Insights
The new NDIS definition of functional capacity: what it means for the evidence in your client’s matter
The Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Act 2026 introduced a statutory definition of functional capacity for the first time. This article explains what the definition requires, how it differs from a medical diagnosis, what each of the six functional domains demands and what the staged commencement means for evidence in NDIS review and ART proceedings.
NDIS review in 2026: what changed, what’s challengeable and what evidence you need
The Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Act 2026 commenced in stages from 27 August 2026. For legal representatives working on NDIS review and ART matters three changes are the most immediately relevant to how you advise clients and build their files.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Motor Neurone Disease
Motor neurone disease progresses rapidly and relentlessly. The window of opportunity for assessment, planning and equipment prescription narrows from the moment of diagnosis.
Assessment and NDIS planning for MND should begin as soon as possible after diagnosis — not when needs become urgent.
The NDIS Funding Reset Timeline: What Happens Between October 2026 and September 2027
Many participants and families have heard that the NDIS funding reset started on 1 October 2026 and then heard a different date such as February 2027 or September 2027. All three dates are correct. They describe three different steps in one rollout and which one applies to a plan depends on what happens to that plan. This article sets out the three dates in plain language and shows with examples how a plan of any length is brought into the reset.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Incontinence Management and Accessible Bathroom Design
This article explains, in practical terms, what this daily reality looks like for families and carers, what the Functional Capacity Assessment must document to capture it accurately and how that documentation supports NDIS funding for the personal care support hours, continence products and bathroom modifications that are genuinely required.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Functional Neurological Disorder
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is one of the most clinically complex and most frequently misunderstood conditions in the neurology and disability sectors. It is a common condition — FND accounts for 10 to 20 per cent of presentations to neurology clinics — yet it is also one of the most underserved.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Complex PTSD
This article explains what complex PTSD is, how it differs from standard PTSD, what its functional consequences are and what a Functional Capacity Assessment must document to support NDIS access and planning.
NDIS Plan Variation: What It Is, When to Use It and What Evidence You Need
A plan variation is when the NDIA makes changes to your current NDIS plan without replacing it entirely. It is the lighter-touch option for situations where a targeted change is all that is needed. This article explains what a plan variation can and cannot do, when it is the right choice rather than a full plan reassessment, how to request one under the new rules that commenced on 27 August 2026 and where a Functional Capacity Assessment supports common variation requests.
NDIS Plan Reassessment: What It Is, When You Can Request One and What Evidence You Need
A plan reassessment is when the NDIA replaces your current NDIS plan with a new one. It is used when your ongoing need for NDIS supports has significantly changed and your current plan no longer meets those needs. This article explains what a plan reassessment is, when you can request one under the new rules that commenced on 27 August 2026, what evidence the NDIA requires, how a reassessment compares to a plan variation and why the evidence you provide — including whether it comes from an independent source — directly affects the outcome.
NDIS Funding Changes 2026: The High Support Needs Safeguard Pathway Explained
From 1 October 2026 the Australian Government is resetting funding for two categories of NDIS support. This will affect all participants who receive funding for these supports. A separate safeguard pathway has been created for participants with the highest and most complex support needs, to ensure they continue to have enough funding to maintain 24-hour disability support safely. This article explains exactly who qualifies, how the pathway works and where a Functional Capacity Assessment strengthens an application.
Functional Capacity Assessment and Complex Home Modifications Under the NDIS
Home modifications are among the most significant and most practically impactful supports the NDIS can fund. A well-designed accessible bathroom, an appropriate ramp or a ceiling hoist installation can be the difference between a person remaining safely at home and requiring residential care.For complex home modifications — those that involve structural changes, significant costs or specialised design requirements — a comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessment is the clinical foundation on which the entire funding application rests.
Functional Capacity Assessment and Assistive Technology Funding Under the NDIS
This article explains what the NDIS funds in assistive technology, what the OT assessment must establish for each major category of equipment, and why the home environment must also be assessed alongside the equipment to ensure the AT can actually be used safely and effectively.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Borderline Personality Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) are two of the most clinically complex presentations in the area of psychosocial disability. Both are classified as Cluster B personality disorders under DSM-5.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoaffective disorder is a serious, chronic psychiatric condition that combines the psychotic features of schizophrenia with the significant mood disturbance of either bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. It is one of the most functionally impairing conditions in the psychosocial disability spectrum, producing a burden of disability that, in many cases, exceeds that of either schizophrenia or mood disorder alone. For people with schizoaffective disorder who meet the NDIS substantially reduced functional capacity threshold, a comprehensive Functional Capacity Assessment is the primary evidence document for NDIS access and planning.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability is one of the most common primary disability categories in the NDIS. It affects an estimated 3 per cent of the Australian population and encompasses a wide range of presentations, from individuals who live largely independently with minimal support to those who require continuous, intensive care across all areas of daily life. Understanding the clinical classification of intellectual disability, how it differs from Global Developmental Delay and what the NDIS requires in terms of functional evidence is essential for families, support coordinators and allied health professionals navigating the scheme.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in children in Australia and affects approximately 34,000 Australians across all ages. It is a group of permanent disorders of movement and posture caused by non-progressive damage to the developing brain occurring before, during or shortly after birth. Because the brain injury itself does not worsen over time, cerebral palsy is not a progressive condition in the neurological sense.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Acquired Brain Injury
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is one of the most common and most complex disability presentations in the NDIS. This article explains what acquired brain injury is, the types of ABI that qualify for NDIS support, how ABI affects daily functioning across each of its major impact domains and what a Functional Capacity Assessment must document to accurately capture the full functional picture.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Stroke
Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in Australia. Each year approximately 56,000 Australians have a stroke and more than 430,000 Australians live with the long-term effects of stroke. For people who are under 65 at the time of their stroke, the NDIS is the primary pathway to accessing disability support funding. The functional consequences of stroke are wide-ranging, highly individual and extend far beyond the physical impairments that are most visible to others. A Functional Capacity Assessment is the cornerstone of NDIS access and planning for stroke survivors.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord. Australia has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with more than 33,000 Australians living with the condition. MS typically affects people in their most productive years, with diagnosis most common between the ages of 20 and 40. The functional impact of MS is highly variable, both between individuals and within the same individual over time, producing specific challenges for NDIS planning that require comprehensive, condition-specific assessment.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects an estimated one in 40 Australians. It is one of the most common presentations in the NDIS and one of the most complex to assess for funding purposes. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classifies ASD into three severity levels, each describing a different level of support required. Understanding what these levels mean clinically, how they interact with NDIS eligibility and what a Functional Capacity Assessment provides at each level is essential knowledge for anyone navigating the NDIS with an ASD diagnosis.
