Exploring NDIS funding for community participation

By now, you’ll have heard that significant changes are planned for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – and if you’re like most people, you’re probably wondering what those changes will mean for you, your plan, and your funding.

The reforms proposed by the Australian Government as part of its National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for future generations) Bill are designed to make the Scheme and its rules more consistent and sustainable. And if they’re put into action, they’ll span several areas of the NDIS, including community participation.

For many people, funding for community participation is vital. Being actively engaged in the world around us is an important part of living a full and meaningful life, so when changes to this part of the NDIS are mentioned, it can bring uncertainty.
Here’s what we know so far, and what it might mean for you.

A quick refresher

Being part of your community – whether it’s catching up with friends, joining a group, or getting out and about to local events and attractions – matters to almost everyone. For NDIS participants, these moments can build confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging.

Being connected to your community is about more than just filling your days. It can have a big impact on your wellbeing and quality of life.

That’s why “Assistance with social, economic and community participation” funding – which sits in your Core Supports budget – plays such an important role in many NDIS plans.

This category of funding covers the support you need to take part in everyday life, in ways that are meaningful to you. For some people, that might be a support worker assisting with travel or communication, while for others, it might be assistance to build confidence or skills in new environments.

Assistance with social, economic and community participation funding is often used for support to:

• go to a class or activity
• catch up with family and friends
• participate in a day program
• get involved in the local community
• try something new with the right support in place

It’s important to remember that this funding covers the support needed to take part in these activities, not the cost of the activity itself (like tickets or memberships).

What changes are proposed?

The purpose of Assistance with social, economic and community participation funding isn’t going away, and community participation is still recognised as an important part of living a good life.

But what may alter from October 2026 onwards – if the Australian Government’s plans for change are realised – is how this area of the NDIS is managed and approved.
Here are some of the changes that are proposed:

1. Resetting community participation

The Australian Government has announced its intention to rein in spending on social and community participation. It wants to bring the budget back to the level it was at a few years ago, and that means that when NDIS plans are reassessed, some people might notice changes to how much funding they receive in the category.

It also wants to establish a $200 million Inclusive Communities Fund to ‘rebuild capability among community organisations to host genuine participation activities’. That means more community and mainstream organisations will be able to provide opportunities for connection, outside of the NDIS.

2. Clearer rules about what can be funded

As part of the reforms, the NDIS is working toward more clearly defined rules around funded supports. That work includes providing clearer guidance on what the Scheme will and won’t fund, as well as ensuring stronger and more consistent decision-making across plans.

3. Strengthening the link between your disability-related needs and your supports

The proposed updates to NDIS legislation reinforce the view that supports should only be funded where the need is directly related to your disability and how it affects your daily life. This will likely mean more focus on why the support is needed for you, not just what the activity is that you’re using it for.

You can read more about the planned changes to the NDIS here.

What this might mean day-to-day

Right now, you don’t need to change anything about how you’re using your funding, but if the legislation passes you might notice:

• different funding amounts in the Assistance with social, economic and community participation category when your plan is reviewed
• more questions about how your supports are used – or requests to explain things a bit more clearly
• a stronger focus on how your supports connect to your independence, your goals or your daily life

It’s likely you’ll still be able to do the same activities you do now, but they might need to be explained a bit more clearly, and you may need to keep a closer eye on your budget.

What you can do now to feel more prepared

With these changes on the horizon, it’s a good idea to look at how you’re using your funding and take a few simple steps now, so you feel more in control later.

Take a look at your NDIS goals

Do your NDIS goals reflect what you actually want to do in your day-to-day life? For example, do they focus on things like:

• getting out more regularly
• building confidence in social settings
• connecting with others
• participating in your community

If your goals already take these things into account, that’s a great start.

Understand how your supports connect to your needs

It can help to be able to explain (even in simple terms):

• what supports you use
• how they help you
• what difference they make to your everyday life

This doesn’t need to be complicated; it’s just about being clear about what matters to you. If your providers can help you document that, it could be helpful too.

Stay connected with the right people

If you’re ever unsure, your support coordinator or local area coordinator can help you make sense of changes to the NDIS as they come – and as your plan manager, we’re also here to help answer any questions you have about how to use your funding. You can call us on 1800 861 272 from 8am-5.30pm (SA time), Monday to Friday.

Sometimes all it takes is a quick check in with your support system to give you peace of mind that you’re on track.

What to keep in mind

It’s completely normal to feel a bit uncertain when you hear about changes to something as important as your NDIS funding, but the key thing to hold onto is this:

Community participation is still an important part of the NDIS, and that hasn’t changed.

What’s changing if the proposed legislation becomes law is how funding in this area is approved, with clearer rules and more consistency across the Scheme.

You don’t need to figure it all out today but having a general understanding of the direction things are heading in can help you feel a bit more prepared and a bit more in control as changes roll out.

And if you’re not sure where to start, remember, you don’t have to do it alone!