DOCUMENT 17

GPO Box 700

CANBERRA ACT 2601

1800 800 110

ndis.gov.au

Outcome of your internal review request

NDIS participant number:

Dear <Participant/Authorised Representative First Name>,

Instruction – Select relevant option for the internal review requested. Delete this instruction and remove any information not required

<support category and volume/frequency>
<support category and volume/frequency>
<support category and volume/frequency>
<Plan variation decision under Section 47A>

Outcome of review

I have now reviewed your request under section 100 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act). I have made my decision based on the information and circumstances at the time of this decision.

After careful consideration, I have decided to vary the original decision.

This means some of the supports you have requested have changed while others have not.

You will find detailed reasons for my decision in the “Basis of Decision” section at the end of this letter.

What this means for you

We have <created / updated> <your/participant first name> <new / current> NDIS plan to include the support(s) we have approved.

The date of <your/participant first name> next plan reassessment <is included in the new plan / has not changed>.

We encourage you to read through the plan and think about how you would like to use the approved support(s).

[INSTRUCTION: Include this sentence if relevant or delete this instruction and the sentence if not needed]

Choose an item. will be able to help you to arrange new service bookings for the new plan. Alternatively, you can contact service providers directly to make arrangements.

Choose an item. can help you to consider alternative ways of working towards your goals including connecting you with mainstream and community services for those support(s) not approved in this review.

Lists of what NDIS participants can and cannot spend their funding on have been released. The lists include items that are NDIS supports and items that are not NDIS

supports. For more information read the NDIS Supports list on the Our Guidelines website.

If you have any questions about this decision, please contact us in any of the ways listed under the “We’re here to help” section of this letter.

If you don’t agree with our decision, you have a number of options.

You can:

Obtain further evidence between now and <your/participant’s first name> next plan reassessment.
Contact <your/participant’s first name> Choose an item. to talk about other ways of using the supports in <your/their> plan.
Ask for a change to your plan at any time. For more information refer to the Operational Guideline - Changing your Plan by visiting the NDIS website (ndis.gov.au) hovering over ‘Understanding the NDIS’, selecting ‘Our Guidelines’ and then selecting ‘Changing your plan’, or go to https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/your-plan-menu/changing-your-plan.
Apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) for an external review within 28 days. Information about how to apply is available on the ART website (art.gov.au), or by calling 1800 228 333.

The NDIS website (ndis.gov.au) provides more information about requesting an external review. Search for “Our Guidelines” and click on the link to “Reviewing our Decisions” to read more or go to https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/reviewing- decision/reviewing-our-decisions/when-can-you-ask-external-review.

Support may be available through the National Disability Advocacy Program. You can find out more at dss.gov.au under ‘Disability and Carers’.

[INSTRUCTION: Include these sentences if relevant to the participant’s experience relating to the outcome of the internal review. Delete this instruction and the first sentence if not needed]

I appreciate the time you have taken to request an internal review. I acknowledge that your planning experience with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) may have been challenging.

The NDIA is committed to improving the experience for all participants and their families. The NDIA will continue to engage with participants, the community and

other stakeholders to seek their input into the services the NDIA deliver when providing disability-related supports.

If you have any questions about this letter, please contact us in any of the ways listed under the “We’re here to help” section of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

TTY Users 1800 555 677
Speak and Listen Users 1800 555 727
If you need help with English 131 450

In Person

You can also visit a Local Area Coordinator, Early Childhood Partner or

NDIS Office in your area

Basis of Decision – Internal review (s100) of supports decision (s33(2))

I have assessed the request in accordance with section 100 of the NDIS Act and determined that some supports can be funded because they meet the requirements of the NDIS Act 2013 and some cannot. I have outlined details of the decision for each of the requested support(s) below. You can find further information about these requirements in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Supports for Participants) Rules 2013, section 34 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and Our Guidelines.

