What the 2028 NDIS Eligibility Changes Mean for Current Participants

A clear guide to the reassessment timeline, who is most at risk, and what to do now

Disclaimer: This article reflects publicly available information as at October 2026. The new NDIS eligibility criteria take effect from January 2028. Specific criteria and thresholds are still being finalised by the Technical Advisory Group, which is expected to report by March 2027. This article is for general information only and does not constitute disability support or legal advice.

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The question most NDIS participants are asking is not about new applicants. It is about themselves: If I am already on the NDIS, what happens to me?

The honest answer is: significant changes are coming, but not on 1 January 2028, and not for everyone at once. This guide explains exactly what changes and when, who is most likely to be affected, and what you can do now to be in the strongest possible position when your reassessment arrives.

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What Actually Changes on 1 January 2028

For new applicants: From 1 January 2028, the new eligibility criteria apply. People applying to the NDIS for the first time must demonstrate permanently reduced functional capacity and must have tried all publicly funded appropriate treatments.

For current participants: nothing changes on 1 January 2028. Your existing plan remains fully in effect. You will not receive a letter on 2 January telling you your eligibility has been reviewed.

The change for current participants is progressive — staged between 2028 and 2031.

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The Reassessment Timeline for Current Participants

Under the NDIS Amendment Act 2026, current participants will be reassessed against the new eligibility criteria progressively as their plans come up for renewal and reassessment between 2028 and 2031.

What this means in practice:

• Your existing plan remains valid and your supports continue until you are reassessed
• The NDIA will contact you in advance of when your reassessment is scheduled
• Your reassessment will involve both an eligibility check (against the new criteria) and a support needs assessment (the I-CAN v6)
• The exact timing of your reassessment depends on when your plan renewal falls and the staged rollout schedule

The I-CAN v6 new planning framework begins separately from April 2027 — this affects how your plan is built, but not eligibility.

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The New Eligibility Threshold: What "Permanent and Significant" Will Mean

The new criteria are being developed by the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which is expected to report to government by March 2027. The final criteria will be published before January 2028.

What we know now:

Functional capacity, not diagnosis. The new threshold requires "substantially reduced functional capacity" — the question is what you cannot do in daily life, not what condition you have.

Permanence, with the treatment exhaustion requirement. To be considered permanently impaired, you will need to demonstrate that you have tried all publicly funded appropriate treatments — treatments through Medicare, PBS, or public hospitals that are widely accepted for your condition. Treatments that are restrictive, not publicly funded, or not widely accepted cannot be required.

What we don't yet know: The specific thresholds — how limited must your functional capacity be? Which activities will be assessed? How will fluctuating conditions be handled? These are questions the TAG is working through. The TAG consultation (31 August – 2 October 2026) was the opportunity for participants and the disability sector to influence those answers.

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Who Among Current Participants Is Most at Risk

Not all current participants are equally at risk from the new eligibility criteria. The assessment of risk depends on the nature of your disability, the strength of your existing evidence, and how well your situation maps onto the new functional capacity framework.

Higher risk:

People with conditions that are harder to demonstrate as permanent. Conditions where mainstream treatment exists and is effective — and where the argument that full treatment has been exhausted is harder to make — may face more scrutiny.

Children and young people with developmental conditions. The new criteria require permanent impairment. Children whose conditions are framed as "developmental" rather than "permanently impairing" may face greater challenges, particularly those who have shown progress through early intervention. This is one of the reasons the government has cited the need for a "Thriving Teens" alternative for older children who may no longer qualify.

People with psychosocial disability. Psychosocial disability is episodic for many people — and fluctuating capacity can make it harder to demonstrate "substantially reduced functional capacity" that is permanent. People with psychosocial disability have also already experienced significant plan reductions over the past five years, which may affect the evidence base available for reassessment.

People without recent allied health documentation. Without current, functional-language reports from allied health professionals, demonstrating the level of need required under the new criteria is more difficult.

People in regional and remote areas. Limited access to specialists and allied health professionals can make it harder to meet the treatment exhaustion requirement and harder to obtain the functional evidence needed.

