How we are making changes
The Australian Government has introduced the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill. This Bill enables us to make the changes needed to protect the NDIS for people with permanent and significant disability and for future generations who will rely on it.
Engaging with the community
How is the government consulting with people with disability and the disability sector on changes to secure the future of the NDIS?
The NDIS is one of Australia’s most important social programs. We are committed to ongoing consultation and engagement with people with disability, the disability sector and states and territories.
The changes build on work underway to implement critical recommendations made by the Independent Review into the NDIS and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, and advice of the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce. All undertook extensive engagement and consultation with the disability community.
Consultation will begin in the second half of 2026 on:
- the new way of planning, known as new framework planning
- changes to assessment of eligibility based on functional capacity
- design of a commissioning approach for home and living supports for Supported Independent Living (SIL) participants
- commissioning new, more efficient support coordination and connection functions
- expanding differentiated pricing for unregistered providers
- the Inclusive Communities Fund
- market reforms to participants’ supports for social and community and capacity building activities.
Information about how to get involved will be published on the department’s Consultation Hub over the coming months. Find out more about Working together to secure the NDIS.
Who will give technical advice
We are establishing a Technical Advisory Group. This group will provide advice on appropriate thresholds and assessments for assessing eligibility based on functional capacity. Members will be selected based on their technical expertise and skills.
Technical Advisory Group
Who will give technical advice?
We are establishing a Technical Advisory Group (TAG).
The TAG will bring together national expertise to provide independent, evidence-based advice to support the development of a robust and consistent assessment framework for assessing ‘significantly reduced functional capacity’ for the proposes of NDIS access.
Members will be selected based on their technical expertise and skills.
When will the Technical Advisory Group be set up and who will be on it?
The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) will be a time limited working group established to provide expert advice on appropriate thresholds and assessments for assessing eligibility based on functional capacity.
The TAG will operate as an expert advisory body, providing independent and evidence-based advice.
Members will be selected by the Minister for Disability and the NDIS based on their technical expertise in functional capacity assessments for people with disability. The TAG will include members with lived experience of disability.
The TAG will commence their work from mid-2026, and will engage with people with disability, the disability sector and states and territories.
Timeframes
When do changes begin?
The NDIS needs to be protected for people with permanent and significant disability now and for future generations who will rely on it. To secure the long-term sustainability of the NDIS, the Government has introduced legislation to enable changes.
Some changes will begin soon after the legislation passes. Other changes will happen over a longer period to allow more time for consultation and communication about how changes will be rolled out.
Timeframes can be found on the reform timeline. This includes information about when changes will begin for participants and providers.
Staying up to date
Where can I find updates?
More information will be available to help explain what the changes mean for you and when they will happen.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will let participants and providers know before any changes happen. You will find updates on the NDIS website and in the NDIA’s participant and provider newsletters. You can subscribe to newsletters here: Newsletters | NDIS.
You can also subscribe to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing for regular updates on NDIS reforms and engagement on NDIS rules here: NDIS Reforms.
What is changing for participants
How is access to the NDIS changing?
The NDIS was set up to support people with permanent and significant disability, but has grown too much and now covers many Australians with less significant support needs.
To make sure it meets its original purpose, access to the NDIS will be for people whose functional capacity is significantly reduced and impacts their day-to-day living. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) will provide expert advice on this. They will provide advice on thresholds and assessments for determining access based on functional capacity.
There are no changes to how people access the NDIS until 1 January 2028. People will continue applying to the NDIS in the same way until then.
From 1 January 2028, there will be some changes to how people will access the NDIS.
People with permanent and significant disability will still be able to access the NDIS.
| What is changing? | What does this mean for future applicants? | What does this mean for people already accessing the NDIS? |
| Access to the NDIS will be based on a standardised, evidence-based assessment of functional capacity. The assessment will focus on how a person’s day-to-day living is impacted by their disability. | People who apply to the NDIS from 1 January 2028 will go through an objective functional capacity assessment to determine their eligibility. | From 1 January 2028, people who are already accessing the NDIS will be reassessed. This will happen progressively over 3 years. |
| People will only be able to access the NDIS if their impairment is permanent (or likely to be permanent). | People who apply to the NDIS from 1 January 2028 will need to meet the new criteria to be able to access the NDIS. The NDIA will assess if other treatment to help their impairment has happened, if no other treatment is likely to help, and the impairment is likely to be permanent or lifelong. | From 1 January 2028, people who are already accessing the NDIS will begin to be reassessed based on the new criteria. This will happen progressively over 3 years. |
| People who are eligible for or are receiving support for their impairment from workers’ compensation or motor vehicle accident schemes may no longer be eligible for the NDIS. | People who apply to the NDIS from 1 January 2028 will need to tell us if they are eligible for or are accessing support from a workers’ compensation or motor vehicle accident scheme. | People who are already accessing the NDIS will continue to have their access to compensation schemes managed through existing arrangements. |
| Children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and low to moderate support needs will no longer be eligible for the NDIS. These children will be supported by Thriving Kids. | From 1 January 2028, children who are aged 8 and under and applying for NDIS support will be assessed against the new criteria.
Children with permanent and significant disability and children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have substantially reduced functional capacity (high support needs) will remain eligible for the NDIS. We are currently working on the design and details for Thriving Kids with states and territories before making any changes to the laws. |
Children aged 8 and under who are accessing the NDIS before 1 January 2028 will continue to be reassessed under the eligibility criteria in place prior to 1 January 2028.
Once they turn 9, they will be reassessed under the new eligibility criteria based on functional capacity (from 1 January 2028). |
How is the Government assessing whether an impairment is permanent?
To assess if you can access the NDIS, the NDIA looks at whether your disability is permanent. This may include looking at whether you have tried treatments that could improve your condition.
Your treating practitioners can advise the NDIA on whether a treatment is likely to significantly improve, reverse, or reduce the impact of an impairment. This includes considering if there is a medical reason why you cannot undertake a certain treatment.