AUSTRALIA’S disability support system is set to undergo its biggest transformation since the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with sweeping reforms expected to roll out over the next two years.
The changes will affect how people access the NDIS, how plans are developed and the types of services available outside the scheme.
Disability advocacy organisations, including People with Disability Australia, say while the reforms aim to strengthen the system long term, they are also causing uncertainty among many people who rely on the program.
The Federal Government said the reforms are designed to ensure the NDIS continues to support people with permanent and significant disability, while slowing the scheme’s rapid growth and shifting some everyday supports back into community and mainstream services.
One of the most significant changes will begin in July 2026 when a new NDIS planning framework starts to roll out.
The updated process will be introduced gradually through to 2030 and will change how participants’ needs are assessed and how their plans are developed.
Under the new system, participants will move through four stages: preparing for a support needs assessment, completing the assessment, building a plan and budget, and then using the plan.
Assessments are expected to play a larger role in determining supports, reducing reliance on multiple specialist reports. The Government says the new model is designed to make planning more consistent and transparent.
Funding within plans will also be structured differently. Budgets are expected to include flexible funding that can be used across a range of everyday supports, alongside “stated supports” funding for specific high-cost or specialised items such as assistive technology or home modifications.
Some of the most significant changes will affect young children.
From January 1, 2028, children aged under eight with developmental delay or autism and low-to-moderate support needs will no longer automatically access early intervention through the NDIS.
Instead, they will receive assistance through new early childhood services outside the scheme.
Children already in the NDIS before that date will continue under existing rules, and those with permanent or higher support needs will remain eligible for the program.
To support the transition, governments have committed $10 billion over five years to establish “foundational supports” – services designed to assist people with disability who do not meet NDIS eligibility.
These supports are expected to include early intervention programs, community-based services and practical assistance delivered largely by state and territory governments, with a full rollout expected by 2028.
A new initiative known as Thriving Kids will also provide targeted support for children aged up to eight with developmental delay or autism who have lower support needs.
Backed by $4 billion over five years and delivered through a mix of federal and state programs, the services are expected to begin in late 2026 before expanding nationally by 2028.
