NDIS reform hub
The NDIS reform bill 2026: what it is, where it stands, and what it means.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 is the most significant change to the NDIS since it launched in 2013. It has passed the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate. This hub brings together plain-English coverage of what the bill does, who it affects and what is being said about it — with every claim linked to its original source.
Last updated 16 August 2026. This page is updated as the bill progresses.
Where things stand right now
The bill passed the House of Representatives and was introduced to the Senate on 12 August 2026. A Labor-led Senate inquiry recommended on 14 August that the bill be passed without substantial changes. A deal between the government and the Coalition is expected. The Greens have said they will vote against it. The bill has not yet passed into law.
What is the bill?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 was introduced to Parliament on 14 May 2026. It makes changes to the NDIS Act 2013 aimed at slowing the growth of the scheme, tightening eligibility, reducing average plan sizes, and strengthening oversight of providers and claims. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing describes the changes as designed to put the NDIS back on a sustainable footing for current and future generations.
What are the headline numbers?
The government's projections show the reforms would cut $37.8 billion from scheme growth over four years and reduce the number of participants from around 760,000 to approximately 600,000 by 2030. The average plan size is projected to fall from around $31,000 to $26,000. These figures are from the government's own modelling.
What changes for participants?
Eligibility is shifting from a diagnosis-based model toward a functional capacity model — meaning the focus moves to how a person's impairment affects their daily life, not just what the diagnosis is. The definition of 'permanent' impairment is also tightened. Social and community participation funding in plans is being reduced. Most participants will not be directly affected until their next plan review or reassessment.
What changes for providers?
The bill expands the NDIA's powers to investigate and respond to fraud and non-compliance. Providers face closer audit attention from 1 July 2026 onwards. Mandatory registration is expanding — starting with Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers from July 2026, with broader expansion by end of 2030. A new digital claims and payments system is being rolled out from July 2026.
What changes for families and carers?
Advocacy groups have raised concerns that participants who lose NDIS support may fall back on family members and unpaid carers. The government has downplayed concerns that state-based disability supports will not be ready to fill any gaps. The bill includes a provision that no one can be required to try a treatment or medication they do not want as a condition of accessing the NDIS.
What do advocates say?
The response from disability advocacy organisations has been strongly negative. People with Disability Australia (PWDA), Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA), Every Australian Counts, and 12 other organisations have opposed the bill in its current form. They argue it shifts the scheme away from rights, choice and control toward rationing, and warn that participants who lose NDIS support will face isolation, reduced independence and increased reliance on unpaid carers.
Has the Senate inquiry reported?
Yes. On 14 August 2026 the Community Affairs Legislation Committee released its report after more than nine weeks of inquiry, six days of hearings and more than 4,500 submissions — the vast majority of which opposed the bill. The committee's only recommendation was that the bill be passed. The Greens issued a dissenting report opposing the bill.
When will this affect me?
Changes are being rolled out in stages through 2026 to 2030. Some changes — such as stronger audit powers and the digital payments rollout — are already underway. Changes to plan sizes began mid-2026. New eligibility criteria are not expected to affect most existing participants until 2027 or 2028 at the earliest. Nothing changes for your current plan until your next scheduled plan review.
Read more on Juste
Official sources
- Dept of Health, Disability and Ageing — Bill overview
- Securing the NDIS for Future Generations — reform timeline
- SBS News — Government admits NDIS reforms will impact families (16 August 2026)
- Green Left — Labor, Coalition set to pass NDIS bill (15 August 2026)
- Honi Soit — Senate inquiry tables report (August 2026)
- Centre of Hope — NDIS reforms 2026 full timeline
- Dedicated Plan Management — NDIS bill update August 2026
This page is general information only and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDIA or the Department of Health. For official information visit ndis.gov.au. For advice about your own plan speak to your planner, support coordinator or an independent advocate.