How technology is shaping better NDIS services

The NDIS now supports more than 780,000 people, and a lot of the everyday admin has moved onto phones. Some of it makes life easier. Some of it still needs work.

The Zoomly team · · 4 min read

Not long ago, keeping on top of an NDIS plan meant long phone queues and a shoebox of receipts on the kitchen bench. Plenty of people still live with some of that. But the way you manage a plan, book support and get paid back has shifted a long way onto screens.

There's a good reason for it. At 30 June 2026, 782,013 people had an approved NDIS plan, up about 6% on a year earlier. That many people can't all ring the same contact centre. So this is where technology is helping, and where it still trips people up.

Your plan, in your pocket

The my NDIS app launched in December 2021. The NDIA built it with more than 200 participants and designed it to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standard, which covers things like screen reader support and readable contrast.

Today the app shows your plan dates, your goals and your budget by support category. If you self-manage, you can make claims in it. You can also send the NDIA an enquiry, track it and upload documents through the NDIS service hub, which beats waiting on hold to ask where something's up to.

You'll need a reasonably recent phone (iOS 16.6 or Android 11 and up) and a myGov account linked to the app. There are also still two participant portals: my NDIS, for plans made in the NDIA's new computer system, and myplace for everyone else. The NDIA is still moving plans across, so if you've ever wondered which one to log into, that's why.

Booking support the way you book anything else

The biggest everyday change is how support gets booked. Apps that show you available support workers, let you message them and book a time have grown fast. When the NDIS Commission looked at these platforms in 2023, people using them said the main benefits were choice and control, and flexible access. Getting around has gone the same way, and we've written about what booking apps change for NDIS transport.

The rules have caught up, too. Since 1 July 2026, NDIS digital platforms have to be registered with the NDIS Commission. From 1 January 2027, every worker on a registered platform will need a valid NDIS Worker Screening clearance before they can offer supports. Platforms will also have to check and display a worker's credentials and any banning orders against them. If you've ever wondered who checks the people on these apps, that's a welcome answer.

Assistive technology is easier to get than you might think

Low cost assistive technology, under $1,500, comes out of your consumables budget, and if it's low risk you don't need quotes or approval first. The NDIA's own examples include screen magnifiers and text to voice apps. Items between $1,500 and $15,000 need a recommendation from an assistive technology advisor, and anything over $15,000 needs an assessment, sometimes with a trial or rental before you buy. Higher risk items need written advice before you buy them, whatever they cost.

Telehealth has settled in as well. The 2026-27 NDIS pricing has separate item numbers for telehealth, so a video session with your psychologist shows up on your statement as exactly that.

Claiming is getting faster and stricter

Payments are going digital behind the scenes. The 2026-27 Budget set aside $358.5 million over five years for a new provider enrolment and digital payment system. From December 2026, claims have to be lodged within 90 days of the support being delivered, and from 1 July 2027 most providers will need to enrol with the NDIA and give it a validated bank account.

If you self-manage, the 90 day rule is the one to watch. Claim invoices as they come in, instead of saving up a quarter's worth for one long night at the laptop. Hang on to your records as well. Participants are expected to keep them for three years, so a folder in your email or a photo of each invoice is worth setting up now.

Where technology still falls short

Apps assume you've got a smartphone and the confidence to use it. Plenty of people don't, and nobody should miss out on support because they'd rather pick up the phone. Two portals is one too many. And as claiming gets more automated, people need someone they can reach when a claim goes wrong. The NDIA says automated processing comes with safeguards and that decisions about plans stay with people. That's the right line, and it's worth holding the NDIA to it.

The tech worth having is the kind that gives you time back: shorter phone queues and quicker answers. Judge any new app or portal on that, including ours.

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