What is an NDIS plan review?

In everyday use, 'plan review' is an umbrella term covering three different NDIS processes: a plan reassessment, where the NDIA looks at your whole situation and approves a new plan; a plan variation under section 47A, where the NDIA changes part of your existing plan; and an internal review of a decision, where you formally challenge a decision you disagree with. Since the law changed on 1 July 2022 these have been separate processes with different triggers and different consequences, so it is worth knowing which one you actually need before you contact the NDIA.

What is the difference between an NDIS plan review and a plan reassessment?

They are no longer the same thing. Before 1 July 2022 the NDIS Act used the word 'review' for both, which is why so much older advice online treats them as interchangeable. The Participant Service Guarantee amendments separated them. A plan reassessment is when the NDIA reconsiders your situation and approves a new plan in place of your current one. A 'review' now means a review of a reviewable decision — a formal challenge to a decision the NDIA has already made. Asking for the wrong one sends your request down the wrong path and wastes weeks.

What is the difference between a plan variation and a plan reassessment?

A variation changes part of your current plan. A reassessment replaces it with a new plan. That difference matters financially. In a reassessment the NDIA reconsiders every support in your plan, so funding can move up or down across the board. A variation only touches the specific element being changed, leaving the rest of your plan alone. If your situation has changed in one contained way — a new piece of assistive technology, a short-term increase in support needs, a change of plan management — a variation is usually the faster and lower-risk route.

Is a change of circumstances the same as a plan reassessment?

No. A change of circumstances is the trigger, not the process. When you tell the NDIA that something significant has changed, the NDIA then decides what to do about it: leave the plan as it is, vary the plan under section 47A, or undertake a full plan reassessment. You can state which outcome you are asking for and explain why, but the decision about which process to use sits with the NDIA, not with you.

How do I tell the NDIA about a change of circumstances?

Contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110, through the myplace participant portal, in person at a partner office, or in writing to enquiries@ndis.gov.au. Explain three things: what was true when your plan was approved, what has changed since, and what that means for the supports you need. Attach your new evidence at the same time — a request without evidence usually stalls while the NDIA asks for it. Your support coordinator or plan manager can make the contact on your behalf.

Can my funding go down after a plan variation?

A variation is much narrower than a reassessment. Because a section 47A variation changes only the specified part of your plan, the rest of your funding is not reopened and reconsidered. A plan reassessment is different: the NDIA reconsiders the whole plan against your current evidence, and the resulting funding can be higher, the same, or lower. This is the single most practical reason to be clear about which process you are asking for and why.

What if I ask for a variation and the NDIA decides to do a full reassessment?

That can happen, and it is worth preparing for. Because the NDIA chooses the process, a request for one small change can result in your whole plan being reassessed. If there is any chance of that, go in with evidence covering all of your current supports, not just the one item you want changed. Otherwise the NDIA is reassessing your entire plan against a partial picture of your needs, which is how participants end up with less funding than they started with.

What is an internal review of an NDIS decision?

An internal review, formally a review of a reviewable decision, is different from both a variation and a reassessment. It lets you formally challenge a decision the NDIA has already made — a funding amount, an access or eligibility decision, or the supports included in an approved plan. You must request it within 3 months of receiving notice of the decision. A different NDIA delegate then looks at the decision afresh and can affirm, vary, or set it aside.

How do I request an NDIS plan review?

Contact the NDIA by calling 1800 800 110, through the myplace participant portal, or in writing. Be specific about what you are asking for: a variation to change one part of your plan, a reassessment because your overall support needs have changed, or an internal review because you disagree with a decision. Your support coordinator or plan manager can help you frame the request and can contact the NDIA on your behalf.

How long does an NDIS plan review take?

It depends which process is running. A scheduled reassessment is usually started by the NDIA in the months before your plan end date. A participant-requested variation or reassessment takes longer, because the NDIA first decides whether to accept the request and then works through your evidence. The Participant Service Guarantee sets published target timeframes for each of these steps — check the current figures on ndis.gov.au. In practice, the biggest factor you control is how complete your evidence is at the point you first make contact.

Can my NDIS funding go down after a reassessment?

Yes. A reassessment can result in increased, unchanged, or decreased funding, because the NDIA rebuilds the plan from your current evidence rather than carrying the old plan forward. This is why preparation matters: gather updated reports from your OT, physio, or allied health team before the reassessment, and clearly document how your disability affects daily life now — including the supports that are working and should continue.

What triggers an unscheduled plan reassessment?

