Key points
- There is no new "NDIS Navigator" role starting in 2026. Government documents now describe commissioned plan management and commissioned support coordination.
- Plan management: from 1 October 2027 the NDIA will run a panel of plan managers. There is a six-month transition. Panel providers may deliver only plan management, and plan management funding will be added to plans separately from the support needs assessment.
- Support coordination: from 1 July 2028 the NDIA will commission organisations by region. Funding for support coordination will leave participant plans.
- Local area coordinator and early childhood partner agreements have been extended to 30 June 2027.
- Until those dates, all three levels of support coordination and plan management continue with prices unchanged.
Many participants heard the word "navigator" during the 2023 NDIS Review and have been waiting to find out what it means. The 2026-27 Budget and the Securing the NDIS reform timeline now give a clear answer: rather than a new profession, the government will directly commission the two intermediary services that most participants already use.
Plan management from 1 October 2027
Today, participants choose from hundreds of plan managers and the fee is paid from the plan. From 1 October 2027:
- The NDIA will appoint a panel of plan management providers through a procurement process.
- Panel members must be plan management only. A business that also delivers support work or therapy will not be able to sit on the panel, removing a long-standing conflict of interest.
- Participants will still be able to choose among panel providers, and funding for plan management will be allocated separately from the budget set by the support needs assessment.
- A six-month transition is planned for participants whose current plan manager is not on the panel.
Support coordination from 1 July 2028
Support coordination will change more fundamentally. The NDIA will commission organisations to deliver support coordination in defined regions, and the funding will no longer sit in individual plans. The intent is to guarantee access for people who need help navigating the system, including those who currently miss out because their plan has no support coordination line, and to remove incentives for providers to refer participants to their own services. The mandatory registration of support coordinators has been paused for this reason.
What happens to local area coordinators and early childhood partners
Partner agreements were extended in July 2025 to run until 30 June 2027. The government has not yet announced the model after that date. Home and living supports (SIL) are also moving to a commissioned model, with consultation that opened in July 2026.
What this means in practice
| If you are… | Now until late 2027 | From the change date |
|---|---|---|
| Plan-managed | Keep your plan manager. Prices unchanged at $104.45 a month. | Choose from the NDIA panel; six months to move if needed. |
| Using a support coordinator | Keep your coordinator; Levels 1 to 3 continue. | A commissioned regional organisation provides support coordination; funding leaves your plan. |
| Self-managed | No change. | No change expected to self-management itself. |
Questions worth asking your providers now
- Plan manager: "Do you also deliver supports, and do you intend to apply for the panel?"
- Support coordinator: "How will you help me prepare for the April 2027 planning changes and the 2028 transition?"
- Any provider: "Can you show me your registration and worker screening?"
Sources
- NDIS, Changes to plan management
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Securing the NDIS reform timeline (July 2026)
- NDIS, Existing partner agreements extended to June 2027 (22 July 2025)
- NDIS Commission, Mandatory registration (support coordination pause)
Dates reflect the government's published timeline as at September 2026 and may be adjusted by rules made under the Act.
