I-CAN v6 vs Functional Capacity Assessment

What's actually changing for NDIS participants

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects publicly available information about the NDIS assessment framework as at May 2026. This guide does not constitute professional disability support advice.

For years, the Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) was the primary tool used to measure what an NDIS participant needed — and therefore what they were funded to receive. If you have been in the NDIS for more than a year or two, there is a good chance an FCA shaped your current plan.

From mid-2026, the FCA is being replaced by the I-CAN v6 assessment as the scheme's standardised support needs measurement tool. But the difference between these two approaches goes well beyond a name change. They represent fundamentally different philosophies about how disability support needs should be measured — and understanding that difference helps explain why the change was made and what it means for your next plan review.

This article provides a clear comparison of how FCAs worked, how the I-CAN v6 works, and what participants should do differently under the new framework.

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Two Assessment Tools, Two Philosophies

The FCA and the I-CAN v6 were built on different assumptions about the assessment process.

The FCA was clinician-directed and open-ended. It was ordered by the NDIA or initiated by a participant's treating team, conducted by an occupational therapist or other allied health professional, and written in that professional's own structure and language. The scope, depth, format, and framing of an FCA varied significantly from assessor to assessor and from state to state.

The I-CAN v6 is participant-centred and standardised. It is conducted using a defined framework that every accredited assessor applies in the same way, covering the same 12 life domains, using the same rating scales, regardless of who conducts the assessment or where it takes place. The structure is public and knowable in advance — which means participants can genuinely prepare for it.

These are not minor process differences. They reflect a fundamental shift in how the NDIS thinks about fairness, consistency, and accountability in funding decisions.

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What Was a Functional Capacity Assessment?

A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) was a report, typically written by an occupational therapist, that described how a person's disability affected their ability to perform daily activities. FCAs became the dominant evidence tool in NDIS planning — particularly for complex participants whose support needs were not obvious from a diagnostic report alone.

In practice, FCAs typically involved:

• An assessment session or sessions with the participant, often in their home
• Standardised observation tasks, such as preparing a meal or navigating a room
• Clinical interviews with the participant and sometimes their carer or support worker
• A written report summarising functional limitations across relevant life areas

The scope of an FCA was determined largely by the assessing clinician. Some FCA reports ran to 40 pages; others to 8. Some covered the full breadth of a participant's daily life; others focused narrowly on the areas the referring professional considered most relevant. Some incorporated input from carers and support workers; others relied entirely on the participant's self-report during a single session.

FCAs were expensive to produce — typically funded through an NDIS plan and costing between $1,500 and $4,000 — and were often produced by the participant's own treating OT, which created questions about objectivity. They were, in short, a valuable but highly variable tool.

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Why FCAs Were Phased Out

The 2023 NDIS Review ("Working Together to Deliver the NDIS") identified the variability of functional capacity assessments as a central problem with the scheme's planning processes.

The review found that:

• FCA quality varied dramatically across assessors, regions, and disability types. A participant with a skilled and well-resourced treating team in a major city might receive a comprehensive, well-evidenced FCA. A participant in a regional or remote area, or one who lacked strong therapy connections, might receive something far more limited.
• FCAs were open to strategic framing. Because there was no standardised structure, assessors who understood the NDIS system well could write reports in ways that produced better outcomes for their clients. Those who didn't — or who wrote more conservative professional reports — could inadvertently disadvantage the participants they were trying to help.
• Outcomes were unpredictable. Two participants with identical functional needs but different FCAs could receive significantly different funding. This violated the scheme's foundational principle of equity.
• The FCA model was not scalable. As the NDIS grew to 650,000-plus participants, a system that depended on variable, expensive, individually commissioned reports could not deliver consistent national outcomes.

The 2023 Review recommended establishing a consistent, standardised assessment framework — and the I-CAN v6 is the NDIA's response to that recommendation.

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What Is the I-CAN v6?

The I-CAN v6 (Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs, version 6) is the NDIS's new standardised support needs assessment. It is grounded in the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework and is designed to produce consistent, comparable results regardless of who conducts the assessment or where.

Under the I-CAN v6 framework:

• Every participant is assessed across the same 12 defined domains — Self-Care, Daily Life Activities, Communication, Mobility, Interpersonal Interactions and Relationships, Learning and Education, Employment, Health and Wellbeing, Social and Community Participation, Home and Living, Support Coordination, and Positive Behaviour Support.
• Assessors are accredited and must follow a structured protocol — they cannot simply conduct the assessment however they see fit.
• Standardised rating scales are applied to each domain, creating a profile of support needs that is directly comparable across participants.
• The assessment is NDIA-funded — there is no cost to participants.

For a full explanation of the I-CAN v6 assessment — what it involves, who conducts it, and when it applies — read: What is the NDIS I-CAN v6 Assessment?

For a detailed breakdown of what each of the 12 domains covers, read: The 12 I-CAN Domains Explained

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Side-by-Side Comparison

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How the Evidence Landscape Has Changed

The shift from FCAs to I-CAN v6 does not mean your existing clinical reports and assessments are irrelevant — but it does change how they are used.