Common triggers include a significant change in your disability, condition, or functional capacity; a major life change such as moving out of home or leaving school; informal supports from family or carers breaking down; your plan running out of funding well before the end date; or an unexpected event such as a hospitalisation. The threshold is that the change must be significant enough that your current plan no longer meets your needs — not simply that you would like more funding.

What evidence should I prepare for my NDIS plan review?

The strongest submissions include an updated functional capacity assessment from an occupational therapist, progress reports from all current therapists such as speech pathology, physio and psychology, a letter from your GP or treating specialist, and a written account from you or your nominee describing how your disability affects daily life. Evidence should focus on what you cannot do independently and what happens without support — not just what supports you currently receive or what your diagnosis is.

Can I appeal to the ART if I disagree with an NDIS decision?

Yes. If you request an internal review and the outcome is still not right, you can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal for an independent external review, generally within 28 days of receiving the internal review decision. The ART replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024, so older guides referring to the AAT are out of date. You must complete an internal review first — the ART cannot look at a decision that has not been internally reviewed. Free legal and advocacy support is available to help you prepare.

What is a plan nominee and can they help with plan reviews?

An NDIA-appointed nominee is a person authorised to make decisions about an NDIS plan on behalf of a participant who cannot do so themselves. A nominee can request variations and reassessments, provide evidence, and attend planning meetings. Nominees are typically family members, guardians, or in some cases organisations. A nominee is not the same as a support coordinator — a support coordinator can assist and advocate but cannot make legal decisions on the participant's behalf.

How do I prepare my NDIS goals for a plan reassessment?

NDIS goals should be specific, meaningful to you, and linked to your everyday life rather than generic statements. Before your reassessment, think about what you want to achieve in the next 12 months, what supports you need to work toward those goals, and what has changed since your last plan. Writing down two to five clear goals in plain language before your planning meeting helps the planner understand your priorities and fund appropriately.

Can Help Alliance help me with my plan review?

Yes. Our Support Coordinators help participants work out whether they need a variation, a reassessment, or an internal review, then prepare for it — gathering evidence, writing goal-focused progress reports, attending planning meetings, and advocating for appropriate funding levels. Help Alliance supports plan-managed and self-managed participants across Perth's northern suburbs. Contact us to discuss your upcoming review.

NDIS Plan Review, Reassessment & Variation Guide 2026

“Plan review” is really three different processes — a section 47A variation (which includes plan extensions), a plan reassessment, and an internal review of a decision. This guide explains which one applies to your situation, what each one puts at risk, and how to request it.

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Section 47A

lets the NDIA vary your plan without a full reassessment

Any time

you can report a change of circumstances to the NDIA

3 months

to request an internal review after a decision

Free

variations, reassessments and internal reviews cost nothing

Why “Plan Review” and “Plan Reassessment” Are Not the Same Thing

A lot of NDIS advice online still says the words “review” and “reassessment” are used interchangeably. That was true before 1 July 2022. It is not true now. The Participant Service Guarantee amendments to the NDIS Act renamed the old plan review process to plan reassessment, and reserved the word review for something quite different — a formal review of a decision the NDIA has already made.

The same amendments introduced section 47A, which gives the NDIA the power to vary an existing plan. Before that, almost any change meant rebuilding the plan from scratch. Now there is a lighter-touch option for targeted changes, and knowing it exists is the difference between a two-line adjustment and having your entire plan reopened.

On top of that sits change of circumstances, which is not a process at all — it is the trigger. When you report a change, the NDIA decides which process to run in response. Getting your language right in that first contact is genuinely worth the effort, because it shapes what the NDIA does next.

Variation vs Extension vs Reassessment vs Internal Review

There are three top-level processes — a section 47A variation, a plan reassessment under section 48, and an internal review under section 100. The table below breaks those into five rows for clarity: it shows a plan extension separately (it is a type of section 47A variation) and splits reassessment into scheduled and unscheduled, because those two feel very different in practice. Each row carries a different level of risk to your existing funding.

Process	What happens	When it applies	How it starts
Plan variation Section 47A	Part of your existing plan is changed. The plan itself continues.	One contained change — new assistive technology, a funding top-up, a plan management change, or an error to correct.	Ask the NDIA, or the NDIA may do it on its own initiative.
Plan extension Section 47A (a type of variation)	Your plan's reassessment date moves later. Existing funding continues.	Your circumstances are stable, or a reassessment cannot be completed before your plan ends.	Ask the NDIA, or the NDIA extends automatically to avoid a gap.
Scheduled reassessment Section 48	The NDIA reconsiders everything and approves a new plan.	At your plan's scheduled reassessment date.	The NDIA contacts you. Start preparing about 3 months out.
Unscheduled reassessment Section 48	The NDIA reconsiders everything mid-plan and approves a new plan.	Your support needs have changed broadly enough that a targeted variation will not fix it.	Report a change of circumstances and request a reassessment.
Internal review Section 100	A different NDIA delegate re-decides a decision you disagree with.	You believe a decision the NDIA already made is wrong.	Lodge within 3 months of being notified of the decision.

