New Changes to NDIS Funding Periods

As of 19 May 2025, major changes have come into effect which impact how NDIS funds will be made available in participants’ individual plans. New plans from this date will have different periods introduced to help participants manage budgets – supporting consistent use of funding over the life of your plan.

Quick Facts: What you need to know, at a glance

• Funding periods are being introduced as an alternative to receiving the full budget up front to cover a 12-month plan.
• This means smaller instalments to be released over the duration of your plan. The new funding periods are quarterly, monthly, or up front.
• This doesn’t change how much funding is in your plan – only when you can access it.
• If you don’t use all your funds during a funding period, they will roll over to the next one. This only applies within the same plan – unspent funds don’t carry over when your plan ends.

What are NDIS funding periods?

Funding periods set the time for when your funding is available, and how long it needs to last. All plans started or reassessed after October 2024 have already included standard 12-month funding periods as part of changes to the NDIS Act (Section 33).

What’s changing now is the introduction of different periods:

1. Quarterly – Funds released every 3 months (e.g. January, April, July, October). This is how funding for most supports will be released.
2. Monthly – For high-cost ongoing supports, like Supported Independent Living (SIL), funds may be released monthly.
3. Up Front – For one-off supports (e.g. Assistive Technology or a custom wheelchair), funding may be released in full at the start of your plan.

As with the PACE rollout, these changes will be applied gradually as participants start new plans or are reassessed. All participants will be transitioned to new funding periods in due time.

If you’re an NDIS participant, you will see these changes from the start of your new plan – until then, you will use your existing plan as is.

How will these funding changes impact my NDIS plan?

You’ll still receive the same total funding. What’s changing is when you can access it. This may impact change how you plan and use your NDIS funding, and purchase NDIS supports, but should ultimately make budgeting easier.

Your NDIS planner will discuss your circumstances with you to make sure your funding periods best reflect your needs and provide information about what these changes mean for you. They will take into account:

•  Your preferences
• Risks related to overspending
• Risks of harm, fraud, or financial exploitation

Why is the NDIA making these changes?

The NDIA has had feedback from participants that getting all their funding at the start of their plan can make it difficult to budget correctly. The solution is to break total funds down into more manageable portions (smaller funding periods).

Funding periods are designed to make it easier for you to stretch your total funding out over the life of your NDIS plan. Releasing funds in smaller chunks lets you retain flexibility, while reducing the risk of an unexpected gap between your funds running out and the end of your current plan. This makes managing your budgets over time easier.

This kind of staged release is common across various Australian Government programs (such as the age pension). Funding is generally more effective when provided in parts over time, as it supports consistent use of funds over time.

Funding periods in your plan

You can view your funding periods:

1. In your plan document
2. Via the participant portal
3. In the my NDIS app

When you log into the NDIS participant portal or app, you’ll be able to see how much funding you have, how much you’ve spent so far, and when your next funding period starts (when the next amount becomes available).

With your consent, your plan manager and/or support coordinator can also view the breakdown of this funding.

What if I have leftover funds?

No problem – unused funds can roll over between funding periods in the same plan. For example:

• You have $12,000 available for occupational therapy in your 12-month NDIS plan and your funding period is quarterly (broken down into $3,000 per quarter).
• You can’t find an available therapist during your first funding period. When the next period starts, you have $6,000 available ($3,000 + unspent funds of $3,000).
• Even with the availability setback – if you don’t spend the full $12,000 by the end of your plan, this excess does not get transferred to your new plan.

What if I run out of funds early?

You can only use the funds made available during that specific funding period, or excess from the previous period – you can’t ‘borrow’ or transfer from your next instalment before it is due to be released.

If you find yourself consistently having issues with funds running out early, or your circumstances change and you need more support, you should talk to the NDIA or your NDIS planner.

As with any change to your plan, you can request an internal review if you’re not happy with either the funding periods or the total budget amount available.

Tip: If your needs have changed, talk to your planner or Support Coordinator early.

Are NDIS providers affected by funding periods?

NDIS supports purchased will be claimed for certain funding periods. If a support spans multiple funding periods, it may require multiple claims. Providers will need to determine the participant’s funding period before delivering support services, to make sure they are not charging more than the participant currently has available.

Having these conversations with your client or their Support Coordinator about funding beforehand is important, so everyone is on the same page about the services provided and how they will be funded.

NDSP: Supporting participants through changes to NDIS funding

NDSP is always across the latest NDIS changes as they happen, so we can best support our clients on their NDIS journey. Our team is always happy to help you understand your plan so you can feel confident going forward. We know the NDIS inside and out – if you have questions, we have answers!

You can also check out the latest FAQs from NDIS regarding their changes, or the official release from the NDIs for more information about new funding periods.