The NDIS believes the considerable funding allocated to Social and Community Participation is not always improving community participation, inclusion or capacity for participants.
These supports are funded at a far higher level than any other comparable support program.
So, from 1 October 2026 budgets will be reset for social, civic and community participation supports.
How will my NDIS plan be affected?
The NDIS want to bring spending levels, on average, in line with 2023 levels and more consistent with other systems.
The reset will include:
- 50% reduction in budget allocations for social, civic and community participation supports. This is CORE funding for a support worker to help you access the community
It is referred to as “Assistance with social, economic and community participation”
- 10% reduction in capacity building daily activity budget allocations.
This is referred to as “Improved daily living skills“.
Changes may not affect your NDIS plan if you are not currently using all of your budget allocation.
When will these budget changes happens?
These changes will start on 1 October 2026 and will happen progressively over a 12-month period as participants’ plans are renewed or reassessed.
What budgets are not affected by these changes to Social and Community Participation funding?
These changes will not impact budgets for critical supports, such as:
- supports in employment
- disability-related health supports
- supports in home, such as to help with eating, drinking, dressing, toileting, laundry, cleaning, community nursing care, help with medication
- home and vehicle modifications
- personal mobility equipment and transport
- consumable products to help with incontinence and menstruation
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).
High support needs participants requiring continuous 24-hour care will continue to receive it at all times.
The social, civic and community participation funding reduction will not impact these critical supports.
What can you do?
Speak to your NDIS Providers
You may need to negotiate lower prices and to get the most out of your supports within the limits of the NDIS Pricing Arrangements.
Consider Group Activities
You will also be supported to participate in group-based activities, where they are right for you.
These group-based activities may have lower prices.
Inclusive Communities Fund
To help with this, the Australian Government Department of Social Services will provide $200 million for an Inclusive Communities Fund.
This fund will help genuine social and community providers build their capabilities to host genuine participation activities to ensure genuinely inclusive activities are available for NDIS participants.
Public feedback on how to design this fund ran from 3 August 2026 to 31 August 2026. At publishing this resource, we will wait for the NDIS and DSS to announce how they will manage the allocation of this fund.
How is Plan Hero helping Participants?
The Plan Hero team have deep NDIS knowledge and experience. They will help connect you with platforms that will help you find social activities, like MyCareSpace.
