The NDIS just gave me an ‘Automatic Plan Extension’ - what is it?
DATE POSTED: 15 DECEMBER 2022
Gone are the days of NDIS Plans expiring and participant’s are left with no funding.
The NDIS has since introduced ‘Automatic Plan Extensions’ to avoid this happening.
Thank goodness! It used to be such a stressful experience for everyone involved, because if you didn’t have any funding left and didn’t have a date booked in for your planning meeting, you would end up having NO funding available to use, until your meeting. Yep, this means support/therapy teams couldn’t be paid... therefore that meant NO support and NO therapy.
Thankfully this has now changed.
Nowadays, with NDIS’ new process, if your plan reaches its end date and your new plan hasn’t yet been finalised, your current plan will be automatically extended for up to 12 months. You will see this reflected in the MyPlace Portal (see below screenshot).
Some people used to refer to it as a “rollover” but technically, it’s not really. The original plan has just been extended. Basically, the funding is just topped back up to what it was originally, at the beginning of the plan period.
Up to a few months into this extension, your LAC/Planner may request to have a plan review meeting with you. They need to check if the funding is working towards your goals, and run through what supports you have been spending your funds on. Somewhat like a ‘mini audit’ you could say. After all, if there isn’t evidence that there are improvements in the participant’s functional capacity, then it is likely you will need to explain to the LAC/Planner why there hasn’t been any progress.
As per the NDIA website (Sept 2022), Automatic Plan Extensions will be continuing into the future. However with participants under the age of 16, we have noticed the Agency doesn’t usually allow plan extensions to occur for more than 2 years in a row.
Want to learn more about how plans can be extended, changed/reviewed? You will love our NDIS Essentials course, designed to teach you the MUST KNOWS of the NDIS! You can watch the video modules at any time that suits you. Check it out here.
