If your NDIS plan has recently been reassessed and your funding has been reduced, even though your support needs are the same, you’re not alone. We hear this regularly from participants across the country. It can feel unfair, disempowering and confusing - especially when you haven’t asked for less.
What’s important to understand is that this isn’t just about individual planners or report wording. The federal government has made it clear that one of its priorities is to slow the growth of the NDIS. That message has filtered down to the NDIA and its planners. The result is a culture of cost control, where any opportunity to reduce funding is often taken.
If you’re not actively advocating for your supports - or don’t have someone doing that on your behalf - it’s now more likely than ever that funding will be cut.
This blog explains how and why this is happening, and what you can do to protect your supports.
What Is a Plan Reassessment?
A plan reassessment, previously called a plan review, is when the NDIA reviews your current supports, goals and evidence to decide on your next NDIS plan. This usually happens every 12 or 24 months.
In theory, it’s meant to check that your plan still meets your needs. In reality, many people are seeing reduced budgets, often without any real change in their life circumstances.
For example, someone with multiple sclerosis who uses the same level of support each day might have their Core supports reduced with no clear reason. Or a person with a psychosocial disability might suddenly lose their Support Coordination funding despite ongoing, documented need for help with daily functioning and service access.
Common Reasons for Funding Cuts
There are several ways planners are being encouraged - directly or indirectly - to reduce participant budgets.
Changes in report wording
If the language in your updated reports is different from previous ones, it can change how your needs are interpreted. Even a small shift in tone can result in funding being cut.
For example, if a psychologist writes “managing well with support” instead of “requires daily support to avoid relapse,” the NDIA may assume the person’s mental health has improved and cut therapy or community access hours. If a physiotherapist leaves out mention of falls risk, the planner might remove transport or mobility aid funding.
These kinds of changes are often unintentional, but they open a window for funding to be reduced - and in the current environment, those windows are rarely ignored.
A different planner is reviewing your plan
NDIA planners are expected to apply the same rules, but they don’t always interpret evidence the same way. One planner might understand your disability and context well, while another may make assumptions that don’t match your lived experience.
Participants have reported having high-needs supports approved one year, only to have them removed the next - not because anything has changed, but because the new planner believed informal supports could take over or that the supports were no longer “reasonable and necessary.”
This variability becomes even more problematic when planners are under pressure to reduce costs. A planner looking for a reason to cut may seize on vague language or minor inconsistencies to justify reductions.
Internal policy changes
The NDIA regularly updates how it interprets the rules of the Scheme. These changes are often not publicised to participants, but they have major impacts on funding decisions.
One example is the tightening of transport funding. Where Level 2 transport was once provided for participants who couldn’t use public transport, it’s now more likely to be removed unless the person has evidence of employment or education. This change wasn’t announced, but planners now apply it routinely.
When these internal shifts combine with a broader push to reduce funding, participants with unchanged needs often find themselves on the receiving end of a reduced budget.
Gaps or assumptions in evidence
If your supporting documents don’t clearly explain why supports are necessary, the NDIA may assume they’re not. This is especially risky if reports are vague, overly positive or focused too heavily on goals without describing day-to-day needs.
For example, if an OT focuses on skill-building in the kitchen but doesn’t mention the need for supervision due to cognitive disability, your Core supports might be cut. If a behaviour support practitioner talks about improved communication but not ongoing challenges, your social participation support might be removed.
Again, these aren’t always conscious decisions from planners. But in an environment where they’re expected to justify every dollar, any gap in evidence becomes an opportunity to reduce your plan.
Why "No Change" Still Needs Evidence
One of the hardest parts of the reassessment process is having to prove that nothing has changed. This is particularly difficult for people with lifelong disabilities, degenerative conditions or chronic illnesses.
If your reports don’t explicitly say “support needs remain the same,” the NDIA may assume you’ve improved. Even when that’s clearly not true.
People with spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries or progressive neurological disorders may find themselves needing to re-prove the same facts year after year, even when their condition is well-documented and permanent.
It’s not fair. But right now, it’s the reality.
What You Can Do If Your Funding Has Been Cut
You do have options if your reassessment results in a plan that doesn’t meet your needs.
Work with your Support Coordinator (if you have one)
Support Coordinators play a critical role in helping participants navigate plan reassessments and internal reviews. If you have one, they should be helping you:
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Understand what has changed in your plan
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Gather and submit additional evidence
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Write and lodge an internal review
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Prepare for reassessment meetings
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Stay informed on what the NDIA is currently funding
Coordinators can also attend AAT hearings with you to offer context and support. However, they are not allowed to charge NDIS hours for time spent representing you during the AAT process.
Request a review
You can ask the NDIA for an internal review within three months of receiving your new plan. This is officially called a review of a reviewable decision.
When requesting a review, include:
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Updated reports that clearly explain your support needs
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Letters or statements from people who know your situation
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A written explanation of how the cut is affecting your life
If you’re unsure how to approach this, a Support Coordinator or an independent advocate can help.
Seek support from an advocate
Disability advocacy services are independent and free. Advocates can help you:
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Understand your rights
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Prepare documentation
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Write letters or submissions
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Support you during phone calls, meetings or tribunal hearings
In many cases, participants have more success with reviews or AAT appeals when an advocate is involved. They can also help push back if the NDIA is making assumptions that aren’t grounded in evidence.
Consider appealing to the AAT
If your internal review is unsuccessful, you can lodge an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. This is a formal legal process but is open to any NDIS participant.
Advocates and support coordinators can help prepare you for the AAT, gather evidence and ensure you understand what to expect. Keep in mind that your Support Coordinator can attend with you, but their time spent in meetings at the AAT can’t be charged to your plan.
Many participants have successfully restored their supports through the AAT. While it takes time and energy, it can be worth it if you’re facing a significant funding cut.
Strengthen Your Evidence for Future Plans
Even if you’re not appealing now, it’s a good idea to prepare strong documentation for your next reassessment.
Here are some practical tips:
- Use examples of how your supports make a difference. If your support worker helps prevent meltdowns during shopping trips, say so. If missing therapy sessions makes your physical pain worse, include that.
- Ask health professionals to link goals with risks. For example: “Without this support, the participant is likely to disengage from community, which historically has led to hospitalisation.”
- Make sure everyone’s reports are consistent. If one report says you're independent with cooking, but another says you need daily prompting, the NDIA will usually lean toward the lower need.
- Explicitly state when nothing has changed. Even if it's obvious to you, planners will rarely assume this.
Reach Out If You Need Support
If you’ve had your funding reduced and you’re unsure where to start, we’re happy to chat. You don’t need to be connected to Meliora to get some friendly guidance on your next steps.
Final Thoughts
Your NDIS plan should reflect your life. If your needs haven’t changed, your supports shouldn’t be reduced. But right now, the system is under pressure to cut costs - and planners are expected to find savings wherever they can.
This means that unless you advocate for yourself, or have someone doing it on your behalf, your plan may be reduced without a good reason.
You have every right to challenge that. You’re not asking for anything extra. You’re asking for what’s fair, what’s reasonable and what you need to live your life with safety and dignity.
If this blog sounds familiar to your experience, you’re not alone. And you’re not without options.