At Kimberley Care Group, we are committed to keeping our community informed about changes that impact the delivery and accessibility of disability services.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has released the 2024–25 Annual Pricing Review (APR), which outlines adjustments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) pricing framework.
These changes aim to ensure that pricing remains appropriate, responsive to market conditions, and supports diverse service delivery models.
The APR happens each year to ensure sustainable and top-quality supports are being delivered to NDIS participants. Any changes that you see will have been subject to scrutiny and careful consideration by the NDIA. But there may be some updates that make you wonder if it’s going to affect service delivery (as of the 1st July, 2025) or the sustainability of your current supports.
So, with the APR, the big question is: how will it affect you?
Key updates
Here are the major pricing updates from the 2024–25 APR:
Disability Support Worker (DSW) supports
Price limits adjusted to reflect increases in the minimum wage and Superannuation Guarantee. Typically, workers within the NDIS world are paid through the SCHADS award and you can find the updated wages, in relation to the level and pay point (dependent on experience) here. Each pay level saw an increase. If you’re already paid at above award rates though, you might not notice a change in your payslip.
You could also be paid through the Supported Employment Services Award, or, of course, be a contractor/private support, and your hourly rate will be stipulated by the organisation or the participant, especially with a self-managed plan. Just make sure it reflects your experience, as this should be negotiated to ensure longevity in your role.
Increased price limits
Level 1 Support Coordination increased, as did Nursing support and Psychology support (but only in NSW, VIC, QLD and ACT).
Reduced price limits
Therapy has been reduced (for disciplines such as physiotherapy, dietetics and podiatry), travel costs have also been reduced for therapy, and remote area loadings for psychology and physiotherapy in WA, SA, TAS and NT have been reduced.
A big change has come to plan management costs as well; participants will no longer be charged set-up fees or remote loadings.
What it means for participants
For participants, the move toward tailored pricing may improve access to services that better match your support needs.
However, changes to therapy pricing and regional adjustments may affect how and where services are delivered. We recommend reviewing your plan with your support coordinator or plan manager to understand any upcoming impacts.
What it means for providers
For providers, adapting to these changes may involve reviewing service delivery models, staffing, and pricing strategies. The increased transparency and data-backed methodology from the NDIA offers clearer guidance and long-term direction.
Really, providers can’t really argue against the evidence which has been under a complete audit, and there’s no denying that the NDIS has created a lucrative industry for many, even with these cuts.
Although a reduction in some of the prices will affect some organisations/private workers, it points to the main cause: person-centred supports. If the participant can afford more services, and more frequent services with this reduction, then isn’t it for the best?
Key takeaways
Some agree that this is a smarter and more nuanced way to price the services listed under the scheme. The goal is to future-proof the NDIS, tailoring the price models based on extensive data (arguably the fairest reading of data after its inception in 2013, with its Australia-wide roll-out from 2020).
But there is back-lash, with many believing that the NDIA should spend more time preventing and stopping fraudulent activity to ‘save the budget’ rather than impacting service providers who are boosting the lives of the scheme’s participants.
For all the pros and cons of the NDIS, it seems one of the biggest challenges the NDIA faces is finding a happy medium amongst participants and those delivering each service.
At Kimberley Care Group, we pride ourselves on keeping our community well-informed and empowered, whether you’re a participant, family member, or provider. We hope none of our current clients, new clients and like-minded providers feel the sting of the changes, but if you do, make sure you reach out to your NDIS representative such as your Plan Representative, Planner or Support Coordinator.
References:
https://theconversation.com/ndis-fraud-reports-reveal-the-schemes-weakest-points-188746
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-27/budget-2025-shows-ndis-has-a-pr-problem/105095724