The Australian Government has passed new legislation aimed at securing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for the long term.
The new NDIS laws were passed by Parliament on 19 August 2026. While the reforms will bring significant changes to the way the NDIS operates, participants do not need to make immediate changes to their current plans or supports.
According to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), participants can continue using their existing NDIS plans and supports as usual while the reforms are introduced gradually.
What will change under the new NDIS laws?
Over the coming years, the new legislation will introduce changes across several areas of the NDIS, including:
- NDIS access and eligibility – changes to how people access the Scheme.
- Planning – changes to how NDIS plans are developed and reviewed.
- Funding – changes to how NDIS funding can be used.
- Provider requirements – changes affecting how providers deliver supports.
- Fraud and compliance – stronger measures for addressing fraud and misuse of NDIS funds.
- Pricing – changes to how NDIS prices are determined.
These reforms will not all happen at once. The changes are expected to be introduced progressively over the coming years, with consultation with people with disability, families, carers, providers and the wider disability community.
When will the changes start?
Some changes are expected to begin shortly, including changes relating to plan reassessments and record keeping.
Changes affecting social and community participation funding are expected to begin phasing in from October 2026.
Other reforms will be introduced progressively over the next few years.
Important: Eligibility changes are not happening immediately
One of the most important points for current and prospective participants is that NDIS eligibility changes will not occur until 1 January 2028.
The NDIA has confirmed that people with a permanent and significant disability will continue to be able to access the NDIS.
This means participants should not assume that the passage of the new legislation automatically changes their eligibility or current supports.
What does this mean for current NDIS participants?
For now, participants can continue to use their plans and supports as normal.
The NDIA has also highlighted an important distinction: changes to an individual’s NDIS plan through the usual planning process should not automatically be interpreted as part of the new reforms.
NDIS plans can increase or decrease as a person’s needs change. These ordinary planning changes are separate from the broader reforms introduced by the new legislation.
The NDIA says participants will be informed when a reform affects them and will receive information about what is changing and when.
What does this mean for NDIS providers?
Providers should also prepare for changes over the coming months and years.
The reforms will affect areas such as provider obligations, the delivery of supports, record keeping, pricing and measures designed to prevent fraud and misuse of NDIS funding.
Providers should continue monitoring official NDIS communications so they can understand when specific requirements come into effect and how those changes may affect their services and participants.
A gradual transition
The passage of the new NDIS laws represents a significant step in the Australian Government’s plan to reform and sustain the Scheme.
However, the changes will be introduced gradually rather than all at once. The disability community will also have opportunities to participate in consultation as further reforms are developed and implemented.
For participants, the key message for now is simple: continue using your current NDIS plan and supports as usual unless you are told otherwise.
As more details become available, participants, families, carers and providers should look to official NDIS information for updates about when specific changes will apply.
Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), New NDIS laws pass.