Preparing for your NDIS plan reassessment: what to gather and when

Your plan reassessment is the one conversation each year that decides what support you get. It is worth more than a fortnight of scrambling.

Most people prepare in the last two weeks. The ones who get better outcomes start months earlier, and they do it by collecting evidence as they go rather than trying to reconstruct a year from memory.

Here is what actually happens, and what to have ready.

What happens, and when

About 2 to 3 months before your plan reassessment date, your my NDIS contact will get in touch for a check-in. They will look at how you are going with your current plan and whether your situation has changed over the past year.

If your circumstances have changed and you need a reassessment, your my NDIS contact starts the process. That is done within 21 days.

They will explain what information and evidence you need, how to gather it, and how the process works.

After you submit everything, an NDIA planner reviews it. They are deciding which supports are related to your disability, will help you work towards your goals, will increase your independence, and help you work, study and join in socially.

You will get a decision within 21 days. There are three possible outcomes: your plan is varied, a new plan is created, or nothing changes. If a new plan is created, a plan meeting gets booked.

What to think about before you gather anything

Three things shape the conversation more than people expect.

Life changes over the next three years. Leaving school, starting or leaving work, moving house, a relationship ending, a carer getting older. The NDIA is planning forward, not backward. If you know something is coming, say so now rather than requesting a variation later.

How connected you are to your community. Informal supports matter. If your sister used to drive you to appointments and has since moved to Queensland, that is a genuine change in your support needs and it should be on the record.

Your goals, and how long you want your plan to run. You can have a view on plan duration. Say it.

The evidence that carries weight

Information and evidence might include assessments or reports from your treating healthcare professionals, therapists or support workers.

Two things make a report useful rather than decorative.

It shows how your supports are helping you work towards your goals. Not that you received a service, but what changed because you did. “Attended 48 support sessions” says nothing. “Now prepares three meals a week independently, down from full assistance in March” says a great deal.

It makes recommendations about what you will need next. A report that only describes the past leaves the planner to guess about the future.

Useful evidence for most people includes:

• Reports from your GP or specialists about your condition and how it affects daily life
• Therapy reports — occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech, psychology
• A functional capacity assessment, if you have had one
• Nursing notes or reports, if you have clinical needs
• Support worker or recovery coach progress notes showing what has changed
• Your own record of what has been hard, and what has helped

Start collecting now, not in the last fortnight

This is the single biggest thing that separates a good reassessment from a frustrating one.

Reports take time. A therapist who is asked in October for a report due in November will often decline, or produce something rushed. The same therapist asked in July will usually write something considered.

A simple habit that works: keep a running note on your phone. When something goes wrong — a fall, a missed appointment because transport fell through, a week where you could not manage the shopping — write the date and one line. When something goes well, write that too. Twelve months of one-line entries is far better evidence than trying to remember in the meeting.

If you have a support coordinator or recovery coach, they can help you prepare and can often chase reports on your behalf. That is part of what they are funded to do. Ask them.

How to submit your evidence

You can give the NDIA your information and evidence by:

• Using the NDIS service hub
• Mailing it to NDIA, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601
• Delivering it in person to your my NDIS contact or your local office

Keep a copy of everything you send, and note the date you sent it.

Common mistakes worth avoiding

Describing your best day. Many people, understandably, present as capable in a meeting. If your best day is very different from your average day, say so plainly, and make sure your evidence reflects the average rather than the peak.

Leaving out things that feel embarrassing. Continence, mental health, difficulty with hygiene, money management. These are exactly the areas where support is often funded, and leaving them unsaid means they cannot be considered.

Assuming the planner knows your history. They may be reading your file for the first time. Nothing is obvious.

Not naming what you want. If you want more nursing hours, or a functional capacity assessment, or a different type of support, say so directly and explain why.

Where we can help

If we already work with you, we can write the progress and clinical reports that go into your reassessment — community nursing notes, recovery coaching progress, behaviour support reporting. The earlier you ask, the better the report will be.

If you are not with us yet and you want a clearer picture of your functional capacity before your reassessment, that is something we can talk through.

Call 0410 560 769 or make a referral. We reply within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

When does my NDIS plan reassessment start?

Your my NDIS contact will usually get in touch about 2 to 3 months before your plan reassessment date for a check-in. If your situation has changed and you need a reassessment, they will start the process within 21 days.

How long does the NDIS take to decide after a plan reassessment?

The NDIA will let you know their decision within 21 days. There are three possible outcomes: they vary your plan, they create a new plan, or they do not change your plan.

What evidence should I provide?

Assessments or reports from your treating healthcare professionals, therapists or support workers, showing how your supports are helping you work towards your goals and what you may need in future.

How do I send my evidence to the NDIA?

Through the NDIS service hub, by mail to NDIA, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601, or in person to your my NDIS contact or local office.

Can my provider write a report for my reassessment?

Yes, and reports from people who work with you regularly are exactly what the NDIA looks for. Ask early — good reports take time to write.

What is the difference between a reassessment and a variation?

A reassessment looks at your whole plan and can result in a new one. A variation changes part of your existing plan. Your my NDIS contact can tell you which applies.

This article explains the general process. For advice about your own plan, speak to your my NDIS contact, support coordinator or recovery coach. Current NDIS guidance is published at ndis.gov.au.