Published 22 October 2026
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 became law on 20 August 2026.
This means there will be gradual changes to:
- Who can access the NDIS
- What supports the NDIS will fund
- How support needs are assessed and how plan budgets are made
- How plans are managed and how supports are coordinated
Some key changes are explained in the table below.
From 1 October 2026
When your plan comes up for renewal or reassessment, funding for social, civic and community participation will be reduced by 50% and capacity building daily activities supports will be reduced by 10%. There will be no changes to budgets for critical supports.
From 1 February 2027
When your plan reaches its scheduled reassessment date, a new plan will be created. Unused funding from the previous plan will not carry over to the new plan.
From 1 April 2027
Participants will start moving to new framework planning. This will include a new support needs assessment that considers your functional capacity (what you can and cannot do), life stage and other factors to help determine your NDIS budget.
From 1 October 2027
Participants will need to choose a plan management provider from a list approved by the government.
From 1 January 2028
If you apply to access the NDIS, you will be assessed against new access requirements (rules about who can access the NDIS). This will include an objective functional capacity assessment to determine your eligibility.
From 1 January 2028
Existing participants will be reassessed against the new access requirements at some point between January 2028 and December 2030. This means some participants may lose access to the NDIS if they no longer meet the new requirements.
From 1 July 2028
Support coordination and connection services will be funded and delivered differently.
For an overview of all changes, please see the resources from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing:
How can you prepare?
We know these changes may be concerning for our community, particularly for people who are worried about changes to their funding or losing access to the NDIS.
At this stage, we do not know exactly how the changes will impact people living with ME/CFS and long COVID. This will depend on how the new rules are implemented and applied in practice. We will continue to monitor developments as these changes are introduced and share more information as the details become clearer.
- If you are a current NDIS participant:
- Consider doing some preparation now ahead of your next plan reassessment. A little preparation now could make it much easier to respond if you need to challenge or appeal a decision later. See the resources below.
- Your NDIS eligibility will not be reassessed under the new access requirements until 1 January 2028, at the earliest. You should receive warning and information well in advance of this.
- If you’re thinking about applying:
- You can continue to apply under the current access requirements
- The new eligibility requirements begin on 1 January 2028.
- Please note that if you gain access to the NDIS before 1 January 2028, your eligibility will be reassessed against the new access requirements (at some point after January 2028 – the same as all other NDIS participants).
Resources
- Emerge Australia’s NDIS resources – a learning module designed to help people with ME/CFS and long COVID understand the NDIS and prepare an application. These resources may also be useful for current participants who want to review their existing evidence. They remain relevant under the new law.
- Lighthouse Peer Support – a guide to preparing for changes to the NDIS, including options for challenging decisions.
- Therapy Near Me – a guide covering evidence, reviews and appeals, transition planning and referral pathways.
What is Emerge Australia doing?
Throughout the government’s process of changing the NDIS, Emerge Australia has been advocating for people with ME/CFS and long COVID through meetings with government, parliamentarians and the NDIA, as well as through written submissions. We will continue to advocate for the needs of our community to be recognised and addressed by the NDIA.
Please note: This article contains general information only, current as of September 2026. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for advice about your own circumstances. Consider seeking independent advice about your individual situation.
