I-CAN v6 and the NDIS Review Process

Internal review and the ART explained — your rights, the process, and how to use them

Disclaimer: This article reflects publicly available information about NDIS review rights as at September 2026. Review processes and timelines may be subject to change. This guide does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, contact a disability advocate or community legal centre.

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Knowing your review rights before your I-CAN v6 assessment is not pessimistic preparation — it is complete preparation. The review pathway is part of the system's design, because even a well-designed assessment framework applied by a skilled assessor can produce outcomes that don't fully reflect genuine support needs. And when that happens, you need to know exactly what to do.

This guide explains the full review pathway: from the moment you receive your assessment result and plan, through internal review, to ART appeal.

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The Review Pathway at a Glance

Assessment → Implementation Meeting → Plan Issued
                                           ↓
                              Internal Review (3 months)
                                           ↓
                              Internal Review Decision
                                           ↓
                              ART Application (28 days)
                                           ↓
                              ART Proceedings & Decision

Your existing plan and supports continue at each stage of this process.

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Step 1: The Implementation Meeting — Your First Opportunity

Before any formal review process begins, you have the right to an implementation meeting with the NDIA after your assessment report is issued.

This meeting is designed to discuss how the plan has been constructed in response to the assessment. It is your first and often best opportunity to raise concerns — because it does not require formal review, it can produce faster adjustments, and it creates a record of concerns raised.

At the implementation meeting:

• Ask the NDIA to walk through how each section of the plan reflects the assessment results
• Raise specific concerns about statements in the assessment that you believe are inaccurate
• Note any apparent disconnects between the assessment outcome and the plan that was built from it
• If your Support Coordinator or an advocate can attend, their presence is helpful

Document the meeting. If concerns are not addressed, formal review is the next step.

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Step 2: Internal Review

An internal review is a request for the NDIA to reconsider its own decision — specifically, the plan decision. A different NDIA reviewer examines the original decision and all available evidence.

Timeframe

3 months from the date you receive the NDIA's decision. This is the most important number to remember. If you are unsure whether to request a review, contact an advocate immediately — the 3-month window closes whether or not you have made a decision.

What Decisions Can Be Reviewed

You can request an internal review of any "reviewable decision" — which includes decisions about:

• Whether you are eligible for the NDIS
• What supports are included in your plan (funded supports)
• The funding amounts in your plan
• Decisions about specific support requests

How to Request an Internal Review

You can request an internal review:

• By phone: call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 and ask to request an internal review of your plan decision
• In writing: submit a written request to the NDIA
• Through the myNDIS portal

State clearly: the decision you are reviewing, the date you received it, and that you are requesting an internal review.

What to Submit

An internal review is more likely to succeed if it is supported by specific evidence. Your submission should include:

1. A clear statement of what you are asking for and why. Not "the plan is wrong" but "the plan allocated X for [support area], but my genuine needs require Y, for the following specific reasons..."

2. Evidence that corroborates your position:

• Allied health reports (OT, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology) that describe your functional support needs
• Carer statements
• Daily diary entries showing typical functioning
• Your I-CAN v6 preparation document (if you had one)
• Any other documentation that demonstrates the gap between the plan and your genuine needs

3. A copy of the assessment report with specific sections identified where you believe the assessment was inaccurate.

The stronger and more specific your evidence, the more likely the review is to produce a better outcome.

How to Write an Effective Internal Review Statement

The written statement you submit with your internal review request is your most important tool. Here is how to structure it:

Structure your statement in three parts:

Part 1 — What you are asking for, specifically. State the exact change you want: "I am requesting that the plan be amended to include [X hours of personal care support per week] in the [Core Supports] budget, increased from the current [Y hours]."

Part 2 — Why the current decision is wrong. For each area where you believe the plan is inadequate, set out:

• What the plan currently provides
• What your genuine need is
• The specific evidence that supports your position (reference each attached document)
• How the gap between the plan and your need affects your daily life

Use plain, specific language. Avoid emotional language. The reviewer is looking for evidence and reasoning, not expressions of distress — even though the distress is entirely understandable.

Part 3 — The evidence you are attaching. List each document you are including and briefly note what it demonstrates. "Attached: OT functional assessment dated [date] — supports a Level 4 rating for Self Care based on documented daily assistance requirements."

Language that works:

• "The assessment recorded [X]. However, the accurate description of my support needs is [Y], as demonstrated by [evidence]."
• "The plan allocated [X hours]. My OT assessment documents that I require [Y hours] because [specific functional reason]."
• "The I-CAN v6 report states that I can [activity] independently. This is inaccurate. On [frequency], I cannot manage [activity] without assistance, as documented in the attached [evidence type]."

