Your NDIS plan is designed to help you live your best life. It’s built around your goals, your needs, and the supports that can help you thrive. But life is always changing and so should your plan. That’s why a regular review of your NDIS plan is so important.
You don’t have to wait for your official plan review date to check in. In fact, making a habit of reviewing your plan throughout the year can make the difference between a plan that just exists and a plan that actually works for you.
Why Should You Review Your NDIS Plan Regularly?
1. Stay on Track with Your Goals
Your NDIS plan is built around your goals, whether that is living more independently, building social connections, or improving daily living skills. But it’s easy to lose track of those goals when life gets busy or plans aren’t being used effectively.
Regular reviews give you the time to reflect and consider:
- Am I actually working toward the goals in my plan?
- Are my current supports helping me move forward?
- Have my goals changed?
This helps you stay focused and proactive, making sure your funding is being used in ways that align with your real-life priorities.
2. Avoid Over- or Under-Spending
Spending too quickly can leave you without support towards the end of your plan. Spending too slowly might result in reduced funding next time round.
By reviewing your budget regularly, you can:
- Pace your spending across the full year
- Adjust supports if you’re under- or over-utilising a category
- Prepare in advance if you need to request more hours or services
This approach allows you to make the most of your funding without stress or surprise gaps in support.
3. Identify What’s Working and What’s Not
Not every support or provider will be the right fit forever. Regular reviews help you reflect on:
- Are my providers reliable and respectful?
- Is this therapy or support worker still meeting my needs?
- Do I feel safe, heard, and supported?
If you aren’t satisfied with your providers or need a change, waiting for your next plan review can make things worse. By reviewing the situation more frequently, you can make changes early and stay on track to achieving your goals.
4. Stay Ready for Your Official Review
Every NDIS participant has a scheduled plan review (usually every 12 or 24 months). But participants who check in with their plan throughout the year are better prepared, more confident, and more likely to get the funding they need.
Regular reviews help you:
- Track what supports were most valuable
- Identify gaps or changes in your support needs
- Gather the right documentation well in advance
If you’ve been checking in on your plan regularly, your plan review won’t feel rushed or reactive. You’ll be ready to make your case with clarity and evidence.
How to Conduct A Regular NDIS Plan Review
You don’t need to wait for the NDIA to tell you when it’s time for a review. Set reminders every 3–4 months to do a personal plan check-in. This can be a simple conversation with your Support Coordinator, a family member, or a trusted provider.
What to check:
- Your spending: What’s been used in each category? What’s left?
- Your goals: Are you working towards them? Have they changed?
- Your supports: Are they helping? Do they need to be increased, changed, or removed?
- Your documentation: Do you have progress notes, reports, or quotes ready?
What to Prepare for Your NDIS Plan Review (or Change of Circumstances)
When it’s time for your official review or if your needs change and you want to request a plan change earlier, here’s what to gather:
- Updated reports from therapists, support workers, or specialists
- Invoices or usage summaries from Plan Managers or providers
- A list of supports you want to continue, remove, or increase
- New goals or adjustments to your current ones
- Examples of how your supports have (or haven’t) helped you progress
You can also submit a “Change of Circumstances” to request an early review something significant in your life or your needs have changed.
How Support Coordinators Help with Regular Reviews
Support Coordinators are experts at making sure your plan is being used well. They’re your companion to navigating the NDIS system and staying on track between official reviews.
Here’s how they help:
- Budget tracking – making sure you’re not over- or under-using your funds
- Provider check-ins – helping you evaluate if your services are the right fit
- Goal tracking – checking in regularly to see if you’re making progress
- Review preparation – collecting reports, organising evidence, and helping you prepare for your plan meeting
- Change of circumstances – guiding you through the paperwork and submission process if you need a review sooner
Working with a support coordinator means you get support that grows with you, not support that stays frozen until your next official plan date.
Check In, Don’t Check Out
Your NDIS plan isn’t set in stone. It should evolve as you do. When you review your plan regularly, you stay in control. You can course-correct early, adjust when needed, and make sure your supports truly reflect who you are and where you want to go.
NDIS success isn’t just about what’s in your plan. It’s about how you use it.
Need help reviewing your plan or preparing for a review?
Give us a call today at 1800 780 108
We’d love to help you keep on track to success!
