NDIS Changes from October 2026: What Will Happen to Your Funding?
From 1 October 2026, changes to some NDIS support budgets will begin.
These changes are part of the new NDIS laws passed in August 2026. Some changes are already in effect, with the next major changes starting from 1 October.
So if you already have an NDIS plan, the important questions are:
Will your current funding change?
When could the changes affect you?
Which supports won't be reduced?
Let's go through what we know so far.
1. Two NDIS Support Budgets Will Be Reduced
From 1 October, the NDIS will begin reducing budgets in two support categories:
Social, Economic and Community Participation
Improved Daily Living Skills
The changes will be introduced progressively over 12 months, and the impact will be different for each participant because plans are based on individual circumstances and support needs.
The first category commonly includes support to help participants take part in social and community activities. The second includes capacity-building supports aimed at improving everyday functioning and independence, including some therapy supports.
Will my funding change on 1 October?
Not necessarily.
If you already have an NDIS plan, your existing budget won't simply drop on 1 October.
The change starts to apply when a new plan is approved or a plan is reassessed.
Existing participants can continue using their current plans and supports as usual until the change applies to their plan. The NDIS has also confirmed that these funding changes won't be backdated.
2. Some Important Supports Won't Be Affected
Not all supports within these areas will be reduced.
The NDIS has confirmed that the changes will not affect:
employment supports
disability-related health supports
high intensity supports
intensive and complex behaviour supports.
A range of essential day-to-day supports will also not be affected. These include help with:
eating and drinking
dressing and toileting
laundry and cleaning
nurse care and medication
home and vehicle modifications
personal mobility equipment
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
What does this mean in everyday life?
For example, someone with a swallowing difficulty who needs help to eat and drink safely isn't simply losing that essential support because of the October budget reductions. The same applies to essential supports such as toileting assistance, disability-related nursing care or medication support where they fall within the supports the NDIS has confirmed won't be affected.
The NDIS has also said it will publish a full list of supports that won't be affected by these changes.
3. Can You Ask for a Review If Your Funding Is Reduced?
The NDIS has been clear on this point: The support budget reduction itself is not a reviewable decision. That means you can't request a review simply because the new support determination has reduced the relevant budget.
However, participants can still request a plan reassessment or plan variation when their circumstances change.
For example, the NDIA may consider a reassessment if there has been a significant and ongoing change to your:
ability to manage everyday activities
living arrangements
education or employment
informal support from family or others.
4. What If You Need 24-Hour Disability Support?
The new laws include an additional pathway for participants with high support needs who require 24-hour disability support.
This is important because these participants may rely on disability supports throughout the day and night to remain safe at home. A reduction in the wrong area of funding could therefore have much more serious consequences than simply receiving fewer hours of support.
Under the new rules, eligible high support needs participants will be able to request a plan variation within 90 days after a support determination applies to them. A plan variation means making a change to the existing plan rather than going through a full plan reassessment.
Importantly, the NDIS says that, where needed, funding can be increased through this pathway so the participant can continue receiving the supports that help keep them safe at home.
The NDIS has not yet published all the details about how this pathway will work in practice.
5. When Will These Funding Changes Actually Affect Your Plan?
The support budget reductions will be introduced over a 12-month period. They won't simply be applied to every participant on 1 October. There are two key dates:
(1) From 1 October 2026
The changes can apply when:
your plan is reassessed, or
a new plan is approved.
(2) From 1 February 2027
The changes can also apply when your existing plan is renewed.
So, for example, if you already have an NDIS plan on 1 October and nothing happens to your plan at that time, your funding doesn't automatically drop simply because the calendar reaches 1 October. The actual impact will also be different for each participant because plans are based on individual circumstances and support needs.
6. Your Plan Could Be Suspended If You Don't Respond to the NDIS
Another change from October is the introduction of a new power for the NDIS to suspend a participant's plan if they don't respond to requests for information.
But this isn't meant to happen after one missed phone call or email. The NDIS says it must first make reasonable attempts to contact the participant and request the information. In this case, “reasonable attempts” means trying to contact you, your nominee or your authorised representative at least five times over an extended period.
Make sure the NDIS has your current phone number, email and representative details, and don't ignore requests for information about your plan. If you have a nominee or authorised representative helping you deal with the NDIS, they should also keep their contact details up to date.
Joystep will continue to follow the NDIS updates and explain any important changes as more information becomes available.
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