NDIS Bill Has Passed the Senate: What Happens Next?
Updated: Sep 18
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 introduces changes to several parts of the NDIS. Parliament passed the Bill on 19 August 2026, it received Royal Assent the following day, and the first changes started on 27 August 2026. These dates are confirmed in the NDIA's implementation update.
The laws change different paths of the NDIS at different times. This article explains what was originally proposed, what the Senate amendments clarified, what happens next, and what the confirmed changes may mean for you.
What changes were originally proposed in the Bill?
The Bill proposed changes to how people access the NDIS, how plans are created and renewed, how some funding categories may be adjusted, how providers operate, how records and claims are managed, how fraud and non-compliance are addressed, and how maximum NDIS prices may be set. The NDIA's new laws overview summarises these broad areas of change.
Plan reassessments and variations
Only the participant, plan nominee or child representative can request an unscheduled reassessment before the scheduled reassessment date.
The request must relate to a significant and ongoing change in functional capacity and support needs, or in living, education, work or informal support arrangements.
The NDIA has 90 days to decide whether to reassess a plan after receiving a request.
Urgent or short-term changes can still be requested through plan variation.
Record-keeping and claims
The claiming timeframe reduces to 90 days from the date a support is delivered.
New record-keeping periods apply: 3 years for participants, 5 years for nominees and 7 years for providers.
Supports budgets and plan renewals
Budgets for two support categories will be reduced over a 12-month period: Social Economic and Community Participation and Improved Daily Living Skills. The reductions apply as plans are created or reassessed from 1 October 2026 or renewed from 1 February 2027.
The effect will be different for every participant, because each plan is based on individual goals, circumstances and support needs.
Some supports in these categories are not affected, including supports in employment, disability-related health supports, high intensity supports, and intensive and complex behaviour supports. The NDIA will publish a full list shortly.
The reduction is not a reviewable decision. Participants can still request a plan reassessment or plan variation if their circumstances change.
Plan renewals will replace plan continuations for many participants, and unused funding will not carry over into a renewed plan.
Pricing, planning and access
The Minister for Disability and the NDIS can make pricing determinations setting maximum amounts for NDIS supports, with NDIA advice through the existing Annual Pricing Review process.
There are no immediate changes to NDIS pricing.
Access to the NDIS will later be based on a standardised, evidence-based assessment of functional capacity.
Provider and plan management arrangements
Mandatory registration requirements will expand to providers delivering personal care, daily living supports and supports in closed settings.
The NDIA will establish a panel of plan management providers, and participants will be supported to move to a provider on the panel. Some details about how the panel will operate are still being developed.
If you would like more background on the current role of a plan manager, refer to First2Care's guide: What is NDIS Plan Management?
What amendments did the Senate make?
Following feedback from people with disability, families, advocates and organisations, the Government moved further amendments in the Senate on 18 August 2026. The Government's final changes fact sheet explains these in detail and enabling amendments summarised below.
Unscheduled reassessments
A change in living, education, work or informal support arrangements does not need to be unexpected. A foreseeable change may support a reassessment request if it is significant and ongoing.
If the NDIA does not decide within 90 days, the request is treated as refused, so the participant can use their review rights.
Reasonable and necessary supports
The amendments clarify what parents are ordinarily expected to provide, including supervision, personal care, transport, emotional support and behavioural support.
This does not include the additional support a child needs of disability compared with another child of a similar age.
Functional capacity and treatment
Common aids such as glasses, hearing aids and walking sticks can be used during a functional capacity assessment, and children can receive age-appropriate assistance.
Treatment that is unsuitable, carries significant risks or may cause serious long-term effects would not generally be expected. Restrictive practices are not counted as appropriate treatment.
Support determinations and high support needs
Support determinations will not apply to every part of a participant's funding.
Supports that are not included in the budget reductions include supports in employment, disability-related health supports, help with daily activities at home
home and vehicle modifications, personal mobility equipment and transport, certain consumable products, and Specialist Disability Accommodation.
Participants who require continuous 24-hour disability support will have access to a new plan variation pathway if a support determination affects their plan. The NDIA says it will share more about this soon.
Compensation and existing participants
Access changes concerning certain work-related injuries or motor vehicle accidents apply to people who apply from 1 January 2028.
Existing participants continue under current arrangement, subject to continuing to meet the other eligibility criteria.
Plan management funding
Participants who request plan management and are eligible will continue to have it funded separately in their plans, apart from the assessment of their disability-related support needs.
Plan management is funded by the NDIA under Improved Life Choices in the Capacity Building budget. It does not come out of funding for other supports and costs nothing out of pocket.
For more detail about asking for this support, see First2Care's guide, How to Get Plan Management Added to Your NDIS Plan.
Debt recovery safeguards
The NDIA must tell a participant or provider that a debt exists, and explain why, before deciding whether to recover it.
Participants have 28 days to respond and providers have 14 days.
The low-value debt waiver threshold increases from $200 to $500.
Participants and providers may provide alternative evidence when records were not kept in the required format.
Fraud and integrity changes
The amendments also included measures relating to provider conduct, fraud and regulatory enforcement. These mostly affect providers and the NDIS rather than the everyday structure of a participant's plan.
What happens next?
The remaining reforms are being introduces in stages. The dates below come from the NDIA's implementation timeline for the new laws.
From 27 August 2026: Changes to unscheduled plan reassessment requests began. The Minister for Disability and the NDIS also became the decision maker on NDIS pricing.
From 1 October 2026: Budget reductions begin for Social Economic and Community Participation and Improved Daily Living Skills as plans are created or reassessed. The plan variation pathway opens for participants who require 24-hour disability support.
From December 2026: Claims must be submitted within 90 days of delivering a support.
From February 2027: Plan renewals and updated reasonable and necessary criteria begin.
From April 2027: The NDIA begins introducing a new way of planning.
From July 2027: Mandatory registration requirements expand for some providers.
From October 2027: The plan management provider panel is established, followed by a six-month transition period.
From January 2028: Access changes begin. Existing participants are reassessed progressively over three years.
From July 2028: A new commissioned support coordination and connection function begins.
Further rules and process are still being developed, particularly for the new way of planning, future access arrangements and the plan management panel.
What does this mean?
The changes will not affect everyone at the same time.
Current plans continue as they are. The budget reductions apply when a plan is next created, reassessed or renewed, rather than partway through existing plan. Providers can continue following the current NDIS pricing arrangements. If a confirmed change affects someone, the NDIA says it will provide information about what is changing and when.
Changes made through the usual planning process are separate from these reforms. A NDIS plan may still change when a person's needs or circumstances change.
How can you stay informed?
The information relevant to you may depend on your plan, supports or role.
When reading an update, check when it was published, when the change begins and who it applies to. Older articles may describe an earlier stage of the Bill and may no longer reflect the current position.
First2Care will continue reviewing official information as the changes are introduced. When a confirmed change affects plan management, we will explain what has changed, what it may mean for plan-managed funding and whether any action is needed. Where information is still being developed, we will say so rather than guess.
If you have questions about your plan-managed funding, you are welcome to talk it through with us on 1300 322 273 or email support@first2care.com.au. We are here to help you understand the changes that are relevant to you.