Lower risk:

People with clearly permanent, high-support conditions — significant physical disability, severe intellectual disability, high-level neurological conditions — where the permanence and functional impact are not in dispute. These participants are likely to qualify under any plausible version of the new criteria.

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What to Do Now

1. Build thorough functional documentation

The most effective preparation for your 2028 reassessment is building a thorough, specific, domain-by-domain documentation of how your disability affects daily functioning now. This serves two purposes:

• It is the basis for your I-CAN v6 support needs assessment when it comes
• It creates a longitudinal record of your functional status that will be valuable in demonstrating permanence

Start keeping a daily diary. Ensure your allied health reports are current (within two years) and written in functional terms. See our guide: NDIS I-CAN v6 Evidence Guide: What Reports and Documents Actually Help.

2. Update your supporting documentation

Allied health reports more than two years old carry less weight in any assessment. If your most recent functional reports are dated 2024 or earlier, begin the process of requesting updated functional assessments from your OT, physiotherapist, psychologist, or other relevant allied health professionals.

Specifically request that these reports describe what you can and cannot do in daily life — not just your diagnosis and treatment. I-CAN domain language in reports is directly useful.

3. Understand the I-CAN v6 framework

The I-CAN v6 is the tool that will be used to assess your support needs. Understanding the 12 domains now, and being able to describe how your disability affects each relevant domain, is the foundation of any assessment preparation. Read The 12 I-CAN v6 Domains Explained and begin thinking through each domain in the context of your own daily life.

4. Connect with disability advocacy now

If you believe you may be at risk from the new eligibility criteria — particularly if you have a condition with nuanced eligibility arguments or if you are in a region with limited specialist access — connecting with a disability advocate now, while the policy is still being developed, is much more valuable than waiting until your reassessment arrives. DANA and your state and territory advocacy services can provide guidance on building your position.

5. Follow the TAG recommendations when published

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) consultation period closed on 2 October 2026. The TAG is expected to deliver its recommendations to government by March 2027 — before the I-CAN v6 rollout begins in April 2027. When published, the TAG recommendations will clarify the specific functional capacity thresholds and assessment methodology that will apply.

PWDA and other disability organisations have engaged with this process on the community's behalf. When the recommendations are released, organisations such as PWDA and DANA will publish plain-language summaries. Stay connected with these organisations to receive that information promptly.

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What Happens at Your 2028 Reassessment

When your reassessment arrives (you will be contacted in advance by the NDIA), the process will typically involve:

1. Eligibility check under the new criteria. An assessor will determine whether you continue to meet the "substantially reduced functional capacity" and "permanence" requirements under the new rules. This involves a review of your supporting evidence — allied health reports, medical documentation, and functional assessment.

2. I-CAN v6 support needs assessment. If you are found eligible, an I-CAN v6 assessment will determine your support needs and plan budget. This is a structured interview of up to three hours across the 12 functional domains.

3. Implementation meeting. You will have a meeting with an NDIA planner to discuss how your plan has been built from the assessment results. This is your opportunity to raise concerns before the plan is finalised.

4. If found ineligible. If the eligibility check finds you no longer meet the threshold, you will receive a decision notice and information about other support options. You have the right to request an internal review of an eligibility decision — seek disability advocacy support immediately if this happens. You will not be immediately cut off from supports; there will be a transition period.

Foundational Supports as a safety net: The government has committed to Foundational Supports — a new tier of community-based disability support outside the NDIS — that is intended to support people who do not meet NDIS eligibility. These are being developed by state and territory governments with joint Commonwealth funding ($10 billion over five years). Whether these services will be fully operational by the time reassessments begin in 2028 is a significant open question that advocates are pressing hard on.

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ICANReady helps you build the kind of thorough, specific, domain-by-domain preparation document that positions you most strongly for any assessment — whether that is a plan review under the current framework, an I-CAN v6 assessment from April 2027, or a reassessment under the new eligibility criteria from 2028.

Try ICANReady free →

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For the most current information on the NDIS 2028 eligibility changes, visit ndis.gov.au and health.gov.au. For independent advocacy support, contact Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA).