The Australian Government has announced upcoming changes to how NDIS plans are developed, with a new framework planning approach expected to begin in mid-2026.

These changes respond to feedback from thousands of people with disabilities, families, carers, and providers who told the Independent Review of the NDIS that the planning process needed to be fairer, more consistent, and easier to navigate.

What Is Changing?

Under the updated law, NDIS planning will focus more on a person’s disability support needs, rather than functional impairment. The new approach aims to:

• Use a person-centred, strengths-based approach
• Create fairer and more consistent budgets
• Reduce the need for expensive reports
• Provide more straightforward and more flexible NDIS plans

The rollout will be phased, so many participants will not see changes straight away.

What Is a Support Needs Assessment?

A key component of the new planning approach is a support-needs assessment. A trained assessor will meet with participants at a convenient time and location to discuss their daily lives and the support they need.

Participants can bring family members, carers, or support people to the meeting.

The assessment will produce a report to help determine the participant’s NDIS budget.

All plans will continue to be approved by trained NDIS staff.

What is I-CAN v6?

The NDIS will use I-CAN v6 as the foundation for the new support needs assessment. This is a person-centred, strength-based tool developed by the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies, and it has been used in the care sector for over 20 years.

Some participants with more complex needs may still be asked to provide reports from health professionals.

How Will Budgets and Plans Change?

Under the new framework planning:

• Funding may be provided as stated support or within a flexible budget
• Plans will cover more extended periods, offering greater certainty
• There will be fewer scheduled plan reviews

Participants will continue to have the right to request a reassessment or review if their circumstances change, including external review through the Administrative Review Tribunal.

How Help at Hand Support Can Help

At Help at Hand Support, we stay up to date with NDIS reforms so we can support participants through changes with confidence. We’re here to help you understand what these updates may mean for you and provide personalised support as the new planning framework is introduced.

Call us: 1300 822 190
Email: admin@helpathandsupport.com.au