NDIS Changes Starting 1st July - What You Should Know

There are some big changes starting 1st July that might affect your NDIS supports. 

Some may impact you directly, others might not - but we believe you deserve to know what's happening so you can make informed decisions about your supports, or what else you might like to do. 

Rather than you finding out when your provider suddenly can't offer the same service, I'm giving you the heads up now. 

What's Been Happening?

Costs have Gone Up But the Rate the NDIS Sector Can Charge Hasn’t 

The cost of living has gone up, and we haven’t seen changes across the NDIS sector match inflation.
What’s that mean?
Well, you know how you used to be able to buy things for a lot less? 

• In 2020 you could buy a loaf of bread for $3, a 2L milk is $2.60, and potatoes were about $2.35 a kg

• Today, the same loaf of bread would cost you $5.00, a 2L milk almost $5.00, and your potatoes, around $4.00 a kg.

These changes are known as Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases, where the cost of everyday goods and services rises over time, reflecting inflation.

And while it’s happened for basically every product and service across Australia; from hair, to fuel, and coffee…Except NDIS providers. 

For example:

• Allied health providers like Occupational Therapists and Speech Pathologists have had the same NDIS rate since 2019 - no increase, despite rising costs. Meanwhile, other professions like physios, dietitians, and podiatrists have seen their rates cut, making it even harder to keep services running.

• Plan Management providers, the people who help with building your confidence and skills to manage your funds, and help pay your invoices, have lost the ability to charge for their setup costs, meaning they now have to absorb the upfront work it takes to get things running, without being paid for it.

• Support Coordinators, who help you understand your plan, connect with the right services, and build the skills to coordinate your own supports, have had their rates frozen again, meaning they’re expected to do more, with less, every year.

If you’re relying on supports at home…

Travel payments for therapy providers go down.

For the travel to visit your home, depending on where you live, most providers could be paid for the whole of the time it took to get to you. 

If you lived in the outback, there were incentives to get people to come bush and support Aussies who live in the sticks.
As of 1 July 2025, the travel costs across the sector will be halved, and there won’t be any support to make it easier to reach our rural and regional communities. 

We could get into the politics, business economics or numbers of all this, but what really matters is how this might impact you when they come into effect on July 1st. Providers are having to make rapid decisions about how they can continue to support participants. 

What Does this Mean, Practically?

Despite what some media might suggest, most NDIS providers aren’t cashing in.

Each provider has to work out ways to adjust their support;

We’ve heard from providers doing everything they can to keep showing up - offering the same supports, in the same way, for as long as possible.

But we’ve also heard from others who are making plans to step away from the NDIS altogether.

And then there are those in between - grappling with hard choices, adjusting how, where, and who they can support just to stay afloat.

We’re not sharing this to scare you. We just want you to know what’s going on.

Because when you understand the changes, you can plan, ask questions, and make decisions that work for you.

We are hearing:

• Some providers are shifting who they can support to be able to keep their doors open

• Some providers are de-registering, and won’t be supporting Agency managed participants. This will mean that they may:

• Avoid NDIA price limits and charge rates that helps them keep the door open

• Introduce co-payments similar to GP clinics, where participants cover a gap between the NDIS rate and provider’s

• Charge via pre-pay rather than the NDIS post-paid system.

• Others are making the decision to only support self-managed clients 

• This gives them flexibility to set their own fees and recover travel costs.

• Some providers are are shifting where they provide supports

• Many providers are being forced to stop home visits altogether, especially in rural and regional areas.

• Some are shifting to telehealth-only models, reducing face-to-face contact.

• Others are reducing their travel radius, limiting how far they’re willing or able to go to see participants in their homes or communities.

What Can I Do to Prepare?

If you are Agency Managed: 

There may be fewer providers offering services to agency-managed participants if more choose to de-register.

• Check with your providers about whether they plan to de-register.

• Consider whether switching to plan-managed or self-managed might be something you want, or need, to explore.

If you rely on home visits: 

• Ask your providers if they can still service your area.

• If you can visit a clinic but don’t have a way to get there, talk with your supports about options for transport.

• If in-clinic or telehealth isn’t suitable for you, you may need to look for a provider who can still visit your home.

If you live in regional and remote areas: 

• If travel becomes limited, telehealth or travelling to a provider might be the only options.

• In some communities, people are banding together to share travel costs or coordinate group visits from providers.

If you see multiple providers:

• Each provider may respond to the pricing changes differently. Reach out to understand how they’re planning to adjust.

• Most providers don’t want to pass on costs, reduce services, or change how they work, but some may have no other option.

Being informed helps you stay one step ahead.

What Can I Do Right Now?

Ask your Provider what their plan is.
Here are some questions that you are welcome to use:

• “How will the July changes impact my appointments with you?” 

• “Will you still be able to provide home visits?” 

• “Will there be any additional costs to me?” 

• “Will my current plan management still allow me to access your supports?” 

Consider keeping a record of the changes 

It can be hard to remember all the details later.

• Ask your provider to put it in writing (email, message, etc).

• Or record it in a way that works for you - video, audio, support person, etc.

You might also want to write down what your supports look like now, so you can compare them later. This can be helpful for future plan reviews.

Explore your Options 

If your provider can't meet your needs:

• If clinic visits are possible but transport is a barrier, you might use support work hours to help get there.

• If telehealth is an option for you, ask your provider how it might work.

• If your provider is de-registering, you may need to consider switching to plan-managed or self-managed to keep seeing them.
  

Is there anything else I can do?

If you're feeling worried, anxious, or upset about these changes, you’re not alone.

Your access to your supports matters, and uncertainty around this can be incredibly stressful.

Here are a few things you can do:

• Reach out to your LAC or contact the NDIA to express your concerns.

• Sign a petition and your voice adds to the growing pressure for change.

• Contact your local MP or senator by phone, email, or in person. Ask them to follow up with the NDIS and raise these concerns in Parliament. 

• If self-advocacy feels hard, ask a support person or connect with an advocacy organisation to help you be heard.

• Talk with other participants about what’s happening. Sharing info can help others prepare and make informed choices too.

• Share your story with a friend, online, or with a campaign. You never know who it will help, or how far your words might go.

These NDIS changes are coming on July 1, 2025, and many groups are rallying to push back.
But in the meantime, it’s important to make sure you’re safeguarded and supported when the changes hit.
That means knowing what’s happening, checking in with your providers, and having a plan, just in case.

A lot of people are feeling burnt out right now.
NDIS participants, families, therapists, and support providers, we’re all navigating big changes, and the impact is felt by us all.

It’s okay to reach out.
You don’t have to do this alone.