New tool to deliver simpler pathway to disability supports
Big Changes Coming to the NDIS: New Support Needs Assessments
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has announced some important changes that will affect how participants’ support needs are assessed in the future. These changes aim to make the process fairer, simpler, and more consistent for people with disability, their families, and carers.
What’s Changing?
From mid-2026, the NDIA will begin introducing a new Support Needs Assessment as part of the planning process. This assessment will replace some of the current requirements for participants to gather extensive supporting evidence, reducing the burden and stress many people experience when preparing for their NDIS plan.
The new tool will:
Focus on a participant’s support needs (not just functional impairments).
Be completed by trained, accredited assessors with participants aged 16 and over.
Include questionnaires that consider personal and environmental circumstances.
Provide extra assessments for people with more complex support needs.
Why the Change?
The NDIS Review highlighted the need for a better, clearer way of building budgets and assessing support. The new framework aims to:
Create fairer budgets for participants.
Make planning simpler and easier to navigate.
Ensure assessments are consistent and reliable.
The I-CAN Tool
At the heart of these changes is the Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs (I-CAN) version 6.
Here’s why it matters:
The I-CAN is considered the gold standard in needs assessments.
It’s been developed and refined in Australia for over 20 years.
It’s strengths-based and grounded in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) – a globally recognised framework.
It’s already been successfully used for more than 4 years in the Disability Support for Older Australians (DSOA) program.
The NDIA worked with the disability community, lived experience experts, the University of Melbourne, and the Centre for Disability Studies to ensure the I-CAN is fit-for-purpose for the NDIS.
What This Means for Participants
The staged rollout from mid-2026 means there will be time to adapt and provide feedback as the new system is introduced. Participants and families can expect:
A clearer, more supportive pathway through planning.
Less stress when gathering documentation.
Greater confidence that their plan reflects their real support needs.
As Support Coordinators, we’ll be keeping a close eye on these changes and helping participants navigate the new system.
If you have questions about how this might affect your future plans, we’re here to talk it through with you.
Contact: Margaret McGrath
M: 0455 065 630
E: margaret@collabor8supports.com.au
