processes for assessments and planning, and more transparent decisions about funding
- Plans need to be more flexible: current plans are based on individual supports, and the Review called for greater flexibility
- Budgets need to be fairer: participants and the disability community said the planning process needs to be fairer and more consistent
Changes to the NDIS Act made in October 2024 enabled this new way of planning, which focuses on a person’s disability support needs rather than functional impairment. The NDIS plan assessment tool is the step that gathers that information.
What the Support Needs Assessment Looks At
The assessor has a structured conversation with you about your daily life, to work out what types of support you need. The NDIA describes the approach as person-centred and strengths-based, so it looks at the support you need in the context of your life, not only at what you find hard.
The NDIA also says the assessments will be appropriate for a range of disability groups, culturally appropriate, trauma-informed and LGBTIQASB+ diversity enabled.
What has not been published yet. The NDIA has not published the final list of topics the assessment covers, how answers are scored, or how long it takes. The tool and process will be set in a new NDIS rule made under section 32L of the NDIS Act, and the department was still consulting on the new framework planning rules when we checked this guide. An earlier version of this guide listed 12 life areas and a session of about 3 hours. We removed both, because no NDIA or department source confirms them for the new assessment.
How the Support Needs Assessment Is Expected to Work
Here is what the NDIA has said so far about each step. Some details may change as testing continues.
Step 1: You’ll Be Told When It’s Your Turn
The NDIA will let participants, families and carers know when it is time for their support needs assessment, and will provide support with this step. A rule will set which groups of participants move across and when. Only people who are already NDIS participants go through new framework planning, because applying to join the NDIS is a separate process.
Step 2: A Time and Place That Suit You
Assessors will meet with participants at a suitable time and place. If you need adjustments to take part, such as an interpreter or extra time, tell the NDIA early so they can be arranged.
Step 3: Bring Your Support People
You can bring your family, support people or carer. For example:
- A family member or friend
- Your support coordinator
- An advocate
- A support worker who knows you well
Step 4: The Guided Conversation
The trained assessor talks with you about your daily life and works out what types of support you need. In testing during 2026, many participants said they felt listened to and respected. Some also said they wanted more time to explain how their conditions change from day to day.
Step 5: The Personal and Environmental Circumstances Questionnaire
The assessment is used alongside a new personal and environmental circumstances questionnaire, which collects more of the information the NDIA needs to understand your support needs. In addition, some participants with more complex support needs may be asked for reports from their treating health professionals, and the NDIA has said further targeted assessments will be used for people with more complex disability support needs.
Step 6: The Report and Your Plan
Once the assessment is complete, the assessor creates and submits a final support needs assessment report. Your budget is then worked out by applying the information in that report, using a method set out in the rules. Plans will always be approved by real people who are trained NDIS staff, not automated systems.
What’s Different From the Old System?
| Feature | Current planning | New framework planning |
|---|---|---|
| How needs are assessed | Evidence you gather, often allied health reports such as a functional capacity assessment | A support needs assessment: a guided conversation with a trained assessor |
| Cost of evidence | Reports can take a long time and cost a lot of money to get | Designed to reduce the need for expensive reports |
| Plan structure | Funding based on individual supports | Stated supports for a set purpose, plus a flexible budget for NDIS supports |
| Plan length | Set for each plan | Longer periods, with fewer scheduled plan reviews |
| Focus | Functional impairment | Disability support needs |
| How the budget is set | Each support is checked against the reasonable and necessary criteria | The assessment report is applied using a budget method set out in the rules |
When Does the New Tool Start?
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| July to December 2026 | Testing. Volunteers aged 18 and over, or plan nominees, take part in simulated assessments. Taking part does not change anyone’s plan, funding or eligibility. |
| From April 2027 | The NDIA begins introducing the new way of planning, including support needs assessments. |
| April 2027 to 31 December 2030 | All participants aged 18 and over move gradually to new framework plans, in stages. |
| Not yet announced | Children under 18 are not part of the initial changes. |
Key point: You don’t need to do anything right now. Your current plan stays in place until you move to the new way of planning, and you’ll receive information before anything changes for you.
What the New Tool Means for Your Budget
This is the question on most participants’ minds: Will my budget change?
Here’s what the NDIA has said:
- Budgets will be more flexible. Funding will be either a stated item, which must be used for a particular purpose, or part of a flexible budget that can be used flexibly on NDIS supports
- Budgets should be fairer and more consistent. That is the NDIA’s stated aim for the support needs assessment
- Plans will cover longer periods. That means more certainty and fewer scheduled plan reviews
- Complex cases may still need reports. Some participants with more complex support needs may be asked for reports from their treating health professionals
- Human approval remains. Plans will always be approved by trained NDIS staff
What nobody can tell you yet is how any one person’s budget will change. The budget method will be set in a rule under section 32K of the NDIS Act, and those rules were still being developed when we checked this guide. Read more about NDIS planning changes 2026.
How to Prepare for the New NDIS Plan Assessment Tool
Even though the tool isn’t live yet, you can prepare now:
1. Keep Notes on Your Daily Life
Start a simple journal or notes document. Record:
- The support you need each day, and who gives it
- Times when you need extra help (bad days, flare-ups, crises)
- Tasks you can’t do, struggle with, or need support to complete
- How your support needs change from day to day or week to week
That last point matters. In testing, some participants said they wanted more time to explain how their conditions fluctuate, so notes help you make good use of the time you have.
