Proposed NDIS payment changes: what NDIS participants need to know and do

By Self Manager Hub

Keywords | Budgets | NDIS | News | consultations | payments

Category | NDIS Fund Management | Policy and Advocacy | News | Know your rights

Formats | Article

The NDIS (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025 proposes changes that could affect how and when self-managers are paid. This article explains what’s being proposed, why it matters for self-management, and how you can have your say.  

People who self-manage and self-direct their NDIS funding could face significant new risks under proposed changes to the NDIS Act, particularly the introduction of section 45A in the NDIS (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025. 

While the stated aim of the Bill is to strengthen integrity and safeguarding in the NDIS, section 45A raises serious concerns about how claims are paid, who carries risk, and what information participants may be required to provide in order to have supports funded. 

You can read the bill here.

What is section 45A? 

Under the proposed changes, the National Disability Insurance Agency would only be able to pay claims if all information it requests is provided within set timeframes. Even where a support is valid, reasonable, necessary, and already delivered, payment could be delayed or refused if the NDIA considers the information provided to be incomplete. 

For people who self-manage and self-direct, this represents a significant shift in how payment risk is managed. 

How self-managers will be affected by these changes 

People who self-manage are responsible for engaging workers and providers, approving invoices, and ensuring supports are paid on time. Section 45A would allow payments to be withheld due to information gaps that may be outside a participant’s control. 

This creates several practical risks. 

Service disruption
If a claim is delayed or refused, support workers may stop working, providers may withdraw services, and participants may be left without essential supports, including daily or overnight care. 

Administrative burden
Self-managers may be required to obtain documents they do not control, such as provider file notes, therapy records, or internal service documentation. These documents can be difficult or impossible to access within strict timeframes. 

Financial risk
Participants who directly employ workers still have legal obligations to pay wages on time. Section 45A creates a real risk that participants may be left with a debt, incurred while covering costs waiting for claims to be approved or paid. 

Privacy concerns
The proposed powers raise important questions about the limits of NDIA information requests. Without clear boundaries, participants may feel pressured to provide highly personal information, such as therapy notes or detailed support records, simply to ensure payments are made. 

Why this matters for self-management and self-direction 

Self-management and self-direction rely on trust, predictability, and timely payments. When participants cannot rely on claims being paid promptly for supports that have already been delivered, the viability of self-management is undermined. 

Integrity and safeguarding are important goals. However, if poorly designed, these measures can create new barriers, delays, and risks for people with disability and our families, particularly those who take on the responsibility of managing their own supports. 

What you can do about it 

Section 45A is not final. The Bill is currently being considered by Parliament, and there is an active consultation and inquiry process underway. This is a critical opportunity for people who self-manage and self-direct to influence how these powers are designed. 

Make a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry
Anyone can make a submission to the inquiry into the NDIS (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025. Submissions do not need to be technical or lengthy. A short statement, dot points, or a personal story is enough. 

Find all the information on how you can submit here.  

Contact your local MP or Senator
You can write, call, or meet with your local representatives to explain why payment certainty, fair timeframes, and clear limits on information requests matter for people who self-manage and self-direct their NDIS funding. 

Find your local representative here.

Share your experience with the Self Manager Hub
Real-world experiences help show how section 45A would operate in practice. This includes concerns about delayed payments, chasing paperwork you do not control, privacy impacts, or risks to paying workers on time. 

If you’re unable to make a submission via the Parliamentary website, you can email your experiences to admin@selfmanagerhub.org.au 

Submissions close 6 February 2026.

Self Manager Hub will continue to support our community to understand what is changing, what it means, and how to have your say.