What an NDIS planner is
An NDIS planner works for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). They are a delegate, which means the law lets them make decisions on behalf of the NDIA's CEO. When people say "the NDIA decided", it is usually a planner or another delegate who made that decision.
Planners create new plans, make decisions about the supports and funding in them, explain those decisions and approve the plan. They also make decisions when a plan is varied or reassessed.
Planner, LAC or assessor: who does what
Several people can be involved in your plan, and it helps to know who decides what.
- NDIA planner (delegate): decides what is funded and approves your plan
- Local area coordinator (LAC): an NDIS partner who works with people aged 9 to 64. They help you prepare, gather information and put your plan into action, but do not approve plans or decide funding
- Early childhood partner: does similar work for young children and their families, and also does not approve plans
- Support coordinator: a provider funded in some plans to help you use your plan. They have no decision making role at the NDIA
- NDIS needs assessor: under new framework planning, from 1 April 2027, a trained NDIS assessor carries out the support needs assessment your budget is set from
What happens in a planning meeting
Your planning meeting is a conversation, not a test. Your LAC, early childhood partner or NDIA planner contacts you to arrange a time. You talk about your goals, a typical week, what support you get from family and friends, and what gets in the way.
The planner looks at your evidence, such as therapy reports and assessments, and works out which supports are reasonable and necessary. You can bring a family member, friend, advocate or support coordinator with you.
- Bring your current plan, recent reports and quotes
- Write down your goals and the hardest parts of your day before the meeting
- Ask how the planner will use your evidence and when you will get the plan
- Ask when your next check in or reassessment is likely to be
How planners decide what goes in your plan
Planners must apply the NDIS Act, the NDIS Rules and the NDIA's Our Guidelines. Each support must be reasonable and necessary, related to your disability, and on the NDIS supports list.
From 1 February 2027 there are new criteria for reasonable and necessary decisions. Planners must also weigh the sustainability of the NDIS and fairness between participants with similar needs. These apply to new participants first, then to current participants at their usual reassessments.
What changes with new framework planning
From 1 April 2027 participants start moving gradually to new framework planning, with everyone moved by 31 December 2030. Your budget is then set from a support needs assessment with a trained NDIS assessor, and you get a report explaining how the budget was decided.
The NDIA still makes the decisions about your plan. What changes is how the budget is worked out, so the conversation with a planner is likely to focus more on how you use your budget than on arguing for each item.
If you disagree with a planner's decision
Ask the NDIA to explain the decision, and you can ask for a written statement of reasons. If you still disagree, you can ask for an internal review, generally within 3 months of receiving the decision. If you are still unhappy after that, you can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal.
If your needs or circumstances change in a significant and ongoing way during your plan, you, your nominee or your guardian can ask for an unscheduled reassessment. Since 27 August 2026 only those people can ask, not your support coordinator or LAC.