With lots of NDIS changes and news taking place, we have collated a summary of some of the items that might be of interest to our community.
End of transition period for support rules
As of 3 October 2025, the NDIS officially ended the 12-month transition period that allowed participants to claim certain supports not clearly listed in the new NDIS support rules. Until now, if someone accidentally used NDIS funds for a support not on the approved list for claims under $1,500, the NDIA were not raising a debt. This is no longer the case.
From now on, all claims must match the current approved NDIS support categories. If a participant uses their plan to purchase something that is no longer covered, they may be required to pay that money back. It’s more important than ever to make sure your claims are aligned with what the NDIS considers “reasonable and necessary”.
You can check whether your funding claim is listed using the NDIS Support Lists webpage.
New two-year limit for claiming supports
Another change is the introduction of a two-year time limit for submitting claims. Starting 3 October 2025, participants, nominees and plan managers will only be able to claim for supports that were delivered within the past two years. Claims made for services more than 2 years ago will now be automatically rejected by the NDIS system. You can read more about that at the NDIS website.
NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee
The NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee (EAC) is a new expert group helping the Australian Government decide which supports should be funded through the NDIS. The committee looks at whether different services and products are safe, effective and offer good value for money. It includes professionals and people with lived experience of disability.
Right now, the committee is asking for public feedback on six specific supports, such as assistance animals for people with autism or intellectual disability, seizure alert dogs, smart home tech and exercise physiology.The consultation is open until 9 November and it’s a great chance for the community to have a say in shaping NDIS support options. You can provide feedback on these supports by filling in this NDIS survey.
New Planning Framework Plans: introducing I-CAN Assessments
In a major development, the NDIA announced the rollout of a new assessment tool called I-CAN (Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs) on 25 September 2025.
I-CAN is designed to be used by trained assessors. This new tool is being adapted for NDIS use in partnership with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies and will be used with participants over the age of 16 in the context of their personal and environmental circumstances.
I-CAN is being introduced as part of the shift toward a new NDIS planning framework, which will replace the “old framework” over time. Under this new model, funding will be determined by a structured assessment of an individual’s support needs rather than based solely on goals and categories. The aim is to create a fairer more equitable system that relies less on expensive reports provided by allied health and/or medical providers and looks at how a person functions in daily life by taking a holistic, person-centred approach. It is still unclear if reports from allied health and medical providers will be considered and/or can be included in plan reviews under the New Planning Framework. It has been stated that for people with complex support needs, additional assessments may still apply.
Budgets will also include funding periods, meaning funds may be released gradually throughout the plan’s duration to support better financial management and reduce underspending or overspending.
Although the new framework was originally set to begin in late 2025, the NDIA has delayed its rollout to mid-2026. The agency has confirmed that the new system will be introduced gradually and is likely to begin with new participants and new plans. Your existing plan remains the same until you are transitioned to a “new framework plan’. You can view a sample of what I-CAN Assessments look like.
The Centre for Disability Studies also has some details about the assessment tool on its website.