2. Think About Your Goals
The assessment looks at your support needs, but your goals still shape how you want to use your supports. Start thinking about:
- What you want to achieve in the next 1 to 3 years
- Skills you want to build
- Independence you want to develop
- Community, work, or study involvement you want to pursue
3. Keep Your Health Professional Reports
The new approach aims to reduce the need for reports, but some participants with more complex support needs may still be asked for them. Keep your treating team’s reports up to date. Read about NDIS health supports.
4. Choose Your Support Person
Who will you bring to your assessment? A family member who knows your daily challenges? Your support coordinator? A long-term support worker? Someone who knows you well can help you remember details and feel more at ease.
5. Understand Your Rights
You’ll continue to have the right to:
- Ask for a plan reassessment before your scheduled date if there is a significant and ongoing change (see the FAQ below, and our guide to NDIS plan reassessment)
- Ask for a plan variation for short-term or urgent changes
- Request an internal review of a decision within 3 months of receiving it
- Apply for external review through the Administrative Review Tribunal if you are not satisfied with the internal review
- Bring family, support people or a carer to your assessment
What Participants Have Said in Testing
The NDIA has been testing the new way of planning with volunteers, and by 28 September 2026 it said thousands of people had taken part. It has also published what it is hearing:
- Many participants said they felt listened to, respected and safe to speak openly
- Some wanted clearer information before their assessment and a better understanding of what happens next
- Others wanted more time to talk about their support needs, or more support and adjustments to help them take part
In response, the NDIA says it has made a one-page visual storyboard of a testing session and added guidance on NDIS Engage. It is also looking at ways to help people prepare. Read the NDIA’s update, Your feedback is helping shape the new way of planning.
Public consultation on the new framework planning rules was open until 6 March 2026, and the department said further consultation would occur from August 2026. Participants who register in the NDIA’s New Framework Planning Pool can also help test planning activities through its Design Hub. If you want a say, the department’s new framework planning page explains how to get involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NDIS plan assessment tool?
It is the NDIA’s support needs assessment: a guided conversation between you and a trained assessor about your daily life and the support you need. The NDIA is developing it from I-CAN v6 (the Instrument for the Classification and Assessment of Support Needs, version 6). The assessment report is used to build your budget under new framework planning, which the NDIA will begin introducing from April 2027.
Do I have to pay for reports for the assessment?
The NDIA describes the support needs assessment as a way to remove the burden of getting supporting evidence, so participants can use their NDIS funding on supports to work towards their goals instead of paying for reports. However, some participants with more complex support needs may still be asked for reports from their treating health professionals.
Do I need to do anything right now?
No. Current NDIS plans stay in place until you move to the new way of planning, and you’ll receive information from the NDIA before anything changes for you. Participants aged 18 and over will move across gradually between April 2027 and 31 December 2030.
Will a computer decide my budget?
No. The NDIA has said NDIS plans will continue to be approved by trained NDIS staff, not automated systems. Your budget is worked out by applying the assessment report using a method set out in the rules, and a trained staff member approves the plan.
How long does the assessment take?
The NDIA has not published how long the support needs assessment takes, and the tool and process will be set in a rule. In testing, some participants said they would have liked more time to explain how their conditions change from day to day, and the NDIA says it is looking at how to support people better. Assessors will meet with you at a suitable time and place.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes. The NDIA says you can bring your family, support people or carer. That could be a friend, an advocate, your support coordinator or a trusted support worker. Having someone who knows your daily challenges helps the assessor get a complete picture.
What if my circumstances change after the assessment?
This changed on 27 August 2026. You can still ask for a plan reassessment before your scheduled reassessment date, but only where there is a significant and ongoing change to your functional capacity and support needs, or to your living, education, work or informal support arrangements. Only participants, plan nominees and child representatives can make that request, and the NDIA then has 90 days to decide whether to reassess. For short-term or urgent changes you can still ask for a plan variation instead. You can also request an internal review if you disagree with a decision, and appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal if needed.
Will children be part of the new framework planning?
Not initially. Children under 18 are not part of the initial changes, and the department’s timeline for moving participants across covers people aged 18 and over. Read about the separate changes for children under 8.
Can I take part in testing?
Yes, if you are an NDIS participant aged 18 or over, or a plan nominee. Testing runs from July to December 2026. It is voluntary and paid, and it does not change your current plan, funding, supports or eligibility. Expressions of interest are open until 31 December 2026; see the NDIA’s Help test the new way of planning page.
How Centre of Hope Can Help
The new NDIS plan assessment tool is a big change, but you don’t have to face it alone. At Centre of Hope, a registered NDIS provider, our support coordinators help participants across Western Sydney and NSW prepare for plan assessments, attend as their support person, and understand the decisions that follow.
We can help you:
- Keep notes on your support needs before the assessment
- Prepare your goals so they’re clear and specific
- Attend the assessment with you as your support coordinator
- Review your plan once it’s approved to check it matches your needs
- Ask for a review if you disagree with a decision
Whether your next plan is a current plan or a new framework plan, we’re here to walk beside you.
Your goals. Your plan. Our support.
๐ Call us: 0432 250 900
๐ Visit: centreofhope.com.au
๐ Refer: Submit a referral
Disclaimer: This article is general information only. It does not replace advice about your own situation, and it is not legal, medical or financial advice. The information is current as at 11 October 2026. It reflects NDIA news items dated 25 September 2025, 17 December 2025, 9 February 2026, 14 May 2026, 11 June 2026 and 28 September 2026, the NDIA’s New way of planning page (current as at 26 August 2026) and NDIS laws page (current as at 1 October 2026), and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s new framework planning page (updated 22 September 2026). The support needs assessment and the new framework planning rules are still being developed, so details may change. Always check the official NDIS website for the latest information.
