What Changed on 1 July 2026 and What Comes Next.
The past month has been one of the busiest in the NDIS calendar. A set of practical changes took effect on 1 July 2026, while the larger reform legislation continues to work its way through the Senate. Here is a plain English summary of where things stand.
What’s already changed?
These changes began on the 1st July 2026. They are separate from the reform bill and area already part of how the scheme operates:
Annual Pricing Update: As it does every year, the NDIS refreshed its price guide on 1 July. The main thing most people will notice is a lift in support worker rates, which followed the Fair Work Commission's annual wage review. The good news is that most allied health rates, like occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology and podiatry, stayed the same. And to keep things fair, the NDIA started topping up plan budgets from 13 July so your funding keeps pace with the new prices.
New Invoicing and Support Item Codes: Providers are now using some new item codes for things like travel, telehealth, supports that aren't face to face, reports and short notice cancellations. Don't worry if your invoices read slightly differently as a result. The supports you actually receive haven't changed.
Mandatory Registration for SIL and Platform Providers: If you use Supported Independent Living, or an online platform to find and book supports, those providers now need to be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. There are also new SIL Practice Standards that set out what good support should look like.
A Tougher Stance on Fraud: The NDIA has been given more power to spot and shut down dodgy activity, as part of a broader push to keep providers doing the right thing.
The big reforms? Still being worked out
You've probably seen a lot of headlines about the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill 2026. That's the legislation that would bring in functional needs assessments, changes to who's eligible, and a new way of building plans over the next few years.
Here's the key thing to hold onto: it hasn't passed yet. Right now it's sitting with a Senate inquiry, which has been extended to 14 August. A few tweaks were made to the bill in late June, and disability advocacy groups are still pushing for more. Until it becomes law and the start dates roll around, nothing about your current plan changes.
What does this mean for you?
For most participants the changes are being handled behind the scenes, but a few quick checks will help you land on the right side of them.
If you use support workers or allied health (the pricing changes):
Check your plan has been topped up to reflect the new rates. Indexation started on 13 July, so there may be a short window where your providers have moved to the new prices but your plan hasn't quite caught up.
Keep an eye on your budget. Support worker rates went up, so the same number of hours now costs a little more, and you want your funding to still stretch across the supports you rely on.
Question any invoice that looks higher than the new price limits allow, before you agree to anything.
If you use SIL or an online platform provider (the registration changes):
Check your provider is already registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, or on track to be. Providers have until 1 October 2026 to apply, and can keep delivering while their application is processed, so it's worth asking yours where they're up to.
Use the new SIL Practice Standards as a prompt to check the support you're getting at home is up to scratch.
None of this is cause for alarm, and you don't have to work it all out on your own. If you'd like someone in your corner to check your plan has been indexed properly, confirm your providers are registered, and make sure your budget still adds up, that's exactly what we do.
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A lot changed for the NDIS on 1 July, and a lot is still up in the air. Here's the plain-English version, and the handful of things worth checking on your plan.