Your NDIS plan comes with an end date. When it approaches, you’ll either have a scheduled plan review meeting or the NDIA will roll your plan over. The difference between a plan that genuinely works for you and one that doesn’t often comes down to how well that review goes.
Most participants aren’t adequately prepared. This post gives you the honest picture of what happens and how to change that.
What is an NDIS plan review?
A plan review is when the NDIA reassesses your funded supports. The planner (or LAC, depending on your situation) will discuss what’s changed since your last plan, what goals you want to work toward, and what supports you believe are reasonable and necessary to achieve them.
The outcome of a review is a new plan — which may have more funding, less funding, or different supports than your current one. There is no guarantee that what was in your old plan will appear in the new one.
That last point is important and often surprises people. The NDIA doesn’t automatically renew plans at the same funding level. Evidence matters.
Scheduled review vs. change of circumstances
There are two types of reviews:
Scheduled review — triggered by the plan end date. This is your main opportunity to restructure your supports, request new funding categories, or respond to changes in your situation.
Change of circumstances review — requested at any time when something significant has changed. Examples: a significant decline in function, a new diagnosis, a life transition (leaving school, hospital discharge, change in living situation), or losing informal supports (e.g., a family carer’s health deteriorating). You don’t have to wait for your scheduled date if the situation genuinely warrants it.
You can request a change of circumstances review by calling the NDIA (1800 800 110) or logging a request through the NDIS portal.
What happens at a plan review meeting?
The meeting can be in person, by phone, or via videoconference. The person you meet with may be an NDIA planner or a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) — for participants with lower complexity needs, LACs conduct the review.
For participants with complex needs, you should be meeting with an NDIA planner directly. If you’re consistently being directed to an LAC and you believe your needs are complex, raise this.
The planner will typically:
- Ask what’s worked well in your current plan and what hasn’t
- Discuss your goals for the next plan period
- Ask about changes in your functional capacity, informal supports, and living situation
- Review evidence you’ve provided
What they don’t typically do: spontaneously increase your funding based on your verbal account alone. That’s why evidence preparation matters so much.
How to prepare for a plan review — the evidence that moves decisions
The most effective plan reviews are built on written evidence from the professionals involved in the participant’s life.
Functional capacity assessments — Reports from an OT, psychologist, or other allied health professional that describe how the participant’s disability affects their daily functioning. These are the most persuasive documents in a review. An OT functional capacity assessment in particular is designed specifically to inform NDIS decision-making.
Therapy progress reports — From speech pathologists, physiotherapists, psychologists, or other treating therapists. These should detail what’s been worked on, what’s been achieved, and what support is still needed going forward.
Support coordinator report — If you have a support coordinator, they should provide a detailed implementation report covering: what was set up under the current plan, how funding was used, what gaps or barriers were identified, and what is recommended for the new plan period.
GP or specialist letter — Useful when the review is dealing with a new diagnosis, a change in condition, or a clinical picture the NDIA may not fully appreciate. The letter should focus on functional impact, not just diagnosis.
Participant statement — Your own account of how your disability affects your daily life and what you need. Don’t understate. The review is not the time for stoicism.
Carer or family statement — If a family member is providing significant informal support, a statement describing what they do and the impact of that caring role can be relevant — particularly if that person’s capacity to continue is in question.
What to do if your plan review outcome is wrong
If your new plan comes back with less funding than you needed, supports removed, or categories missing, you have options.
Request a review of a decision (RoD) — You can ask the NDIA to review the decision internally. This must be lodged within 3 months of the decision. Submit it with additional evidence addressing specifically what you disagree with and why.
Appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) — If the internal review doesn’t go your way, the AAT can review the NDIA’s decision independently. This is a formal process and can take time, but it’s a genuine avenue when the NDIA gets it wrong.
In both cases, having a support coordinator (or an NDIS advocate) who understands the process and can help you structure the response is significant. This is not a fight to enter without support.
How far in advance should you prepare?
Start at least 8–12 weeks before your plan end date. Getting reports from allied health professionals takes time — some OTs have 4–6 week waits. If you leave it too late, you’ll arrive at the review without the evidence you need.
Your support coordinator should be prompting you about this well in advance. If they’re not, raise it.
The rollover trap
If you don’t engage in your plan review, the NDIA may simply roll your plan over — keeping the same structure and funding without any assessment. This sounds convenient, but it means:
- Needs that have changed aren’t reflected in the new plan
- Supports that should have been added aren’t there
- Plans that should have been restructured aren’t
A rollover is not a win. It’s a missed opportunity.
Oliver works with participants on the Gold Coast and Central Coast to prepare for plan reviews — compiling evidence, attending reviews, and challenging outcomes that don’t reflect participants’ actual needs.
Call 0423 364 723 or email oliver@thriveinlifecare.com.au.