If your family uses a plan manager to pay invoices and keep track of your NDIS budget, you may have heard that plan management is changing. The pathway to those changes has been established in the new NDIS Bill which is now law.
In August 2026, Parliament passed the NDIS Bill and became the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026. One of the biggest changes, is a move away from the current open plan management market towards a smaller panel of plan managers selected by the NDIA.
From 1 October 2027, the new panel of plan managers will launch. From April 2028, participants will be required to use a plan manager on the new panel. During the six month transition, plan managers that are not on the panel can continue to support existing customers but cannot take on new participants.
Plan management is the most popular way to manage an NDIS plan
Plan management has become the most common way to manage NDIS funding and now plays a major role in how the Scheme operates day to day.
More than 515,000 participants used a plan manager during the December 2025 quarter, and around 60% of NDIS funding flows through plan managers.
Those numbers aren't particularly surprising. Having a great plan manager can take a huge amount of administration off your plate and make navigating the ups and downs of the NDIS much easier.
So why is the NDIS making these changes?
According to the NDIA Quarterly Report for Q3 2025-26, there were 1,462 active plan managers across Australia in March 2026.
But the market is very uneven. A relatively small number of large plan managers support a high proportion of participants, followed by a group of established medium-sized providers and then a very large number of small plan managers.
According to the Explanatory Memorandum, which sets out these changes, roughly a quarter of the market is made up of small, low-capability plan managers, serving 10 or fewer participants in the six months to 31 December 2025.
In future the Government will require the panel approved plan managers to meet stronger standards around quality, integrity and fraud prevention.
A plan manager needs to be able to:
- process invoices accurately and efficiently
- understand increasingly complex NDIS rules
- maintain strong compliance and fraud-prevention processes
- protect participant information and data, and
- still provide responsive, personalised support.
Doing all of this well requires experienced staff, strong governance, reliable technology and systems, and ongoing investment in compliance.
For very small plan managers, maintaining all of these processes and systems has become increasingly difficult and costly, as NDIS requirements become more complex.
That is why the new panel is likely to have a bigger impact on the smaller end of the plan management market.
How will the new panel affect plan managers?
The new panel is expected to significantly raise the bar for who can provide NDIS plan management.
From April 2027, plan managers that want to join the panel will need to apply through a competitive tender process.
As part of the tender process, plan managers will need to demonstrate that they have appropriate governance, staff, claim-checking processes, technology, systems and robust conflict-of-interest arrangements.
In practice, the reforms are likely to reduce the large number of small providers that do not have the scale, systems or resources to meet the new requirements.
The market will become much more consolidated, made up of established plan managers capable of delivering the service reliably and at scale.
The tender is expected to close in June 2027, after which the NDIA will assess applications and tell providers whether they have been selected.
We have no idea how many plan managers will be on the panel. It could be 20 or 200!
The panel is expected to launch on 1 October 2027, followed by a six-month transition period. From April 2028, plan managers that are not on the panel will no longer be able to provide NDIS plan management services.
Plan managers will also need to be independent
Another major change is the separation of plan management from other NDIS services.
Under the new rules, a registered plan management provider will not be able to deliver other NDIS supports or services under the same provider entity.
They must be independent plan managers. Key personnel of a plan manager cannot be key personnel of another NDIS Provider. Panel members get six months to divest related businesses.
That is a significant change for providers that currently offer plan management alongside services such as support coordination, therapy or direct disability supports.
For families, the important question is whether your plan manager is independent. If they are not, ask them how they intend to comply with the new independence and conflict-of-interest requirements.
What does this mean for you and your family?
Check what services your plan manager provides
If your plan manager also provides other NDIS supports, ask them what they are planning to do under the new rules.
Plan managers will ultimately need to separate plan management from the delivery of other NDIS services if they want to continue operating as an approved plan manager.
Consider the size and capability of your plan manager
Size alone will not determine whether a plan manager makes the panel, and the NDIA has not announced a minimum number of participants that a provider must support.
However, smaller providers may find it more difficult to meet the technology, governance, compliance and reporting requirements that come with the new model.
Rather than focusing on a particular participant number, ask whether your plan manager has established systems, dedicated plan management staff (that work in Australia), strong fraud detection and claim-checking processes and the resources to keep up with changing NDIS requirements.
Don't panic — there is plenty of time
If you are happy with your current plan manager, there is no reason to rush into making a change.
The panel does not launch until 1 October 2027, and there will then be a six-month transition period.
No plan manager can guarantee today that they will be on the new panel. The tender requirements have not yet been finalised and providers will not know the outcome until the NDIA has assessed applications in 2027.
If someone pressures you to change plan managers because they claim to already be "approved" for the new panel, they are telling porkie pies!
Consider your options if you are already unhappy
You don't need to wait for the panel if your current plan manager isn't working for you.
You can choose another plan manager, subject to any notice requirements in your current service agreement. Look for a provider that specialises in plan management, has established systems and claim-checking processes, communicates clearly and gives you good visibility over your NDIS budget.
Thinking about changing plan managers and need help?
MyCareSpace can help you compare plan management providers and find one that suits you and your family, and one that only only delivers plan management services.
Connect with a Plan manager through MyCareSpace.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to change plan managers now?
No. You can continue using your current plan manager.
The new panel is expected to launch on 1 October 2027, followed by a six-month transition period ending in April 2028.
If your current plan manager does not make the panel, you will have time to move to an approved provider.
Will I still be able to choose my plan manager?
Yes. You will still be able to choose your plan manager, but your choice will be from the providers approved for the NDIA panel.
Will plan management cost more?
We don't know yet, but either way the NDIA will keep setting plan management prices and panel compliance costs are not expected to be passed on to participants.
The NDIA has said it is changing how plan management services are priced, designed and delivered. The final details of the new pricing model have not yet been released.
Either way, you won't need to worry about this. Plan management fees are a stated support in your NDIS plan so you cannot use this funding for anything else.
What happens if my plan manager is not on the panel?
There will be a six-month transition period.
The NDIA has said it will support participants whose existing plan manager is not selected to move to a provider that is on the panel.
From April 2028, providers that are not on the panel will no longer be able to deliver NDIS plan management services.
When will I know if my plan manager is on the panel?
The NDIA plans to open the tender from April 2027 until June 2027. It will then assess applications and tell providers whether they have been selected.
Your plan manager should be able to update you once it receives its outcome.
Where can I find the list of approved plan managers?
The NDIA will maintain a public register of approved Panel plan management providers.
Once the new panel is established, families will be able to see which providers have been approved to continue delivering plan management under the new model.
MyCareSpace will support participants and their families in choosing a plan manager that suits them best from the available options.
