Changes to NDIS Funding 2025

Written By Breanna Foster

For all new and reassessed NDIS plans from May 2025, funding is now released in smaller, quarterly installments rather than a full annual budget upfront, with therapy supports like speech pathology falling under this model. Unspent quarterly funds roll over to the next period, but participants can't access future funds early, making careful budget planning essential. This change is intended to help manage budgets, but it requires participants to be more mindful of spending to ensure funds last the entire plan duration, according to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

What the Change Means for You

  • Quarterly Funding: Your NDIS funding for supports will now be released in chunks every three months (e.g., in January, April, July, and October).

  • Total Funding Remains the Same: The total amount of money in your plan for the year does not change; it's just distributed more evenly.

  • Rollover of Funds: If you don't spend all your allocated funding in one quarter, the leftover amount rolls over to the next quarter, so you don't lose it.

  • Budgeting is Key: You need to be more careful with your budget and plan your therapy sessions to fit within your quarterly funding limits, as you can only access funds for the current period.

Why the Change Was Made

  • Better Budget Management: The goal is to help families manage their budgets more easily and prevent them from running out of funds halfway through the year.

  • Improved Planning: This model encourages more thoughtful planning and helps ensure funds are paced out over the entire plan period.

What to Do

  • Talk to Your Therapist and Plan Manager: These professionals can help you understand your budget, track your spending, and plan your supports to align with the quarterly funding schedule.

  • Monitor Your Spending: You must check how you are tracking against your quarterly budget to avoid running out of money.  It is YOUR responsibility.

  • Consider Front-Loading: If you anticipate needing more support early in your plan (like for a school transition), you can discuss "front-loading" your plan with the NDIS to make a larger portion of funding available upfront.

Breanna Foster