NDIS Changes 2026: What Participants and Families Need to Know
The NDIS has undergone its most significant period of legislative and policy change since the scheme began. Between October 2024 and July 2026, three separate pieces of legislation have been enacted or introduced to Parliament, the NDIS Pricing Schedule for 2026–27 was released on 22 June 2026 and a series of structural changes are scheduled through to April 2027. This article summarises what has changed, when each change takes effect and what it means for people with disability who are navigating the NDIS.
How the ART Reviews NDIA Decisions — and Where an Independent OT Report Fits In
When an NDIS participant believes the NDIA has made the wrong decision about their plan, their access, or their supports, they have the right to challenge that decision. The Administrative Review Tribunal — the ART — is the body that hears these challenges and has the power to overturn or vary NDIA decisions.
Transitioning from DCP to NDIS — How a Functional Capacity Assessment Helps
Young people leaving the care of the Department of Child Protection face one of the most significant transitions of their lives — and they often face it with fewer resources and less support than their peers. For young people with disability or psychosocial disability, this transition is particularly complex. A Functional Capacity Assessment completed at the right time can be one of the most important steps in this process.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Mental Health and the NDIS — What Actually Gets Assessed
Mental health conditions can cause profound, lasting limitations on a person’s ability to manage daily life. Yet people with mental health conditions often find it harder to access the NDIS funding they need — not because the NDIS does not cover mental health, but because the functional impact of their condition is not always clearly captured in clinical documentation.
How Occupational Therapists and Behaviour Support Practitioners Work Together — and Why It Matters for Your Client’s NDIS Plan
In the NDIS support ecosystem, Occupational Therapists and Behaviour Support Practitioners often work with the same participants — but they do not always work together as effectively as they could.
What to Tell Your Client Before Their Functional Capacity Assessment
Knowing what to expect before a Functional Capacity Assessment can make a real difference — both for the quality of the assessment itself and for the participant’s experience of the process. If you are a support coordinator, family member, or carer helping someone prepare, this article covers what to share with them.
SIL, SDA or ILO – Which NDIS Home and Living Pathway Does Your Client Need?
SIL, SDA, and ILO are three different NDIS Home and Living pathways, and knowing which one — or which combination — is right for your client is not always straightforward. The differences between them matter not just for the application process, but for the type of Functional Capacity Assessment needed to support the application.
How to Refer a Client for an NDIS FCA
If you or someone you support has been told they need a Functional Capacity Assessment, it is completely normal to feel unsure about what that actually means. This article explains what an NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment is
What Lawyers Need to Know Before Instructing an Independent OT for an ART Matter
If you are a solicitor or legal representative acting for an NDIS participant in an Administrative Review Tribunal matter or NDIA appeal, an independent Occupational Therapy Functional Capacity Assessment can be a powerful piece of evidence.
Why Psychosocial Disability Is So Often Underfunded in NDIS Plans — and What a Good FCA Does About It
Participants with psychosocial disability are more likely than almost any other cohort to receive an NDIS plan that does not reflect their actual support needs — and more likely to face repeated plan reviews, appeals, and tribunal proceedings as a result.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Justice-Involved Individuals — What You Need to Know
Functional Capacity Assessment for people involved with the justice system is one of the most specialised areas of NDIS OT practice — and one of the most important. People in these circumstances frequently have significant and complex support needs, but face particular barriers to having those needs identified, assessed, and met.
Functional Capacity Assessment for Psychosocial Disability — What Makes It Different
Psychosocial disability is one of the most frequently misunderstood areas in the NDIS. The supports that people with psychosocial disability need are real, significant, and often complex — but they can be harder to demonstrate than the needs arising from a physical or intellectual disability.
How an Independent Functional Capacity Assessment Supports an NDIA Appeal at the Administrative Review Tribunal
When an NDIS participant disagrees with an NDIA decision, they have the right to seek a review. If the internal review process does not resolve the matter, the participant can apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal — the ART — for an independent review
What is an NDIS Home and Living Assessment — and Does Your Client Need One?
The NDIS Home and Living Assessment is one of the most significant — and most frequently misunderstood — assessments in the NDIS system.
What is an NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment?
If you or someone you support has been told they need a Functional Capacity Assessment, it is completely normal to feel unsure about what that actually means. This article explains what an NDIS Functional Capacity Assessment is