How to prepare for your NDIS plan review and get the supports you need

Key takeaway: A plan review, now called a reassessment, decides your funding for the year ahead, and good preparation is the difference between a plan that fits your life and one that does not.

What a plan review is now called

You might still hear people say plan review, but the NDIS now calls this a reassessment. It is the process where the agency looks at your current plan and decides on your funding for the next period. It usually happens near the end of your plan, and the agency will contact you to arrange it. Sometimes a reassessment is light touch, a short check in over the phone to confirm things are working. Other times it is a fuller conversation about how your situation has changed and what you need going forward. Either way, it is your chance to make sure the next plan reflects your real life, so it helps to treat it as a proper conversation rather than a formality.

Start by looking back

Before you think about the year ahead, spend some time looking back over the plan you have now. What worked well and helped you make progress? What did not work, or felt like the wrong fit? Were there parts of your funding you did not use, and if so, why? Sometimes funding goes unused because you could not find a provider with availability, or because your circumstances changed, and that context matters. Just as importantly, look for the gaps. Were there supports you needed but did not have funding for, or times you had to go without? Making a simple list of what worked, what did not, and where the gaps were gives you a clear picture to bring to the meeting.

Gather your evidence

The agency makes decisions based on evidence, so the stronger your evidence, the better your chances of getting the funding you need. Pull together your recent therapy and assessment reports, and ask your treating professionals for updated letters that describe your current needs and how your disability affects your daily life. If you are hoping to get equipment or assistive technology funded, gather quotes so there is a clear cost to point to. It is worth asking your therapists or support coordinator for these documents well ahead of time, as they can take a while to prepare. Having your evidence organised and ready means you are not scrambling at the last minute, and it shows the agency a clear, consistent picture of what you need.

Think and talk in goals

The NDIS is built around goals, so it helps to frame your needs that way rather than leading with your diagnosis alone. A useful pattern is to link a support to what it lets you do: I need X so I can do Y. For example, I need regular support work so I can get to my community activities and stay connected, or I need physiotherapy so I can keep my mobility and live independently at home. This focuses on the functional impact, how your disability affects everyday life and what support changes that, which is exactly what the agency is trying to understand. Come to the meeting with a few clear goals in mind and the supports that help you work towards each one.

The meeting itself

You do not have to do the meeting alone. You can bring a support person, a family member, your support coordinator, or an advocate, and having someone there to take notes or help you explain things can make a real difference. During the conversation, be specific. Rather than saying you need more support, describe how many hours, for what, and why. If you are not sure what something is for, it is completely fair to ask what each funded support is meant to cover and how the amount was worked out. This is your plan, and understanding it as you go means fewer surprises later. Take your time, and do not be afraid to ask for a break if you need one.

After the plan arrives

When your new plan comes through, read it carefully from start to finish. Check the budgets to make sure the funding matches what you talked about, and look at how each part is managed and what it can be spent on. If something is missing, wrong, or does not match your understanding of the meeting, you have the right to ask for a review of the decision. Do not just accept a plan that does not fit, and do not wait, as there are time limits on asking for a review. If you are unsure, your support coordinator or an advocate can help you work out whether to accept the plan or challenge it, and how to go about it.

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