Instruction – In this section you must insert reasons for your decision against each support requested that was not funded. This could be: rules not satisfied, reasonable and necessary criteria not met, supports out of scope for review or plan management requirements not met. Insert the relevant information for each request as outlined in the letter using the templates for Internal Review Team Planning Decision Letters. Delete this instruction and any additional lines not required

Requests approved in full

I am satisfied the support(s) above is/are reasonable and necessary under Section 34 of the NDIS Act, satisfy Part 5 of the NDIS (Supports for Participants) Rules, and the NDIS (Plan Management) Rules.

Requests partially approved

I am satisfied that <insert level/nature of support approved> support(s) is reasonable and necessary under Section 34 of the NDIS Act, satisfy Part 5 of the NDIS (Supports for Participants) Rules, and the NDIS (Plan Management) Rules.

However, I am not satisfied the additional level of support you have requested meets the requirements listed below.

Requests not approved

<If applicable, outline any existing supports removed as a result of this review and explain why they were removed>.

Instruction - If you are not approving supports as part of a plan variation, use the below template if required, delete this instruction

In <your/participant’s name> request, <you/participant’s name> <have/has> asked for the <plan/support(s)> to be varied due to . However, <I believe <your/participant’s name> needs can be met within <your/their current plan.>/<I believe your request could be met by existing informal, community and government supports.>/<there is insufficient new supporting information/evidence to support the change to <your/participant’s name> plan.>/<your request(s) do not meet the criteria for a s47A and can be reconsidered by requesting a plan reassessment.>

<Provide information for declining the review. For example, explain why the variation power is not intended to duplicate the existing internal review, appeal or reassessment avenues available, or be a negotiation of the level of funding in the plan.

[Instruction: When using Operational Guidelines to support your decision, include a link to the specific section of the Operational Guideline (e.g. https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/reviewing-decision/reviewing-our-decisions), or refer to the specific section of the Operational Guideline and quote the text of that section (e.g., ‘The NDIS Operational Guideline for Changing Your Plan – When would we decide not to change your plan? says “There may be several reasons why we might decide not to change your plan by doing a plan reassessment or variation when you ask us to” where…)>]

Materials reviewed

While I have reviewed all of the documents provided, the main documents I have considered are listed below:

National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
National Disability Insurance Scheme (Supports for Participants) Rules 2013

Our Guidelines
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS Supports) Transitional Rules 2024
Participant Statement of Supports (NDIS Plan)
[Describe Document 1 in the format ‘Title, Author, Date’]
[Describe Document 2 in the format ‘Title, Author, Date’]

Requests for further information

The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.

This article provides guidance for a review officer, business support officer, or participant support officer to request further information from a participant or applicant.

Recent updates

14 May 2026

Updates to:

Negotiated reduced timeframe for Request for Information
Requesting further information process

New additions:

Requesting further information — Manual process

Requests for further information guidance

During the internal review process, participants or applicants may choose to provide additional information to support their review. If the applicant/participant does indicate an intention to supply further information, the Internal Review Officer should issue a request for information (RFI) letter, specifying the details of the information they intend to supply.

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Where the participant or applicant does not intend to provide further information, or if, after discussion with the internal review officer it is mutually determined that that further information is unlikely to materially change the decision, an RFI letter should not be issued.

When completing further information requests, internal review officers must manage the participant or applicant’s expectations, so they don’t expect a favourable outcome on the provision of the evidence.

The NDIA does not generally fund requested information, including assessments and reports that may assist in completing an internal review. Review officers are to discuss this with participants or applicants if asked and seek support from their line manager if needed.

Timeframes for return of requested evidence

The standard timeframe is 28 days for the return of further evidence or information. This is not a legislative timeframe but is considered a reasonable timeframe for procedural fairness in an administrative review.

Evidence can be returned by replying to the request for information email with the related documents attached. Inform them to note their full name and NDIS number in the email subject. If it is preferred to return the information by mail, provide the address, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601.

