Your NDIS plan reassessment checklist for 2026-27: how to prepare under the new rules

A plan reassessment (what used to be called a plan review) is the single most important meeting in your NDIS year. The 2024 and 2026 law changes have made it more structured and, in some ways, more predictable. They have also raised the stakes, because the budgets set at renewal are now harder to change mid-plan. Here is how we help participants and families prepare.

Twelve weeks out: know your dates

1. Find your plan end date in the my NDIS app or on page one of your plan.
2. Expect a letter or portal message about 60 days before that date. If it has not arrived by 45 days, call the NDIS on 1800 800 110.
3. Book your therapists now. Report writing takes time and good therapists are booked weeks ahead.
4. Check your spending. Significant underspend is often read as "not needed". From February 2027 it is also lost at renewal.

Eight weeks out: gather evidence

The NDIA makes decisions on evidence, not on how the meeting feels. Aim to have these ready:

• Therapy progress reports from each provider. Ask for functional language: what tasks you can and cannot do, the level of support required (prompting, supervision, hands-on), frequency, and the risk if support is withdrawn.
• Provider summaries from support workers or day programs describing what supports were delivered and what goals they served. We provide these for every participant before renewal.
• Medical letters for any change in diagnosis, medication or health.
• A carer statement written by a family member describing a typical week and the hours of informal support they provide. Be honest about what is sustainable.
• Quotes for any assistive technology or home modifications over $1,500.

Four weeks out: set goals that work

Goals shape budgets. Vague goals ("be more independent") attract vague funding. Try the structure "I want to [outcome] so that [why it matters]. To do this I need [support]." For example: "I want to travel to TAFE independently so that I can finish my certificate. To do this I need travel training with a support worker twice a week for six months, then once a fortnight."

Keep goals to three or four. Make at least one about community or relationships and one about skills or independence, because those map to the budget categories being reviewed most closely.

Understand what the new plan will look like

Feature	What it means
Total budget and components	Plans state the total amount and the amount for each support type.
Funding periods	Most budgets are released in three-month periods. You cannot spend a later period early, but unused funds within the plan carry to the next period.
Plan end date	Plans now have an end date and go through a formal renewal.
Stated supports	Some items (for example SIL or specific equipment) must be spent exactly as stated.
NDIS supports lists	Only items on the "NDIS supports" list can be purchased. Replacement supports are limited to five categories of everyday technology.

The meeting itself

• Bring a support person: a family member, advocate or your support coordinator.
• Start with what is working and what has changed. Planners respond to a clear story.
• Describe your worst days as well as your typical days. Plans must cover the hard weeks.
• Ask directly: "Will my community participation budget change under the October 2026 settings?" and "How will funding periods be set?"
• If you have 24-hour or safety-critical supports, say so and ask about a variation to maintain them.
• Take notes, or ask the planner to send a summary.

When the plan arrives

1. Read it against your goals and your evidence. Check each budget category.
2. If something is missing or lower than expected, you have three months to request an internal review of the decision. Put the request in writing and attach the relevant evidence.
3. If the internal review does not resolve it, you can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal.
4. Update service agreements with your providers so spending matches the new budget and funding periods.

Mistakes we see most often

• Waiting for the renewal letter before booking therapists.
• Reports that list test scores but not support needs.
• Describing only the good days.
• Not disclosing the hours family members provide, which hides the true level of need.
• Assuming a plan will "roll over" the same as last year. Under the current reforms it may not.

What is coming after April 2027

From 1 April 2027 the NDIA plans to introduce support needs assessments using the I-CAN tool for participants aged 16 and over. The assessment conversation will cover much the same ground as this checklist, which is why building the habit of documenting your week now will pay off later. Read our update on the new planning framework.