The decision is not yours to make: You can request a particular process and explain why it fits, but the NDIA chooses which one to run. A request for a small variation can become a full reassessment. Prepare evidence for your whole plan, not just the part you want changed.

What Is a Section 47A Plan Variation?

A section 47A variation changes part of your existing plan without replacing it. Your plan keeps its identity, its start date, and everything that is not being varied. It is the NDIS equivalent of amending a document rather than rewriting it.

A variation is usually right when…

✓ One specific support needs to be added, adjusted, or corrected
✓ The rest of your plan is still working well for you
✓ You have a quote or report covering just that one item
✓ You want your current funding left alone
✓ You need more time on your current plan

A reassessment is usually right when…

› Your support needs have changed across several areas
› Your goals for the next 12 months are substantially different
› Your living situation or informal supports have changed
› The plan's overall structure no longer fits your life
› Your plan is at its scheduled reassessment date anyway

Common examples of a section 47A variation

→Funding a piece of assistive technology quoted after your plan was approved

→Adding funding for home modifications once a build cost is confirmed

→Correcting an error or omission in your approved plan

→Changing how your plan is managed (for example, self-managed to plan-managed)

→Adjusting a support to reflect updated NDIS price limits

→Moving your plan's reassessment date later — a plan extension

→Reinstating a support that was left out when the plan was built

→Adding short-term funding after a hospital discharge or crisis

Why this matters financially: A reassessment reopens every support in your plan and the NDIA rebuilds it from your current evidence — so funding can go down as easily as up. A variation only touches the element being varied. If your need is contained, asking for a variation rather than a reassessment protects the funding you already have.

NDIS Plan Extensions: What They Are and Why They Happen

A plan extension is not a separate process in the NDIS Act — it is a section 47A variation that moves your plan's reassessment date later. Your current plan continues, along with whatever funding is left in it. Nothing is reassessed and nothing is rebuilt.

Extensions are common. The NDIA may extend a plan when a reassessment cannot be completed before the plan end date, when your circumstances are stable and a brand-new plan would achieve nothing, or when something significant is mid-flight — a hospital discharge, a move into supported accommodation, an assessment still being written — that would make reassessing now produce a worse plan than waiting.

An extension is worth asking for in one specific situation: when your plan is about to end but you are not ready to be reassessed. If your OT report is still being written, or you have just had a major change that has not settled yet, being reassessed against incomplete evidence is a real risk. Asking for an extension buys you the time to go into a reassessment properly prepared.

Watch your funding, not just your dates: An extension moves the reassessment date but does not automatically add money. If your plan is extended and the existing funding will not stretch to cover the longer period, that is a separate conversation — and usually a separate variation request. Raise both at the same time.

What the 2024 Changes Mean for Variations and Reassessments

The NDIS Act was amended in 2024 by the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024, which introduced a new plan framework built around needs assessments, a defined budget, and lists of what is and is not an NDIS support. Participants move into that new framework over time rather than all at once.

The section 47A variation and section 48 reassessment processes described on this page apply to plans under the existing framework. If you are on a new framework plan, some of the terminology and mechanics may work differently for you — particularly around how your budget is set and what can be changed without a full reassessment.

If you are not sure which framework your plan sits under, ask before you make a request. Call the NDIA on 1800 800 110, check the current guidance on ndis.gov.au, or ask your support coordinator to confirm it for you. It is a short question that determines which process you should actually be asking for.

What Counts as a Change of Circumstances?

A change of circumstances is the trigger, not the process. When you report one, the NDIA decides whether to leave your plan alone, vary it under section 47A, or undertake a full reassessment. The threshold is that the change is significant enough that your current plan no longer meets your needs — not simply that you would like more funding. Common qualifying changes include:

✓Your condition has deteriorated or become more complex

✓You've received a new diagnosis that affects your support needs

✓You're leaving school, hospital, or another funded environment

✓You're moving out of home or into supported accommodation

✓Your informal supports (family/carers) are no longer available

✓Your plan is running out of funding before the end date

✓A support that was funded is no longer available in your area

✓Your goals have significantly changed

Important: Running low on funds alone is not always sufficient to trigger a reassessment — the NDIA may top up via a section 47A variation instead, or may decide the plan was adequate and the funds were spent too quickly. If your needs have genuinely changed, document the functional impact clearly rather than just the dollar shortfall.

