Your Ultimate 7-Step NDIS Plan Review Guide: Get the Funding You Actually Need
An upcoming NDIS Plan Review can feel overwhelming. It’s normal to feel anxious about whether you will keep your current funding or secure the extra support you need to truly live life on your terms.
But a plan review shouldn’t just be about maintaining the status quo—especially if that status quo is limiting your potential. The goal of the NDIS is to support you to live an ordinary, full life. If your current plan isn't allowing that, this review is your opportunity to change it.
The key to a successful review isn't luck; it's preparation and evidence.
We’ve put together this practical, professional 7-step guide to help you walk into your review with confidence. We want you to secure the funding necessary so your life isn't limited, and can be lived to the fullest.
Step 1: Start Early (Don’t Wait for the Call)
The NDIA will usually contact you 8 - 12 weeks before your plan ends. Do not wait for this call to start preparing.
Ideally, you should start thinking about your review three months before your plan's end date. Gathering high-quality evidence takes time. Therapists have waiting lists for reports, and you need time to reflect on what you actually need.
Actionable Tip: Check your NDIS portal today for your plan end date and put a "Start Prep" reminder in your calendar three months prior.
Step 2: Review Your Current Plan and Utilisation
Before asking for more, you need to understand what you have right now. Look closely at your current plan budget.
Did you underspend? If so, why? Was it hard to find providers? Was the plan flexible enough? Be prepared to explain this, or the NDIA might assume you need less money next time.
Did you overspend (or run out early)? This is a clear indicator that your current funding does not match your support needs.
Ask Yourself: Which supports made the biggest positive impact on my life this year, and which ones felt like a waste of time or money?
Step 3: Define Clear Goals for the Next Phase
Your funding is directly linked to the goals in your plan. If a support doesn't help you achieve a goal, the NDIA is unlikely to fund it.
Move away from generic goals like "I want to be more independent." Make them specific to the life you want to lead over the next 1–3 years.
Generic Goal: "I want to improve my mobility."
Specific Goal: "I want to improve my physical stamina so I can join the local wheelchair basketball league and travel independently to visit my family interstate twice a year."
The specific goal opens up funding avenues for exercise physiology, transport training, and potentially assistive technology.
Pro-Tip: If you are struggling to define goals or understand how to link them to funding categories, this is where a conversation with a specialist can help. We are just a call away if you need to bounce ideas off someone.
Step 4: Gather "Functional Impact" Evidence (The Gold Standard)
This is the most critical step. The NDIA does not fund based solely on diagnosis; they fund based on functional impact.
You need to prove how your disability impacts your daily activities and why specific supports are "reasonable and necessary" to overcome those barriers.
What evidence to provide and why:
Allied Health Reports (OT, Speech, Psych, Physio): These are essential. Don't just ask for a "progress report." Ask your therapists for a comprehensive report detailing functional capacity, recommendations for future hours, and the risks to you if those supports aren't funded.
Carer Statements: A statement from family members detailing the informal support they provide. This highlights that without paid supports, the burden on family is unsustainable.
Quote for Assistive Technology (AT): If you need new equipment, you need quotes and an OT assessment explaining why this specific item is needed over a cheaper alternative.
Ask Yourself: Does this report clearly state what I cannot do without support, rather than just listing my medical condition?
Step 5: Be Brave and Honest About Your "Worst Days"
This is often the hardest step, but it is vital.
When talking to an NDIS planner, it’s human nature to want to put on a brave face and talk about your achievements. Do not do this during your review meeting.
Your NDIS funding must be based on your worst days, not your best days. If you are funded based on a good day, you will not have enough support when things get difficult.
You must be open and honest about the struggles, the meltdowns, the times you couldn't get out of bed, or the tasks you cannot complete safely alone. It feels vulnerable, but hiding these realities will result in a plan that limits your life.
Actionable Tip: In the weeks leading up to the review, keep a "bad day diary." Write down every barrier you faced and every bit of help you needed. Take this to the meeting.
Step 6: Prepare Your Pre-Review Statement
Don't rely on your memory during the meeting. It’s easy to get flustered.
Write a "Carer Impact Statement" or a "Participant Statement" before the meeting. This document should summarize:
What is working well.
What is NOT working.
Changes in your circumstances since the last plan.
Your proposed new goals.
A summary of the supports you are requesting for the next period.
Email this to your planner before the meeting so it is already on file.
Step 7: Don't Just Accept the Draft Plan
At the end of your planning meeting, ask the planner how you will be able to review the plan before it is finalized.
You have the right to understand how the budget was calculated. If the draft plan comes back significantly lower than what your evidence supported, you need to ask why immediately.
Does the plan look like it will allow you to live life to the fullest, or does it look like it will just keep you surviving? If it’s the latter, be prepared to challenge it.
Summary
An NDIS review is your chance to reset the foundations of your support system. By gathering the right evidence, connecting your supports to specific life goals, and being brave enough to discuss your actual needs on your worst days, you can secure a plan that truly supports you.
Don't Navigate This Alone
If this process feels overwhelming, or if you’re unsure if your evidence is strong enough, remember that help is available. We are experienced in walking participants through this process to ensure their voice is heard.
If you need someone in your corner, jump onto our website at www.navigatorinreach.com/contact or give our friendly team a call to discuss your upcoming review.
