NDIS plan reassessment: what to expect and how to prepare

Your NDIS plan does not last forever. At some point it is reassessed. This guide explains what that means, what happens, and how to get ready. It also covers new rules from 2026.

What a reassessment is

A plan reassessment is when the NDIS looks at your plan again and decides what comes next. It looks at your plan as a whole, not one item at a time.

You may hear other words: plan review, renewal, or plan variation. They are not all the same.

• Scheduled reassessment. Happens when your plan reaches its reassessment date.
• Unscheduled reassessment. You ask for one before the date, because something has changed.
• Variation. A smaller change to your current plan, without a full reassessment.
• Renewal. Under the 2026 law changes, a plan that reaches its date can be reassessed by an NDIA planner or renewed at the same level of supports.

For more on the differences, see the NDIS pages in our sources.

What happens at a scheduled reassessment

The steps can vary, but usually look like this:

1. A check-in. Your NDIS contact calls to ask how your plan has gone and whether the supports match your needs.
2. A planning meeting, if needed. You may meet an NDIS planner to create the new plan. This can be by phone, video or in person.
3. A decision. The NDIS decides on a new plan, a variation, or no change. If it says no to something, it should explain why.
4. Your new plan. You get the new plan and can ask questions about it.

You can bring a support person, a family member, a carer or an advocate. They can help you talk and take notes.

What may change from 2026

Reforms passed in 2026 changed several rules. Dates come from government documents and may be updated, so check ndis.gov.au.

Unscheduled reassessments (from 27 August 2026).

• Only the participant, their plan nominee or their guardian can ask for one.
• You must show a significant and ongoing change in your functional capacity and support needs. Or a significant and ongoing change in your living, education, work or informal support arrangements.
• The change does not need to be unexpected.
• The government says the NDIA has 90 days to decide. If it does not, the request is treated as refused and you have review rights.
• Variations are separate, and you can still ask for one.

Budgets (from 1 October 2026). The government has said budgets for some categories are reduced in new and reassessed plans. These include social, economic and community participation supports, and improved daily living skills. Supports such as help with eating and drinking, education, employment and disability-related health are said to be excluded. Check the government's participant FAQs for details.

Renewals and unused funds. Government timelines say that from 1 February 2027, unspent funds will not carry over to a renewed plan. Some sources give other dates, so confirm yours.

How to prepare

A little preparation helps. You do not need to be perfect. You need to be clear.

• Think about your goals. What do you want to do in the next plan?
• List what has worked. Which supports helped? What changed in your life?
• List what has not worked. Where did you run out? Where did you not use funding?
• Gather reports. Ask your therapists and providers for progress reports. The NDIS may ask for evidence of your progress.
• Write down changes. Health, home, family, work, study, anything that affects your needs.
• Plan who comes with you. Choose your support person or advocate in advance.
• Ask for what you need. Say if you need meetings in a different format, more time, or an interpreter.

Our guide to what is reasonable and necessary explains how the NDIS decides what to fund.

If you disagree with the result

You can ask for a review. The steps are:

1. Internal review. Ask the NDIA within three months of receiving the decision in writing. A different person looks at it. The NDIA aims to finish within 60 days.
2. Administrative Review Tribunal. If you still disagree, apply within 28 days of the internal review decision. The Tribunal may allow more time in some cases.

You can get help from a family member, friend, support coordinator or advocate. See what to do if something goes wrong with a provider for more places to get help.

Tips for a calmer process

• Keep a simple diary of how supports are working.
• Ask for dates in writing.
• Ask for a copy of your plan and any notes.
• Take breaks in long meetings.
• Do not sign or agree to anything you do not understand.

Support coordinators can help you prepare, but under the new rules they cannot request an unscheduled reassessment for you. If you have one, see what does a support coordinator do.

A simple timeline to follow

Use this as a rough guide. Your dates may differ.

• A few months before your plan ends: start collecting reports and thinking about goals.
• When your NDIS contact calls: ask what to expect, and who can come with you.
• Before the meeting: write your points on one page.
• At the meeting: say your goals first, then what has changed.
• After the meeting: ask when you will hear back, and make a note.
• When you get your new plan: read it, ask questions, and tell your providers.

Keep your notes in one folder, on paper or on your phone. They will help next time too.

About this guide

Goodo is independent. We are not part of, or endorsed by, the NDIA or the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This is general information, not advice. Rules change, so check ndis.gov.au or call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 about your own situation.