NDIS Changes – What You Need to Know

The NDIS is changing from Thursday, 3rd October 2024. These changes will affect how you can use your NDIS funding. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s Changing?

NDIS Supports

From now on, NDIS funding can only be used on ‘NDIS Supports’. The NDIA has two lists: one for things you can spend your funding on, and one for banned items you can’t use your funding for. You can see both lists in Plain English and Easy Read here.

If your current plan has something that is now on the ‘banned’ list, you can still use your funding for it, but only if it’s already written in your plan. If you were told over the phone or by email that you could use your funding for something that is now banned, you won’t be able to do that from 3rd October 2024.

Providers have 30 days to understand these new rules. Participants and nominees have 12 months to get used to the changes. The NDIA will explain the rules to everyone over the next year.

Replacements

If something you want to buy is on the banned list, you may be able to ask for a replacement. You can ask for a replacement if you need:

1. Normal household items like a robot vacuum, small fridge, dishwasher, or kitchen appliances

You can only ask for a replacement if:

• You need the item because of your disability
• It will help you be more independent
• It will reduce the need for a support worker or other disability-specific tools

1. A smartwatch, tablet, smartphone, or any app that helps with communication or accessibility

You can only ask for a replacement if:

• You need it for communication or accessibility related to your disability registered with NDIS

To apply for a replacement, contact the National Contact Centre, your NDIS Planner, LAC, or ECA Coordinator. The NDIA has a team who will decide if you can get a replacement. They will contact you to talk about it. If they say no, you can’t appeal the decision. You can only ask for a replacement once every 12 months, or earlier if your plan ends sooner.

Funding Periods

For now, the longest NDIS plan you can have is for 12 months. Later, you will be able to choose a longer plan (like 2, 3, or 5 years), but for now, funding will be limited to 12 months at a time. If you don’t spend all your money in the first year, you can still use it in the second year. This doesn’t apply to funding for big equipment, which you can still access all at once if needed.

There may also be shorter plans available later, like for 1, 3, or 6 months.

Debts

If you buy something from the banned list and it’s not in your plan, the NDIA might ask you to pay the money back. This is called a debt. But for the first 12 months from 3rd October 2024, there are special rules to give you more flexibility. During this time, the NDIA will only ask you to pay the money back if the cost is more than $1,500, or if they’ve already warned you twice about buying non-NDIS supports.

If the purchase is over $1,500, a debt might still be raised, but the NDIA will look at whether you made the purchase by mistake or didn’t know it was banned. They will also think about your disability when deciding if the debt should be canceled. The NDIA will work with participants and nominees to help everyone understand the new rules and will explain things before taking any action.

For more detailed information on these changes and their implications for participants and providers, visit the Department of Social Services. You can stay updated with ongoing developments by checking out NDIS Latest News, and by signing up to the Every Australian Counts mailing list here: https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/join-the-every-australian-counts-mailing-list/