Under the FCA model, the FCA report itself was often the primary driver of a participant's funding outcome. A strong FCA written by a skilled OT who understood the NDIS could significantly improve a participant's plan. A weak or narrow FCA could leave genuine needs unrecognised.

Under the I-CAN v6 model, the standardised assessment is the primary instrument. Your clinical reports, therapy assessments, medical letters, and FCA reports now function as supporting evidence — they inform the assessor's understanding of your situation and provide context for their ratings, but they do not substitute for the I-CAN v6 assessment itself.

In practice, this means:

• Functional-impact-focused reports remain highly valuable — OT reports that describe in specific terms how your disability affects your daily functioning across each domain are directly useful to an I-CAN v6 assessor.
• Diagnosis-focused clinical reports are less determinative — a letter confirming your diagnosis is useful as context, but does not directly drive an I-CAN v6 rating.
• Your own description of your daily life matters more than it ever did — because the assessor is applying a structured framework across 12 specific domains, your ability to describe your functional challenges clearly and specifically within that framework directly influences your outcome.
• Carer and support worker observations are highly valuable — first-hand accounts of the daily support you need, and what happens when that support is not available, provide exactly the kind of functional evidence the I-CAN v6 framework is designed to capture.

The transition also creates a different kind of preparation opportunity. Because the I-CAN v6 domains are publicly known in advance, participants can think through each domain before the assessment — something that was much harder when the FCA format was determined by the assessing clinician.

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What Participants Should Do Differently Under I-CAN v6

The move to I-CAN v6 changes what effective preparation looks like. Here is what matters now:

1. Prepare domain by domain. Because you know the 12 domains in advance, think through each one before your assessment. What are the specific ways your disability affects your functioning in that area? What do you need help with? How often? What would happen without that support?

2. Describe functional impact, not diagnosis. The single most important shift in how you communicate your needs is moving from "I have [condition]" to "[condition] means I cannot do [specific task] without [specific support]." The I-CAN v6 rates functional impact — your diagnosis is context, not the measure.

3. Bring your own clinical reports as supporting evidence. Even though FCAs no longer drive the outcome, your existing functional assessments, OT reports, psychology assessments, and medical letters remain valuable. Bring recent copies to the assessment.

4. Don't assume the assessor knows your history. Even if you have been in the NDIS for years, the I-CAN v6 assessor is conducting an independent, current assessment. Treat it as an opportunity to describe your current functional needs comprehensively — do not assume prior knowledge.

5. Consider what your carer or support worker can contribute. Their direct observations of your daily support needs are among the most concrete functional evidence available. A brief written statement from a carer or support worker describing the practical help they provide can be given to the assessor as supporting documentation.

For a full step-by-step preparation guide, read: How to Prepare for Your I-CAN v6 Assessment

For context on the broader 2026 reform landscape, read: NDIS 2026 Changes Explained

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Prepare for Your I-CAN v6 Assessment with ICANReady

Understanding the difference between FCAs and the I-CAN v6 is important — but the most valuable thing you can do now is prepare specifically for the 12-domain structure of the new assessment before your review date arrives.

ICANReady is a document preparation tool built specifically for NDIS participants and carers preparing for the I-CAN v6 assessment. It guides you through all 12 I-CAN domains in plain language and generates a structured preparation document you can bring to your assessment — available at launch for AUD $29.

Join the ICANReady waitlist — it's free →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will my existing FCA reports still be considered in the I-CAN v6 assessment?

Yes. Previous functional reports — including FCA reports — are valuable supporting evidence and can be provided to your assessor. The I-CAN v6 assessor will consider your prior reports alongside their own standardised assessment. However, the FCA will not substitute for the I-CAN v6 evaluation — it informs the assessor's picture rather than driving the outcome directly.

Do I need to redo my assessment entirely under I-CAN v6?

Yes, when your next plan review falls under the I-CAN v6 rollout, you will undergo a full I-CAN v6 assessment. Your existing plan is not affected until that review occurs. The NDIA will notify you in advance when your review is approaching. Most participants will transition to the new framework progressively through 2026 and 2027.

Is the I-CAN v6 harder or easier to navigate than the FCA?

The I-CAN v6 is more structured and transparent than the FCA — which is a genuine advantage for participants. Because the 12 domains are publicly known, you can prepare for your assessment systematically in a way that was not possible with the open-ended FCA format. Participants who prepare well are in a significantly stronger position than those who approach the assessment cold.

Can I still bring my own OT's report to an I-CAN v6 assessment?

Absolutely. Your treating OT's functional assessment reports remain valuable supporting evidence under I-CAN v6. Recent reports that describe in specific terms how your disability affects your daily functioning across the 12 domains are among the most useful evidence you can bring. Ask your OT to focus on functional impact and specific daily challenges when updating your assessment.

How long does an I-CAN v6 assessment take compared to an FCA?

I-CAN v6 assessments typically take 60 to 90 minutes. FCAs varied widely — some were completed in 30 minutes; others spanned multiple sessions over several days. The more consistent timeframe of the I-CAN v6 reflects its greater standardisation. For participants with complex needs, the assessment may be conducted across more than one session.

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Sources: NDIS Review Final Report 2023 — Working Together to Deliver the NDIS, NDIA — Support needs assessment, WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Disability Advocacy Network Australia