October 2025 — Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is undergoing one of its most significant shake-ups since its inception, as the Federal Government begins implementing a raft of reforms based on the findings of the Independent Review into the Scheme. The primary focus of the changes is to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the NDIS while shifting the focus back to the original goal of putting people with disability at the centre.
Key changes being rolled out include new legislative powers and rules, which started in late 2024 and throughout 2025. These reforms aim to:
Introduce Foundational Supports: A major recommendation is for the joint funding and commissioning of a broader, coherent set of foundational disability supports outside of individual NDIS plans. This is intended to support people with disability who do not meet the Scheme’s access criteria, easing the pressure on the NDIS budget.
Improve Planning and Pricing: New pricing arrangements were introduced on July 1, 2025, including a move to a national rate for some therapy supports and an increase in support worker pay limits to reflect higher minimum wages. There are also new rules for managing plan funding and plan reassessments to ensure consistency and budget stability.
Enhance Quality and Safety: The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission continues to focus on protecting the rights of participants, with enhanced regulatory powers to monitor the market and ensure providers and workers are held accountable for quality and safety standards.
The government has stressed that these changes are designed to ensure the scheme is there for the future generations of Australians who need it, but the reforms have drawn mixed reactions, with some disability advocates expressing concern that measures aimed at “sustainability” could result in reduced or restricted supports for participants.
Source: Link: Changes to the NDIS Act