What’s changing for disability support providers in 2026

Australia’s disability sector is going through some of the biggest changes we’ve seen since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) began. Many disability support providers are talking about needing to adapt to remain sustainable, but it’s not always clear what that means for the people who rely on these services every day.

At Scope, our purpose has always been simple: to create meaningful opportunities for people with disability to belong and thrive. We’ve been doing this for more than 75 years, and no matter how much the sector evolves, that commitment stays the same.

A new way of planning under the NDIS

From the middle of this year, the way people are assessed for their NDIS plans will start to change. The government is introducing a new national planning system with the aim of making support needs assessments and funding decisions simpler, fairer, and more consistent.

As part of this change, NDIS participants will have a standard support needs assessment with a National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) assessor who’s trained to use a new tool called I-CAN. This will replace the current process of gathering and submitting medical reports to show support needs. Everyone will move to this new planning model over the next four years, and people with more complex needs may have some additional assessments.

The government is still working out exactly how the new system will work in practice and ran a public consultation.

Our goal is to make sure that people can continue to access the supports they need to stay safe and live the life they choose. This includes our ongoing advocacy to improve reviews and increase funding for clients with complex needs.

Mandatory registration for SIL providers

Another major change begins on 1 July. All providers offering Supported Independent Living (SIL), as well as digital platforms that help people find independent support workers, will need to be registered with the NDIS. This is one of the biggest regulatory changes since the NDIS began.

Registration means providers must meet national standards, including independent audits, worker screening checks, suitability assessments, and reporting requirements – safeguards already in place for many other types of NDIS services.

For Scope, this is nothing new. We’ve been a registered NDIS provider since the scheme began in 2013, meeting the national standards set by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. We also uphold our own internal quality standards to ensure our support is safe, person-centred, and high-quality.

Since opening our first disability accommodation in the 1950s, we’ve grown into one of Australia's leading SIL providers, supporting people in more than 340 homes across Victoria and New South Wales. Supporting people in their homes is not only a privilege but a responsibility we take seriously, which is why we welcome this reform wholeheartedly.

It means every SIL provider in Australia will be held to the same high standards, giving people with disability and their families confidence that their provider is accountable, transparent, and committed to safe, high-quality care.

Building a sustainable future for providers

It’s no secret that the disability sector is under financial pressure. Almost half of all providers reported a loss in 2024–25, and many others only just broke even. This isn’t caused by just one issue – but a combination of structural challenges across the sector.

NDIS price limits continue to put real pressure on providers. The NDIS sets the maximum prices providers can charge for services, and many of these have been reduced or frozen for several years, especially therapy and support coordination. The cost of delivering services continues to rise, leaving many providers operating at a loss. Together with our sector peers, Scope continues to advocate for independent pricing that is more nuanced and creates better outcomes for NDIS participants and providers.

The provider market is also extremely crowded because of low barriers to entry. It’s estimated there are more than 154,000 unregistered providers compared with just 16,000 registered ones. This has contributed to the rise of fraudulent operators in the industry and puts pressure on registered organisations to compete with services who do not need to adhere to the same high levels of quality and compliance as registered providers. . Here at Scope, we support the government’s efforts to increase registration requirements, service quality and tackle fraud in the sector.

Many providers also deliver essential supports that aren’t funded under the NDIS model of funding – things like transport, crisis response, and social connection activities. More than three quarters of providers said they delivered unfunded services in 2024-25, at an average cost of almost $500,000 each.

To keep delivering high-quality services well into the future, providers need to align their work with NDIS pricing arrangements. This is an important part of ensuring long-term financial sustainability, while meeting compliance and regulatory requirements. We also need to keep reviewing our services and processes to make sure they’re efficient and fit for purpose.

But sustainability isn’t just about the numbers – it’s also about looking after the people who support our clients every day. We’ll continue speaking up for our disability support workers and advocating for fair pay and conditions, trained and qualified workers, and proper recognition of their essential work. Through our partnerships with Ability First Australia and National Disability Services, we’ll keep pushing for an Award that truly reflects the value of this workforce.

New Thriving Kids program

From October 2026, the government plans to begin rolling out Thriving Kids, a new $2 billion national support system for children under the age of eight with mild to moderate developmental delay or autism. Thriving Kids will sit outside the NDIS and be more closely linked to health services, schools, and community spaces. Children with permanent and significant disability will continue to receive support through the NDIS.

The government is still working through what Thriving Kids will look like in practice and how it will sit alongside existing services. The details may influence the kinds of supports providers deliver, but for now, our focus is simple: we’ll keep a close eye on the changes and make sure our clients, families, and employees are informed and supported every step of the way.

What’s not changing: our focus on the people who matter

There’s a lot happening in the disability sector, but at Scope, our focus stays exactly where it should: our clients, their families, and the employees who support them every day. These are the people at the heart of every decision we make.

Change can bring uncertainty, but it can also lead to better systems, stronger safeguards, and more meaningful opportunities. We’ll keep sharing what we know, listening to what matters, and advocating for a system that is fair, sustainable, and centred on the needs of people with disability and their families.

Together, we’ll navigate what’s ahead.