13/05/2026
FEDERAL BUDGET 2026 AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR PARTICIPANTS ON THE NDIS
Brief overview!
The 2026 Budget does not change your NDIS plan today — it focuses on long‑term reforms, stronger services, and easing cost‑of‑living pressure.
1. Your NDIS Plan No changes to:
Your current plan
Your funding
Your supports
Your eligibility
Your review dates
What’s coming in future years
The Government continues preparing for:
A new planning framework (expected from 2027).
Clearer rules for what is “reasonable and necessary”.
Better coordination between NDIS and mainstream services.
More consistent decision‑making.
Nothing changes for participants right now.
2. Cost‑of‑Living Support
While not NDIS‑specific, some measures may help participants and families:
Cheaper medicines through reduced PBS co‑payments.
Energy reliability investments to stabilise bills.
Tax offsets for working participants and carers (from 2027–28).
3. Housing and Home Modifications
The Budget includes major housing reforms that may indirectly affect participants:
More funding to support up to 65,000 new homes
Incentives for new builds (negative gearing changes)
Reforms to help 75,000 more Australians buy a home
NDIS home modifications, SDA, and SIL rules do not change.
4. Health, Hospitals & Aged Care
These changes support people with disability who rely on mainstream services:
$25 billion extra for public hospitals.
More aged‑care beds and home‑care packages.
More investment in mental health and regional health access.
This may reduce wait times and improve access to essential services outside the NDIS.
5. Workforce & Support Worker Availability
The Budget invests in:
Skilled migration for care, health, and disability sectors.
Faster skills assessments for trades and essential workers.
Training and workforce development.
This is aimed at improving support worker availability over time.
6. Transport, Community & Inclusion
While not NDIS‑specific, the Budget includes:
Funding for community infrastructure
Transport upgrades
Local services that support participation
These improvements help participants engage more easily in community life.
7. What Stays the Same for Now
Your plan continues as normal
You can still request plan reviews.
Supports remain unchanged.
Eligibility rules remain unchanged.
No new participant costs or co‑payments.
8. What Support Coordinators Should Know
No immediate operational changes
Continue preparing strong evidence for reviews
Keep participants informed but not alarmed
Expect more detail on NDIS reforms later in 2026–27
Housing and cost‑of‑living measures may affect participants indirectly
