23 April 2026 – reprinted from Parkinson’s Australia news post https://www.parkinsons.org.au/news/ndis_announcement/
Health Minister Mark Butler addressed the National Press Club yesterday with the most significant package of NDIS reforms in years. For people living with Parkinson’s, there is a lot to take in.
Social & community participation budgets will be reduced
One of the most immediate changes affects social and community participation, i.e. the NDIS funding that helps people get out into the community, connect with others, and maintain an active life.
The Minister confirmed that the average budget for this support category will decrease from $31,000 to $26,000 per participant over the next two years. These changes will begin rolling out progressively from 1 October 2026.
Social and community participation is essential to wellbeing, mental health, and maintaining independence. We will be watching closely to see how this plays out in practice, and we will continue to advocate for our community throughout this process.
$200 million for a new Inclusive Communities Fund
In response to those cuts, the Minister also announced a new $200 million Inclusive Communities Fund. This will offer grants to both mainstream and disability organisations to support community participation. Importantly, the fund is being designed in consultation with the disability community.
How people gain access to the NDIS is changing
Currently, eligibility for the NDIS is partly determined by diagnosis, e.g. Parkinson’s disease is on List B, a permanent condition, so may be eligible for the early intervention stream as well as access to the NDIS. However, that is changing.
From January 2028, the government will introduce standardised functional assessments, in other words, assessments based on how your condition impacts your daily life, rather than simply what condition you have. This is designed to make the system fairer and more consistent.
For people with Parkinson’s, this could cut both ways. A functional assessment approach has the potential to better capture the real-world impact of a condition like Parkinson’s, which affects far more than physical impacts. However, the detail of how these assessments will work matters enormously, and we will be scrutinising this closely.
New Framework Plans delayed again… until 1 April 2027
The New Framework Plans, which will change the way NDIS plans are structured and funded — have been delayed again. They were originally due in mid-2025, then pushed to mid-2026. The Minister has now confirmed they will begin rolling out on 1 April 2027.
We know that uncertainty around plan changes has been stressful for many in our community. The delay gives more time to prepare, but we recognise that the wait itself is difficult.
Unscheduled plan reviews will be restricted
At the moment, around one in five NDIS plans is subject to an unscheduled reassessment each year, and plans typically grow by around 20% following those reassessments. The government wants to tighten the rules so that unscheduled reviews can only happen in exceptional circumstances.
New rules will be included in an upcoming Bill and will take effect within seven days of it passing.
Unspent plan funds will no longer roll over
Currently, if you do not spend all of your NDIS plan funding in a given period, those unspent funds roll over to the next period. The government has announced it will end this practice.
This is a change that could affect people whose Parkinson’s symptoms fluctuate, meaning there are periods where you need more support and periods where you need less. We will be seeking clarification on how this will be managed and what safeguards will be in place.
Our position
Parkinson’s Australia is continuing to review the full details of yesterday’s announcement. We understand that changes to the NDIS, particularly changes that could affect funding levels and eligibility, are unsettling.
We will be advocating for our community throughout this process. If you have questions or concerns, get in touch with us.
You can read the full speech here: Minister Butler’s 22/4/26 speech at the National Press Club.
More information on the changes can be found here: Securing the NDIS for future generations — Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
FREE YOPX app website resources for those under 65 with Parkinson’s: www.youngonsetparkinsons.org.au
