The short answer
- Within a plan: yes. Money left at the end of a funding period rolls into the next period of the same plan
- Into a new plan after a reassessment: no, and this has always been the case
- Into a renewed plan from 1 February 2027: no. Renewal creates a fresh plan, and unspent funds from the previous plan are not carried across
How rollover works inside your plan
Most plans release funding in funding periods, usually every 3 months. If you do not spend everything in one period, the leftover amount is added to the next period in the same plan. You do not lose it.
What you cannot do is spend ahead. You can only claim what is available in the current period, so a quiet first quarter gives you more room later, but a busy one does not let you borrow from next quarter.
What changes on 1 February 2027
From 1 February 2027, when your plan reaches its reassessment date, a renewed plan is created. The renewed plan is set at the level you were assessed for, adjusted for current prices. Money you did not use in the previous plan is not rolled over into it.
This is also the date the 2026 funding reset starts being applied at renewal, so many people with community participation or daily living skills funding will see both changes at once. The NDIA contacts participants 60 days before a renewal.
Why this matters
Funding is there to be used on the supports you need. A balance left at the end of a plan does not build up savings for later and cannot be put towards a big purchase in your next plan.
Underspending is common, and often it is not by choice: a provider may have no availability, a worker leaves, or hours are hard to fill in your area. It is better to solve those problems early in the plan than to find out at renewal that the money is gone.
How to avoid losing funding
- Check your balance by funding period in the my NDIS portal or app, or ask your plan manager for a statement
- Work out a weekly amount for each budget, so you can see whether you are on track
- If hours are going unfilled, look for another provider or worker early rather than waiting
- Ask providers to invoice promptly, so your balance is accurate. From 1 December 2026 claims must be made within 90 days anyway
- Keep notes on supports you needed but could not get, and why. That is useful evidence at your next reassessment
- If your needs have changed, ask for a plan variation or an unscheduled reassessment rather than stretching the old plan
For providers and plan managers
Clients with balances near the end of a plan cannot carry them forward. Talk with clients about their plan dates, raise invoices promptly, and avoid scheduling supports that rely on money from a previous plan. If a client cannot get the hours they are funded for, help them document it.