If information is provided prior to the timeframe expiring, internal review officers need to make contact to confirm all documents have been received, and that there are no further documents to be provided. If there are no further documents to provide, internal review officers can then progress with the review.

It is recommended that internal review officers set an alert to remind them to check for the return of evidence. Searching PACE using the participant NDIS number will allow internal review officers to locate any returned evidence that may be sitting in enquiries.

Negotiated reduced timeframe for Request for Information

Participants or applicants may not always require the full 28-day period to provide additional evidence or information. Internal review officers may negotiate a shorter timeframe where appropriate.

Any agreement to a reduced timeframe must be clearly documented in internal notes and reflected in all correspondence, including the body of any email if relevant.

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When a standard RFI is issued through PACE, an automated letter is generated with the default 28-day timeframe. If a shorter timeframe is agreed upon, the internal review officer must prepare a manual letter specifying:

The details of the information the participant or applicant intends to provide
The agreed timeframe for submission

For guidance on preparing a manual letter, refer to the article Sending a manual letter.

If the manual letter is to be emailed to the applicant/participant, the email must include:

The negotiated timeframe and due date for submission
A clear instruction that the recipient should refer to the manual letter for the accurate negotiated timeframe and full details of the request.

Note: If you are issuing a manual request for information letter, the case status chevron must remain at In Progress, and not moved to the Requested further info chevron. To ensure the correct processing steps refer to the heading Requesting further information – Manual process.

Requests for extensions

When a participant or applicant asks for extra time to provide further evidence there must be a clear reason for the review officer to agree. Examples of reasons may include:

redacted: [s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies](/library/documents/bc455e3f7247-foi-24-25-0515-documents/document-015__47e-d-certain-operations-of-agencies/)

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redacted: [s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies](/library/documents/bc455e3f7247-foi-24-25-0515-documents/document-015__47e-d-certain-operations-of-agencies/)

A fair extension would be an additional 7-14 days (a total of 36-43 days since the evidence was requested). This is not a legislative requirement but allows a reasonable timeframe for evidence to be returned and a decision to be made.

Requesting further information process

This process is for standard further information requests with a 28 day response timeframe only. For further information requests with a negotiated reduced timeframe or requests created for plan nominees or authorised representative refer to the heading Requesting further information – Manual letter process. For unable to contact refer to article Unable to contact process.

From the Internal Review Case:

Select the Decision tab.
Select Request Further Information (RFI).
At request for further information screen type the information you are requesting, including from who and why, into the free text box. List each item you are requesting and separate with a comma.
Select Next.

Note: The information you type will appear in the letter, please ensure you format this so it is readable.
At recipient detail screen select Next.
At preview options screen, do you want to preview the document before sending? Select Yes. From the select a recipient for preview drop down menu, select the Participant/applicant, then select Next.
Once you have previewed the document, select Next.
At the confirm correspondence screen, select Submit correspondence.
At the confirm correspondence screen, select Next.

The chevron will now move to Requested further info.

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The request for information letter will be automatically sent to the participant/applicant and will be added to the Documents tab.

Note: A manual letter will need to be created for plan nominees or authorised representative as per article Sending a manual letter. The manual letter should reflect the same information that would be generated in the auto-generated RFI letter. For example, the same 28 day timeframe should be reflected in a manual letter, as well as selecting the same enquiries@ndis.gov.au return email address. Refer to the heading Requesting further information – Manual letter process.

Document the further information request as an Internal Note. Refer to article Log an activity or internal note.

Make sure you do not progress the review before the further information request or unable to contact timeframe has elapsed. For approved timeframe extensions for further information requests, leave the chevron in Requested further info.

Moving the chevron back to in progress

Once the information is returned, or the further information request timeframe has elapsed, you must move the chevron back to in progress.

From the Internal Review Case:

Select the Progress Case button.
A confirmation box will appear advising the case has been progressed successfully. Select Done.

