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The NDIA recently announced some changes to the NDIS – including an update to Section 33 of the NDIS Act. Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing, how it affects participant plans, and what to expect from here.
What’s changing?
The way NDIS plans are set out is changing to make funding information clearer. Plans can run up to 5 years, but the NDIA will now split funding into different time periods depending on the category and type of support. New plans will now include:
- Total funding amount at the top of the plan
- Funding component amounts grouped by support category
- Four new NDIA rejection reasons (yet to be revealed)
- Funding periods (weekly, monthly or quarterly), which vary by component (it’s up to your NDIS planner’s discretion on how this is split)
What are funding periods?
Funding periods are set timeframes in your NDIS plan that show when and how much funding you can use. They aim to make budgeting easier and help you avoid overspending or running out of funds too early.
Examples of funding periods could include:
- SIL (Supported Independent Living) – Weekly
- Home and Living – Monthly
- Core (Flexible) – Quarterly
NDIS participants will need to spend their funding within the amount released for each funding period – any unspent funds will roll over to the next funding period.
Who’s affected by the Section 33 changes?
The recent changes apply to participants with new (or reassessed) plans approved after 19 May 2025. Existing plans approved before this date are not affected.
Why are the changes important?
These changes aim to make things clearer and easier for participants. They provide:
- Greater transparency around funding
- A better structure for planning supports
- A clearer breakdown of when and how funding can be used
The goal is to help participants manage their budgets more confidently and avoid overspending.
What can you do if you’re unhappy with your plan?
If you feel that your funding fails to meet your needs, it’s best to request a plan reassessment with the NDIS (or your NDIS contact). Otherwise, you’ll need to wait for the next funding period or your new plan to access extra funding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
They do. One of the changes to the NDIS Act includes an update to Section 33. This affects how funding is allocated in your NDIS plan and how your supports are provided.
One of the changes to the NDIS law is an update to Section 33. This affects how funding is set up in your plan and how your supports are provided.
For plans created before 19 May 2025:
Funding was allocated as a single total amount to cover the entire plan period (which can be 1 to 5 years).
For plans starting on or after 19 May 2025:
Funding is divided into separate time periods, depending on the support category. Each portion is intended to be used within the specific timeframe set out in your plan.
This change doesn’t affect the total funding amount. It simply changes when you can access your funds – for example, quarterly.
Funding amount (sometimes referred to as Budget amount by the NDIS) is the total value of your NDIS plan. It represents the total cost of all supports funded over the entire plan period.
Funding amount is divided into funding components (Core, Capital, Capacity Building).
Funding component is the total amount of funding you have for a specific support, or a group of reasonable and necessary supports, over the full length of your plan. Funding components are aligned with support categories. For example, the Core funding component might include support for daily activities, while Capacity Building could cover therapies or training.
Each funding component has its own funding period.
Funding periods are fixed timeframes that determine when and how much of your funding is available. In other words, a funding period defines when a portion of the plan’s funding becomes accessible, and how long that funding is intended to last.
Funding periods do not change the total amount in your NDIS plan; they simply affect the timing of access. They may apply to the total funding amount (full plan) or to specific funding components.
You can spend up to the amount available during each funding period.
Funding periods may also be referred to as funding drops, and can be:
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Quarterly
Depending on the type of support.
Example: In a 12-month plan:
- SIL funding may drop weekly
- Core funding may be divided into four quarterly funding periods (which may or may not be equal in length)
- Each period will include a date range and allocated amount
Example: Jim has a 1-year plan
Jim’s Core funding is divided into four quarterly funding periods over the year. Each funding period has a start and end date and is allocated an equal portion of the annual Core budget.
For plans starting on and after 19 May 2025, funding is often allocated in set periods (e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly). Here’s how unused funds are treated:
Can unused funding be rolled over to the next funding period (within the same plan)?
✅ Yes – unused funds from one funding period can be used in the next, within the same plan.
Can funding from a future funding period be brought forward?
❌ No – you can’t access future funding early. Extenuating circumstances requiring funding to be brought forward require NDIA approval.
Can unused funding be rolled over to the next plan period (new plan)?
❌ No – any unused funds from a previous plan can’t be carried over to a new plan.
Funding periods are set by your planner when your plan is created. If, during your plan, you feel the timing of your funding isn’t quite working for your needs, you can contact the NDIA. There are three main ways you can request a change to your funding periods: Plan Variation, Internal Review and Plan Reassessment.
Yes, your providers can claim for supports delivered in a previous funding period if:
- The invoice dates fall within your overall plan period, and
- There are sufficient unspent or rolled-over funds from the previous period.
For customers plan managed by Plan Tracker, we have refreshed our Portals to reflect the current funding periods, so that you have complete visibility over your budgets in line with the new funding periods.
Providers will not be able to see the funding periods in your plan unless you have shared this with them. Therefore, if you have agreements in place with particular providers, it is important they are aware of your different funding periods.
Learn more about about the Plan Tracker Portal now.
If you do not have plan management with Plan Tracker, you can see your funding periods in the following ways through:
- the participant portal (also known as myplace portal)
- the My NDIS app
- the plan document
What will you see?
- how much funding is available in each period
- how much has been used
- how much funding has been released in the plan so far
- when the next amount will become available