NDIS Plan Changes From 1 October 2026: What Families Need to Know

The biggest change to the NDIS since the scheme began is now law. The NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 passed Parliament and received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026.

You have probably seen headlines about cuts. Some of what is circulating is right, and some of it is not. Here is what actually changes, when it reaches your plan, and what you can do about it now.

What happens on 1 October 2026?

From 1 October 2026, the NDIA begins resetting two budget categories when plans are reassessed or renewed:

• Social, civic and community participation budgets reset by 50% on average, back to around 2023 spending levels. This is the funding many people use for community access and group activities.
• Capacity building: daily activities budgets reset by 10% on average. This is the budget that often funds skill-building and training supports.

Those are averages across the whole scheme, not a fixed percentage off every plan. Your new amount will be set at your own reassessment, based on your needs and evidence.

Will my plan be cut on 1 October?

No, and this is the most misunderstood part. Nothing changes in the middle of a plan. The reset applies only when your plan is reassessed or renewed, and plans renew progressively across a 12-month window. If your plan runs to May 2027, your current funding stands until May 2027.

So the first thing to check is simple: your plan's end date. That is the date these changes reach you.

What is protected?

The Government's own explainer says critical supports are unaffected by the resets:

• In-home care and personal care
• Home modifications
• Mobility equipment and consumables
• Specialist disability accommodation (SDA, the housing itself)

High-intensity daily supports and 24/7 supported independent living (SIL, round-the-clock support in your own home) are also expressly carved out. If your funding is mostly personal care and daily living, the October resets are not aimed at you.

What has already changed (since 27 August 2026)?

Some parts of the Act started seven days after it became law:

• Only you can ask for an early plan reassessment. A request can now come only from the participant, their plan nominee, or a child's representative. Providers no longer have standing to lodge one for you. The NDIA then has up to 90 days to decide.
• Record keeping. Participants and plan managers now need to keep claim records for 3 years.

Is there anything new for people with 24-hour support needs?

Yes. From 1 October 2026 there is a new plan variation pathway for people who need continuous 24-hour care to meet their disability-related needs. It is designed to adjust funding without a full reassessment. If that describes you or your family member, ask about it at your next plan conversation.

What comes after October?

• 1 December 2026: claims must be lodged within 90 days of a support being delivered, down from two years. Expect your providers to invoice faster, and check statements while services are still fresh in your mind.
• 1 February 2027: unspent funds stop rolling over to your next plan. Renewed plans will be set at your assessed level instead.

What should you do now?

• Find your plan end date. It tells you how much time you have.
• Use your current plan as intended. From February 2027, money you did not use will not carry over.
• Keep your evidence current. Reports and assessments from your therapists and doctors are what set your funding at reassessment. Old evidence reads as less need.
• Know what your community funding achieves. If community participation matters to you, be ready to show the outcomes it buys: independence, connection, skills you use every week.
• Get help understanding your plan before your renewal, not after. Our plan review help page explains how to prepare.

Where InLife fits

We are a Registered NDIS Provider in Victoria, and most of what we deliver sits in the protected categories: daily living support, personal care, high-intensity supports and SIL. We have been tracking this legislation since it was introduced in May, and we wrote about its integrity-focused companion in plain English here.

If you want a clear picture of your current plan before the resets reach it, our free Plan Health Check takes about 15 minutes.

Call us on 03 7056 6625 in English, Farsi, Urdu, Hindi or Punjabi.

Sources: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, "About the changes to the NDIS" (health.gov.au) · fetched 1 September 2026. NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026, Act No. 66 of 2026, commencement table at s 2 (legislation.gov.au) · read 31 August 2026. NDIA, "Securing the NDIS for future generations" (ndis.gov.au) · fetched 16 May 2026.