The New NDIS Planning Process: What It Means for Participants and the Sector
The NDIS is rolling out a new planning framework from mid‑2026, intended to make plans fairer, more consistent, and easier to understand. While these changes aim to simplify the planning process, they have raised concerns across the disability sector — particularly around the role of human judgment, choice, control, and participant voice.
What’s Changing?
Under the new framework, participants’ plans will be guided primarily by a structured Support Needs Assessment. This assessment focuses on the supports someone requires in daily life, rather than relying heavily on multiple external reports from therapists or other professionals. The process also introduces:
Flexible budgets designed to support participant goals
Longer plan durations to reduce frequent plan reviews
A structured, evidence-based approach intended to bring consistency across participants’ plans
The intent is clear: to make planning simpler, more transparent, and focused on what supports participants need in their everyday lives, however will this be the outcome?
Why the Changes Matter
For participants, the new system could mean:
Plans that better reflect individual goals and strengths
Reduced need for costly external reports
Streamlined planning conversations, with fewer administrative hurdles
For providers and planners, it promises consistency, fairness, and potentially a faster, more predictable planning process. Sounds like a dream, right?
Concerns from the Sector
Despite these intended benefits, there are growing concerns across the disability sector:
Choice, Control, and Voice
Some industry voices fear the structured assessment process could limit participant choice. By relying heavily on pre-determined assessment tools, there’s a risk that participants’ lived experience and personal goals may be overlooked in funding decisions.Reduced Human Input
Planners and advocates have expressed concerns that human judgment may be removed from funding calculations. While structured tools can increase consistency, they may also reduce the ability of planners to apply discretion or respond empathetically to individual circumstances.Risk of Impersonal Plans
There’s concern that plans could become too rigid or formulaic, potentially not reflecting the full complexity of a participant’s needs, lifestyle, or aspirations.Morale and Professional Expertise
Some planners have reported feeling constrained, with less opportunity to use their professional knowledge and experience to influence outcomes. This raises broader questions about workforce morale and retention.
Balancing the Benefits and Risks
The new planning framework is not without potential. It could:
Simplify planning
Make budgets more consistent
Reduce administrative burden for participants
However, it’s essential that safeguards are in place to ensure:
Participants remain at the centre of planning decisions
Human judgment and empathy are preserved
Participants have real opportunities to appeal decisions or adjust plans if needed
Without this balance, there is a real risk that choice, control, and voice — the very principles the NDIS is built on — could be diminished.
The Conversation Moving Forward
The disability sector is actively discussing these issues, and participants should feel empowered to:
Engage in conversations with their Support Coordinators or Local Area Coordinators (LACs)
Ask questions about how assessments and budgets are calculated
Stay informed and involved in planning decisions to maintain their choice and control
The coming months will be critical in ensuring the new NDIS planning framework truly supports participants, rather than replacing human judgment and individualised planning with rigid, one-size-fits-all processes.
📖 Want to learn more?
Check out our most recent blog for a deeper dive into what these changes mean for you and your family: https://consultations.health.gov.au/ndis/nfp-public-consultation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
💬 Want to chat with us?
If you’d like support understanding these changes, preparing for future planning conversations, or advocating for your needs, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us on 0430 119 785 or info@rosiedisabilityservices.com.au