As an NDIS participant, your plan needs to have the supports that help you achieve your goals. But what happens when your situation changes before your plan’s reassessment date?
The good news is that the NDIS accepts plan change requests at any time and our clinicians can support with information the NDIS needs to reassess your current plan.
Reasons you might need a plan change
The NDIS will reassess your plan if your situation changes ‘significantly’ due to:
- a change in your health or condition, or as a result of a medical treatment, surgery or allied health therapy;
- and/or a life change, such as moving out of home, starting high school or a tertiary education course, learning to drive, and getting your first job.
These changes in your situation might mean you need the type, frequency, and/or number of supports in your current plan adjusted.
The two types of NDIS plan changes
Before you request a plan change, it’s helps to know that the NDIS ‘divides’ plan changes into two types: plan variation and plan reassessment.
Plan variation
A plan variation is when the NDIS approves a minor change to part of your current plan. Some main reasons for a plan variation include: –
- a change in your provider(s);
- a change in how your supports are provided;
- a change in the way your funds are managed;
- to increase funding of supports already in your plan;
- if you require crisis or emergency funding due to a significant change to your support needs;
- to accommodate new information from the NDIA (this can relate to assistive technology (AT) and home modifications).
Plan reassessment
Previously called ‘plan review’, a plan assessment is performed by the NDIS when there are significant changes in your situation. A plan reassessment usually results in a new plan being created.
While your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or NDIA planner can help determine whether you might require a plan variation or a reassessment, the ultimate decision is made by the NDIS.
What you need for a plan change request
To request a plan change, you need to provide the NDIS with what it calls the ‘right supporting evidence’. This is documentation that supports your request for a plan change and is required by the NDIS planners to make timely decisions or, in other words, for making the plan reassessment process faster.
Supporting evidence can be:
- medical reports, therapy assessments and recommendations from healthcare professionals, such as allied health clinicians
- confirmation from your employer if you are starting work for the first time
- a copy of your lease or letter from your real estate agent if you are moving out of home.
How to submit an NDIS plan change request
Plan change requests can be submitted by your LAC or NDIA planner or directly to the NDIS by you or someone you give consent to, such as a family member, advocate or friend.
If you choose to have your LAC or NDIA planner lodge your request, they will review your supporting documentation and may talk to you about your new needs, the reasons for adjusting your plan, and how changes will be accommodated into your plan. You can have a family member, friend, or Support Coordinator at the meeting to support you.
Regardless of whether you submit your plan change request or have your LAC or NDIA planner lodge it for you, you need to include your supporting evidence.
How to request changes to your child’s plan
If you are requesting changes to your child’s plan and they are under the age of seven, you will need to provide the NDIS with a ‘provider report’ from their provider(s), which can include their Better Rehab clinicians. This report is a written summary of your child’s current supports and you and your child’s progress towards achieving your goals.
What happens after I lodge my plan change request?
After receiving your request for a plan change, the NDIS will review your supporting documentation to decide whether to conduct a plan reassessment, a plan variation or not change your plan.
You should receive the NDIS’ decision by letter on your plan variation or plan reassessment within 21 days of your plan meeting or from the date your LAC or NDIA planner received your supporting documentation. (If the NDIS doesn’t make a decision within 21 days, they will not reassess your plan. Their decision however will be automatically reviewed and you will be notified of this review in writing. See more about what happens when the NDIS decides not to do a plan reassessment or plan variation).
If you requested a plan change directly from the NDIS, you will receive a decision within 21 days of the date the NDIS received your request form and supporting documents. If your request is declined, the letter will explain the reasons for the NDIS’ decision.
The NDIS might ask for more time to make their decision, request additional information to support your request, or ask you to have an assessment and/or examination. If this happens, you should receive their decision within 28 days, or 50 days if you have complex needs being addressed.
What happens if the NDIS decides not to do a plan reassessment or variation
The NDIS can decide not to do a plan reassessment or plan variation.
Some reasons for not doing a plan reassessment include
- a lack of supporting evidence;
- a request for more funding or supports based on what other participants have;
- if informal, community or mainstream supports can meet your needs (informal being family, friends and community networks and mainstream supports being those you can receive from other government-funded services such as Medicare);
Some reasons why the NDIS will not perform a plan variation of your plan include
- you have flexible funding remaining in your plan that can be used;
- you do not have enough evidence to support a variation;
- your needs can be met by your informal, community or mainstream support;
- you have used all your funds more quickly than specified in your plan.
You can ask for the NDIS’ decision not to change your plan to be reviewed within three months of the decision being made, and you can also make another request for a plan change after three months. Also take heart in the fact that the NDIS will consider your situation during their next regular ‘check-in’ with you.
Our top tips for making plan change requests
Providing information and evidence that supports your plan change request that is clear and relevant can help the NDIS make an informed decision more quickly and reduce the likelihood of a request for further information.
Our clinicians also recommend writing down the reasons why you require a plan change to present in your plan reassessment meeting with your LAC or NDIA Planner or to add to your NDIS Change of Situation form if you are requesting a plan change directly with the NDIS.
Also, if you would like to be supported during the plan change request meeting, perhaps by a family member, friend, or your Support Coordinator, allow enough time to ask them and ‘book’ them in.
While our guide to NDIS plan changes simplifies the process, we understand that you may need further information, so please don’t hesitate to talk to your Better Rehab clinician who not only knows how to navigate the NDIS but understands your needs and goals and support that can help you achieve them.
8 need-to-know facts about plan change requests
- Plan changes can be requested any time before your plan’s reassessment date (which is usually 12 months after its start date).
- To request a plan change you need to provide the NDIS with the right supporting evidence, which is documentations that supports your request.
- You can lodge your plan change request with your LAC or NDIA planner or directly with the NDIS.
- The NDIS can decide the type of change to be made, based on your situation and the information you provide. So the changes to your plan might be different to what you request.
- The NDIS can make changes to your plan without you requesting changes. This is called a ‘CEO’s own initiative’ (the ‘CEO’ being the NDIS).
- Your requested changes must meet the NDIS funding criteria.
- The NDIS can decline your request for changes to your plan however you can ask for a review of this decision and/or request a plan change again in three months’ time.
- Changes to your plan cannot be used to review a prior decision made by the NDIS.
If you would like to know more about how Better Rehab’s clinicians can assist you with NDIS plan changes, submit a referral on our website.
