Key points
- The NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 passed the Senate 28 votes to 12 on 18 August 2026 with 32 amendments, passed the House on 19 August and received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026.
- Unscheduled reassessments can now only be requested by the participant, their nominee or guardian, and only for a significant and ongoing change.
- The Minister can set price limits and can reduce funding for specified groups of supports.
- Plans will have end dates and formal renewals.
- New offences cover kickbacks and inducements and the destruction of records. Whistleblower protections begin 1 July 2027.
The 2024 "Getting the NDIS Back on Track" Act introduced NDIS supports lists, funding periods and impairment notices. The 2026 Act goes further, giving the Minister and the NDIA tools to manage the scheme's budget directly. It was introduced on 14 May 2026, examined by a Senate Community Affairs inquiry in June, and amended 62 times before it passed.
1. Fewer surprise reassessments
From the day of Royal Assent, the NDIA can no longer start an unscheduled reassessment on its own initiative in most circumstances. A reassessment outside the normal cycle must be requested by the participant, their nominee or guardian, and must be for a significant and ongoing change in circumstances. For families who have lived with the anxiety of an unexpected review letter, this is a genuine improvement.
2. Plan end dates and renewals
Plans will carry an end date and go through a renewal process rather than being extended indefinitely. The first large-scale use of this is the 1 October 2026 budget reset, with renewals from 1 February 2027. Read our explainer on the October budget changes.
3. The Minister sets prices
Price limits are now made by Ministerial determination. The first was issued on 24 September 2026. Previously the NDIA set prices administratively.
4. Funding can be reduced for groups of supports
The Act allows the Minister to reduce funding for specified groups of supports across the scheme. This is the legal mechanism behind the reductions to community participation and daily living skills budgets.
5. Stronger integrity powers
- A new kickback and inducement offence takes effect three months after assent, around 20 November 2026. Offering or accepting gifts, cash or holidays in return for signing with a provider will be a criminal matter.
- Offences for destroying records began on 27 August 2026.
- Expanded NDIA compliance and fraud powers support the Fraud Fusion Taskforce.
- Whistleblower protections for workers who report misconduct start on 1 July 2027.
6. The modelling behind the Act
During the Senate inquiry the government tabled modelling that about 241,000 current participants would leave the NDIS by 2031, including roughly 154,000 aged 18 or under, with around 110,000 more people diverted to other programs before entering. Those are the numbers that explain Thriving Kids, Foundational Supports and the budget resets. They are projections, and the final shape depends on the new functional capacity assessments and state programs still being built.
What has not changed
Your current plan remains valid. Reasonable and necessary remains the test. You still have review rights, and the Administrative Review Tribunal can still hear appeals. Support coordination and plan management continue as now until the commissioned models begin in 2027 and 2028.
Timeline at a glance
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 20 August 2026 | Royal Assent; reassessment limits commence |
| 27 August 2026 | Record destruction offences commence |
| 24 September 2026 | First Ministerial pricing determination |
| 1 October 2026 | Budget resets for new and reassessed plans; Thriving Kids begins |
| About 20 November 2026 | Kickback and inducement offence commences |
| 1 February 2027 | Renewals under new budget settings; no rollover of unspent funds |
| 1 April 2027 | New framework planning and support needs assessments begin (delayed from mid-2026) |
| 1 July 2027 | Whistleblower protections commence |
| 1 October 2027 | Commissioned plan management panel |
| 1 January 2028 | NDIS access changes for children aged 8 and under |
| 1 July 2028 | Commissioned support coordination |
Sources
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Bill has passed Parliament (August 2026) and summary of final changes
- Parliament of Australia, Bill homepage
- NDIS, Securing the NDIS for Future Generations
- ABC News, Inquiry told an estimated 240,000 people will exit the scheme (12 June 2026)
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Reform timeline (July 2026)
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Commencement dates for some provisions depend on proclamation and rules. Check the official sources above.
