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NDIS plan delays leave participants waiting over 100 days
29 Mar
Summary
- Disability scheme participants face over 100-day waits for support.
- Delays in processing NDIS plan variations impact vital equipment.
- Backlogs strain resources, raising concerns about scheme's administration.
Participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are facing prolonged delays, with wait times for plan variations exceeding 100 days. These delays significantly impact access to essential support, such as vital equipment and home modifications, often critical for participant well-being.
Internal documents from mid-2025 indicated that over 20,000 plan change requests had already taken between 22 and 111 days to process. The number of open plan variation requests nearly tripled in the last quarter of 2024-25, highlighting a growing backlog.
Dr. George Taleporos from Every Australian Counts warned that such delays can have devastating consequences, potentially leading to hospitalization, injury, or death for individuals dependent on timely support.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) stated that the addition of 1,000 staff has boosted processing capabilities, with a significant reduction in the number of outstanding plan changes. The agency asserts its priority remains timely access to support for all participants.
However, critics argue that the current administration of the scheme does not adequately account for the unpredictable nature of disability-related needs. Concerns are also mounting over government efforts to reduce costs within the NDIS, potentially exacerbating the impact on participants.
