New NDIS Management of Funding rules: what you need to know 

The Australian Government is making two new rules for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) called the Management of Funding Rules. These rules will provide further guidelines for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to consider when deciding if an NDIS participant or their nominee (this could be a family member, friend, parent, or plan manager) should be looking after the participants NDIS plan. These new rules have been added to keep the NDIS participant safe. 

Managing your NDIS plan 

NDIS participants can choose how their plan funding is managed. This is called a plan management request. The NDIA must approve a request unless there is a valid reason not to. 

The new rule adds extra details to help the NDIA make these decisions. It also combines all rules about plan management into one place, making them easier to understand. 

Changing your NDIS plan 

Participants can ask for a change to their NDIS plan at any time. The NDIA can also decide to change a plan when needed. There are two types of changes: 

• Variation – Small updates without replacing the whole plan. 

• Reassessment – A new plan with a new end date. 

The NDIA can only change a plan if the NDIS Act allows it and if all conditions in the rules are met. These new rules explain when and how the NDIA can make changes. 

How the disability community was involved 

The NDIA consulted with people with disability, carers, and advocacy groups before finalising these rules. From July to September 2024, they held meetings to discuss managing NDIS funding and how to protect participants from financial risks. Another set of meetings in November 2024 focused on plan variations and reassessments. 

The feedback from these meetings helped shape the new rules. 

Where to find out more about these new rules 

For more details, you can read the Plain English and Easy Read summaries provided by the NDIS. 

If you have any questions or thoughts on how these rules should be applied, you can email [email protected].