What happens when your NDIS plan expires (COVID-19 update)

As part of its response to COVID-19, the NDIS have changed what happens to participants’ plans when they expire. Instead of needing to schedule an annual review like before, all plans are now being automatically extended for a year. In this article we take a look at this temporary change and what that means for you.

What happens when my plan expires? 

On the day your plan is set to expire, it will be now be automatically extended for another 365 days. While you don’t need to do anything for this to happen, the NDIS may call you to discuss your options and whether you’d like an extension or a plan review.  

If you’re happy with your plan and your support needs are not likely to change in the future, you can also contact the NDIS and request that your plan be extended for 24 months.

If your plan is extended and you’re a Plan Partners customer, please let us know so we can update your plan to avoid any delays in payment.

What if I want to make a change?

If you’re not happy with your current plan and don’t want it to be extended, you’re still able to request a change. To do this, simply follow these steps before your plan expires:

• Give the NDIS a call on 1800 800 110.
• Let them know that you’d like to request a change to your NDIS plan and be specific about what it is. For example, if you have a new goal, clearly explain what supports you need to reach that goal.
• You may be required to partake in a plan review meeting to have your request accepted. These will take place over the phone or via email as the NDIS has temporarily halted face to face meetings. This handy step-by-step guide will help you prepare for your plan review.
• Make sure you request Plan Management again to continue working with us. It’s your legal right to have Plan Management included in your plan, but you need to ask.

Getting the most out of your plan

As any remaining funds don’t carry over into your new plan, it’s in your best interests to use as much of them as possible before your plan expires. This will ensure you’re getting all the supports that you’re entitled to, so you can achieve your NDIS goals.

It can be tricky to get the most value out of your plan while also avoiding overspending. Your Plan Partners Dashboard can help you with this.

Requesting Plan Management or Support Coordination 

The NDIS has made it easier than ever to use these two services, which can help you access your supports throughout COVID-19. Whether your plan’s about to expire, has just been extended, or won’t expire for months, now is the time to access these services.

If you don’t have Plan Management but would like it so you can access unregistered providers, simply call the NDIS and let them know. Switching to Plan Management requests are now being fast tracked, to ensure your request is processed as quickly as possible.

You can now also use your Core Supports budget to access Support Coordination, whether you have it in your plan or not.

More Information?

To find out more about plan extensions, requesting a review, or accessing Plan Management or Support Coordination, give our friendly team a call on 1300 333 700 or leave your details here and we’ll contact you.

Top Tips

• All NDIS plans will now automatically be extended for 365 days from when they were set to expire. This is a temporary measure to support NDIS participants through COVID-19.
• If you have a scheduled plan review coming up, the NDIS might contact you to discuss whether you’d prefer to have your plan extended instead.  
• If you don’t want your plan to be extended or would like to request a change, contact the NDIS and let them know. Plan review meetings are now being conducted over the phone or by email, but they’re still going ahead.
• It’s also possible to request that your plan is extended by 24 months. This may be suitable if your support needs are unlikely to change.
• Our Dashboard helps you track your budgets, so you can get the most value out of your plan before it expires.
• The NDIS has made it quicker and easier than ever to switch to Plan Management, with all requests being fast tracked. 
• If you have a service agreement with us, it will automatically be extended with your plan too.
• Please let us know if your plan is extended, so we can update our records and avoid any delays in payment.