Blog, True Ability

Preparing evidence for Supports in light of the NDIS Reforms

A clear checklist for participants, families and carers as NDIS reforms continue. 

NDIS rules and processes are changing. Participants do not need to wait for every reform detail before checking whether their supporting information still reflects their current needs. 

Funding decisions are individual. The NDIA considers the evidence provided and tests each requested support against the reasonable and necessary criteria. Current, specific reports make support needs easier to understand, but they do not guarantee funding.

A quick reform timeline 

Date 

What changed 
October 2024  Changes began across access, planning, funding periods and the way NDIS funds may be used. 
1 July 2026  Mandatory registration and new claim arrangements commenced for SIL providers. 
18 August 2026  The next reform legislation passed Parliament. Further details will continue through rules, consultation and implementation. 
1 October 2026  Existing unregistered SIL providers must have applied for registration to continue delivering SIL during the transition. 

Start with function, not just diagnosis 

A diagnosis identifies a condition. Supporting evidence also needs to show its practical effect. Reports should state what assistance is required, when it is required, how frequently it is needed and how the recommended support relates to disability needs and goals. 

Who can provide evidence? 

Use the professional best placed to comment on the issue being considered. This may include a GP, paediatrician, occupational therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, speech pathologist, physiotherapist or another relevant treating professional. The NDIS says evidence should be recent, original, specific to the participant and provided by an appropriate qualified professional. 

Examples include an occupational therapy functional assessment for day-to-day functioning, or an updated paediatric or developmental report where a child’s needs, function or treatment have changed.

What should the report cover? 

  • Current functional capacity across the areas relevant to the request. 
  • Tasks completed independently, with support, or not safely completed. 
  • The exact type, frequency and timing of assistance required. 
  • Changes since the previous plan or assessment. 
  • Risks and likely consequences if assistance is not provided. 
  • The participant’s goals and the expected outcome of the recommended support. 
  • Other supports already available and why they do not fully meet the disability-related need. 

Match the evidence to the support 

Social and community participation 

Document the activity or goal, the disability-related barrier and the assistance required to participate. This may include prompting, communication support, skill development, safe access or help making choices. Include how often the support is needed and why informal or ordinary community options are insufficient by themselves. 

Assistance with daily life 

Describe a normal day. Record the help required for personal care, meals, household tasks, routines, mobility, medication, communication or supervision. State the frequency, duration and level of assistance, together with any safety or wellbeing consequences when support is unavailable. 

Supported Independent Living and home supports 

Home and living evidence should set out daily and housing-related support needs, including when and how often assistance is required. It should explain functional impacts and identify other living or support options considered, including why those options do not meet the participant’s disability-related needs. Where needs or goals have changed, the NDIS says the evidence should be dated after the last plan approval and explain the change in function and daily support requirements.

Before a plan discussion 

  • Collect recent reports and note when each was completed. 
  • Write down changes in daily routines, risks, goals or informal support. 
  • Check that recommendations include hours, frequency or intensity where relevant. 
  • Bring examples from everyday life that show the impact of the disability. 
  • Ask your treating professional to explain the reason for each recommendation, not only list a support. 

Useful NDIS resources 

Discuss your support needs 

If your needs have changed or a plan discussion is approaching, contact your True Ability coordinator. We can review the service information we hold, talk through your current supports and help you prepare questions for your treating professionals, Support Coordinator or the NDIA. Clinical recommendations and funding decisions remain the responsibility of the relevant professionals and the NDIA. 

Phone: 03 7009 1557 

Email: admin@trueability.com.au 

Sources 

Information checked against official NDIS and Australian Government resources current at 24 August 2026. When preparing for a plan change or review, confirm requirements for your individual circumstances with the NDIA or your my NDIS contact. 

  1. NDIS: How to gather evidence 
  2. NDIS: What is reasonable and necessary 
  3. NDIS: How to ask for home and living supports 
  4. NDIS: What is supported independent living 
  5. NDIS: Changes to the NDIS 
  6. NDIS: Summary of legislation changes 
  7. Department of Health: 2026 NDIS legislation changes 
  8. NDIS Commission: Mandatory registration 

 

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