How to Request a Variation, Reassessment or Review: 6 Steps

Whichever process applies, the preparation is broadly the same — and the first step is the one most people skip.

Work out which process you actually need

A targeted change to one support points to a section 47A variation. A broad change in your support needs points to a reassessment. A decision you believe is wrong points to an internal review. Naming the right process in your first contact saves weeks.

Document what has changed

Write a clear change-of-circumstances statement: what was true when your plan was approved, what is different now, and how that affects your daily life and support needs. Be concrete about frequency, duration, and what happens without support.

Gather updated evidence

Request updated reports from your OT, physio, psychologist, or specialist. The NDIA gives most weight to functional assessments that describe impact on daily activities — not just diagnosis letters.

Contact the NDIA

Call 1800 800 110, use the myplace portal, or write to enquiries@ndis.gov.au. Your support coordinator can contact the NDIA on your behalf. State plainly whether you are seeking a variation, a reassessment, or an internal review.

Prepare as if the whole plan is in play

The NDIA decides which process to run, so a variation request can become a full reassessment. Bring evidence for all of your current supports, not only the one you want changed.

Check the outcome carefully

When you receive a varied or new plan, check every line item against what you asked for. If something is missing or lower than expected, you have 3 months from being notified to request an internal review of that decision.

Disagree with a Decision? Internal Review and the ART

Variations and reassessments are about changing your plan. An internal review is about challenging a decision. If the NDIA has decided something you believe is wrong — an access decision, a funding amount, a support left out of your plan — this is the pathway, and it runs on strict deadlines.

Step 1 — Internal review (section 100)

› Must be requested within 3 months of being notified of the decision
› A different NDIA delegate re-decides the matter
› They can affirm, vary, or set aside the original decision
› Submit new evidence with your request, not after it

Step 2 — Administrative Review Tribunal

› Independent of the NDIA — generally apply within 28 days
› You must complete an internal review first
› The ART replaced the AAT on 14 October 2024
› Free legal and advocacy support is available to participants

Note on advocacy: You do not have to do this alone, and you should not have to pay for it. Independent disability advocacy is free and available across Australia — search the Disability Advocacy Finder on the Department of Social Services website to locate an advocate near you. If your concern is about a provider rather than an NDIA decision, that goes to the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544 instead.

What Evidence Gets Results?

High-impact evidence

✓ Functional assessment by an Occupational Therapist (OT)
✓ Specialist reports describing functional impact (not just diagnosis)
✓ Progress notes from therapists showing what changed
✓ A support coordinator goal progress report
✓ Carer impact statement from family members
✓ A clear written statement from you describing daily difficulties
✓ For a variation: a current quote for the specific item requested

Weaker evidence (still include)

~ GP letters (helpful for context but carry less weight)
~ Hospital discharge summaries
~ Invoices or service provider notes
~ Diagnosis letter alone (without functional impact)

The NDIA focuses on how your disability affects your daily activities and capacity — not just what condition you have. Frame all evidence around function: what you cannot do, how often you need help, and what happens when support is not there.

How Help Alliance Supports Your Plan Review

Our Support Coordinators in Perth's northern suburbs work with plan-managed and self-managed participants to navigate variations and reassessments — from working out which process to ask for, through to advocating at the planning meeting.

Choosing the Right Process

We help you work out whether your situation calls for a section 47A variation, a plan extension, a full reassessment, or an internal review — and what each one puts at risk.

Evidence Coordination

We contact your OT, allied health, and specialist teams to gather updated reports and ensure they're framed around functional impact rather than diagnosis.

Change-of-Circumstances Letters

We help you write a clear, structured statement that explains what has changed, what it means day to day, and exactly what you are asking the NDIA to do.

Contact a Support Coordinator

NDIS Plan Review: Frequently Asked Questions

Related NDIS Guides

Planning Meeting Prep →100+ NDIS Goal Examples →NDIS Funding Categories →NDIS Complaint Guide →NDIS Jargon Buster →NDIS Support Coordination →

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Help Alliance's Support Coordinators in Joondalup, Stirling and Wanneroo help participants work out which process they need — and prepare the evidence to get the right outcome.

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