Length: Aim for two to four pages. Longer submissions are acceptable but reviewers work efficiently through clear, organised submissions. Dot points are better than long paragraphs.

Timeframe for the Internal Review Decision

The NDIA aims to complete internal reviews within 28 days of receiving your request. Complex cases may take longer.

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Step 3: Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)

If the internal review does not produce a satisfactory outcome, you can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) — an independent external review body.

What Is the ART?

The ART (which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024) is an independent statutory body that reviews government decisions. It is not part of the NDIA. ART members are independent decision-makers who can examine the evidence, hear submissions from both parties, and substitute their own decision for the NDIA's.

The ART can:

• Confirm the NDIA's decision
• Vary the NDIA's decision (e.g., increase funding in specific areas)
• Set aside the NDIA's decision and substitute its own

Timeframe

You have 28 days from the date of the internal review decision to apply to the ART. Extensions may be granted in some circumstances — but do not assume you will get one. Apply promptly.

How to Apply

ART applications can be made through the ART's website (aat.gov.au). The ART has a specific division for NDIS matters. The application form asks for:

• Your details
• The decision you are reviewing
• The outcome you are seeking
• A brief explanation of why you believe the decision should be changed

What Happens After You Apply

1. Conciliation/mediation: Many NDIS ART matters are resolved through conciliation before a formal hearing. The ART brings both parties together (you and the NDIA) with a conciliator to try to reach agreement. Many cases are resolved at this stage.

2. Formal hearing: If conciliation does not resolve the matter, a formal hearing is held. Both parties present their case and evidence. The ART member makes a decision.

What to Expect at a Formal ART Hearing

If your matter proceeds to a formal hearing, here is what the process typically involves:

Before the hearing:

• The ART will set a hearing date and send you a notice
• Both parties (you and the NDIA) are required to exchange any documents and evidence they intend to rely on in advance — you will receive the NDIA's evidence and they will receive yours
• If you have a representative (advocate or lawyer), they will coordinate this with you
• Prepare a clear statement of what you are seeking and why, based on your evidence

On the day:

• Hearings can take place in person, by phone, or by video — check which format your hearing will use
• The ART member presides; both you (or your representative) and the NDIA present their positions
• You will have the opportunity to present your evidence and respond to the NDIA's position
• The atmosphere is less formal than a court, but more formal than a mediation — speak clearly and stick to the facts
• Bring copies of all your documents (three copies: one for you, one for the ART, one for the NDIA)
• You may be asked questions by the ART member — answer honestly and specifically

Practical tips:

• If you have representation, prepare thoroughly with your representative beforehand
• If you are self-represented, the ART registry staff can answer procedural questions (not legal advice)
• If your disability affects your ability to participate in a hearing, request accommodations in advance — extended time, communication support, a break during proceedings
• Focus on functional evidence: what you cannot do, how often, and what the consequences are

1. Decision: The ART's decision is final for the merits of the case, though it can be appealed on points of law to a higher court in exceptional circumstances.

What Evidence Matters at the ART

The ART considers the same types of evidence as an internal review, but with more formality. Current, specific, functional evidence is what matters:

• Recent allied health reports (ideally current — the ART considers what your needs are now, not what they were when the plan was issued)
• Expert evidence if available (treating specialist letters)
• Your own statement
• Carer and support worker statements

Getting Help with an ART Matter

Disability advocates, community legal centres, and disability legal services can assist with ART matters. Some provide full representation; others provide advice and coaching. Representation is strongly recommended for significant matters.

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Your Supports During the Review Process

This is a critical safeguard: Your current plan remains in full effect throughout the internal review and ART process. Your supports are not cut while a review is pending.

This means:

• If you receive a new plan you believe is inadequate, you can request an internal review while your previous plan's supports continue
• If your internal review is pending, your most recent plan remains active
• If you are at the ART, your most recent plan remains active

You do not have to choose between accepting an inadequate plan and losing supports.

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How Thorough Preparation Reduces the Likelihood of Needing a Review

The most effective way to avoid the review pathway is to ensure the assessment captures your genuine needs in the first place.

Participants who bring a thorough, specific, domain-by-domain preparation document to their assessment — with clear examples, quantified frequency, and documented consequences of unsupported functioning — give the assessor the information they need to produce an accurate result.

Participants who arrive without preparation often find that their verbal account in a 90-minute session understates their genuine needs — because assessment pressure, good-day effects, or difficulty articulating complex experiences lead to descriptions that don't fully capture reality.

ICANReady is built specifically to support this preparation — guiding you through all 12 domains and helping you produce the kind of specific, functional document that makes a thorough first assessment possible.

Try ICANReady free →

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For independent advocacy support, contact Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA). For legal advice about ART matters, contact a Community Legal Centre or disability legal service in your jurisdiction. For ART application information, visit aat.gov.au.