The most recent NDIS Quarterly Report highlights the positive impact of ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing support for participants while ensuring the Scheme’s long-term sustainability.
Currently, over 692,000 Australians benefit from disability-related support through the NDIS, with more than 19,000 individuals joining the Scheme in this quarter alone.
The report also reflects how recent reforms and legislative changes are strengthening the NDIS, contributing to a steady and encouraging trend of cost growth stabilisation.
These changes are projected to reduce Scheme costs by approximately $19.3 billion over the four years leading up to 30 June 2028.
Additionally, the Scheme’s growth rate has slowed from 18.9% in 2023-24 to 11.9% year-on-year, with the Agency remaining on track to achieve its 8% growth target by 2026-27.
The stabilisation of cost growth has primarily been driven by measures that reduce plan inflation and mitigate the risk of plan overspending.
Transformational reforms are being shaped through active engagement with people with disability and the broader disability community. So far, over 70 co-design sessions involving more than 620 participants, alongside 30 targeted consultations with over 90 external stakeholders, have contributed to these improvements.
Key participant outcome highlights from this quarter include:
- 80% of participants aged 15 and over who have been in the NDIS for at least two years reported having greater choice and control in their lives, compared to 67% at the start of their involvement.
- 43% of long-term participants reported an increase in community and social engagement, up from 35% at entry.
- Employment participation among participants aged 15-24 has more than doubled, rising from 10% to 23%.
- Of the new participants, 9.7% identified as First Nations peoples, 7% as culturally and linguistically diverse, and 2% as living in remote or very remote areas.
The NDIA has introduced several initiatives to improve participant experiences, including:
- Expanding frontline service teams by adding over 800 staff in the past two quarters, reducing wait times and improving access to services, particularly for those requiring plan modifications.
- Supporting over 15,000 participants in transitioning to safer providers.
Additional key developments this quarter include:
- The launch of the first-ever co-designed NDIS First Nations Strategy in January 2025, aimed at ensuring culturally safe and accessible disability support for First Nations Australians.
- A $280 million investment from the government to develop a dedicated workforce for strengths-based assessments, promoting a fairer and more consistent approach to participant needs assessment.
- An allocation of $4.527 million over two years to establish an early childhood pathway for children under nine, emphasizing early intervention and best practices.
- Nearly $40 million in grants over two years distributed among 69 disability organizations to support self-advocacy and peer support programs within local communities.
- An additional $110.4 million for the Crack Down on Fraud initiative, announced in November 2024, to strengthen fraud prevention measures and protect NDIS funds.
- A pilot program at the National Contact Centre (NCC) focused on enhancing identity verification processes.
These efforts collectively demonstrate the ongoing commitment to strengthening the NDIS and improving outcomes for all participants.
