NDIS Reforms 2026: What Melbourne Participants Need to Knowg Post

The Australian Government is making the biggest changes to the NDIS since the scheme launched in 2013. If you're an NDIS participant in Melbourne, or a family member supporting one, you'll want to understand what's changing and when.

On 14 May 2026, the Government introduced the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 to Parliament. As of August 2026, the Bill has not yet passed, and the NDIA has confirmed that nothing changes for participants until the law is enacted. Your current plan stays in place, and you don't need to take any action right now.

That said, knowing what's proposed will help you prepare.

What the reforms cover

The changes focus on three main areas: clarifying who is eligible for the NDIS and what supports it funds, addressing fraud within the scheme, and updating how the NDIA operates.

Eligibility will shift towards a functional capacity assessment model. Instead of relying on a diagnosis alone, the NDIA will look at how your disability affects your ability to carry out daily activities. Diagnosis lists will be removed over time, with standardised assessments phased in.

The rules around what counts as "reasonable and necessary" supports will be tightened, and the boundary between the NDIS and mainstream services (like health, education and housing) will be drawn more clearly. These changes are expected to begin from 1 February 2027 for new entrants and at plan reassessment for existing participants.

Community participation funding is changing

From 1 October 2026, budgets for social, civic and community participation supports will be progressively adjusted. The Government has described this as a reset to bring spending back to 2023 levels.

Budget allocations for social and community participation supports will be reduced by around 50 per cent. Capacity building daily activity allocations will be reduced by around 10 per cent. Average spend in this category is expected to drop from around $31,000 to $26,000 per participant.

These changes will be applied at your next plan review, not all at once. Daily living and essential care supports are not affected.

New framework planning

A new planning framework will start rolling out from April 2027. The Government has committed to consultation with participants, families, carers and advocates before this begins. Your current plan will remain in place until it's your turn to transition.

Unscheduled plan reassessments

Once the legislation passes, unscheduled plan reassessments will be restricted to exceptional circumstances only. This takes effect within seven days of the law receiving Royal Assent.

What you should do now

You don't need to make any changes to your current plan. If you have unspent community participation funding, talk to your support coordinator or plan manager about using it before your next plan review. Stay informed through the official NDIS website at ndis.gov.au and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing at health.gov.au.

At Mirai Wellbeing, we keep up with changes to the NDIS so we can guide our participants through transitions with confidence. If you have questions about what the 2026 reforms mean for your plan, get in touch with our team in Melbourne.