The chevron will now move to In Progress.

Requesting further information – Manual letter process

The manual letter process is for further information requests with a negotiated reduced timeframe, requests created for plan nominees or authorised representatives, or other circumstances where the standard automated RFI letter may not be appropriate.

Create the manual request for information letter using the relevant review type letter template:

For access and revocation reviews - Letter - s100 Request for Information.

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For planning reviews - Internal Review Request for Information Letter.

Note: When saving a manual letter, ensure the document is saved as a PDF file with the endorsed naming convention style:

Participant or Applicant surname, Participant or Applicant first name, NDIS number, Letter Type, Date.

For example, Smith James 4312345678 Withdrawal Letter 2023-April-29.

Upload the manual letter to the Internal Review Case. Refer to article Adding and linking documents to an internal review case. Provide any further information or context in the Description field.
Send the letter via email or mail, depending on the participant’s or applicant’s preferred method of contact.
Document the manual RFI letter as an Internal Note. Refer to article Log an activity or internal note.

Note: If you are issuing a manual RFI letter, the case status chevron must remain at In Progress, and not moved to the Requested further info chevron. This is to ensure that the applicant/participant/authorised representative is not receiving both a manual and automatic RFI request.

IROs issuing a manual RFI are encouraged to use the Comments field in the Internal Note to promote the RFI status (due dates/response dates etc).

Make sure you do not progress the review before the further information request timeframe has elapsed.

Next Steps

For planning internal reviews, refer to article Enacting a planning review decision.
For access and revocation internal reviews, refer to article Complete an access or revocation Internal Review Case

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Version Control

Version	Amended by	Brief Description of Change	Status	Date
1.0	UFGCM KMM575	New resource — transitioned article from PACE.	Approved	2026-03-19
2.0	UFGCM	Update to guidance around only issuing a request for further information if the applicant/participant does indicate an intention to supply further information. Update to guidance to give IROs the ability to negotiate RFI timeframes to <28 days for the return of information Removal of the requirement to seek AD approval to issue RFI’s on case over 60 days Approved by: KHO021 2026-02-11 Transferred to HUB template 2026-03-25	Approved	2026-03-25
3.0	UFGCM	Updates drafted to provide guidance on the manual letter process for further information requests when a reduced response timeframe has been negotiated, for RFI requests created for plan nominees or authorised representatives, or other circumstances where the	Approved	2026-05-14

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Version	Amended by	Brief Description of Change	Status	Date
		standard automated RFI letter may not be appropriate. Approved by: KHO021 2026-05-14

OFFICIAL

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Sending a manual letter

The contents of this document are OFFICIAL.

This article provides guidance for a review officer, business support officer, or participant support officer to complete the manual letter process.

Recent updates

10 November 2025

Update to linked knowledge article to reflect new name.

Manual letters

The following internal review letter types need to be completed manually and uploaded to PACE:

unable to contact
unauthorised request
request for further information
withdrawal
explanation of decision
outcome.

These letters are located on the Internal review intranet page. You must include any supplementary information request forms with the letter being sent, for example, the Evidence of Psychosocial Disability (External) form.

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When saving a manual letter, ensure the document is saved as a PDF file with the following naming convention style:

Participant or Applicant surname, Participant or Applicant first name, NDIS number, Letter Type, Date.

For example, Smith James 4312345678 Withdrawal Letter 2023-April-29.

You must document sending a manual letter as an Internal Communication. Refer to article Log an activity or internal note.

Note: all decisions made as part of a review are to be provided in writing. Refer to Our Guideline - Reviewing our decisions (external) section What happens after we make the internal review decision?

Manual letter process

To upload a manual letter to PACE:

Upload the manual letter to the Internal Review Case. Refer to article Adding and linking documents to an internal review case. Provide any further information or context in the Description field.
Send the letter email or mail, depending on the participant’s or applicant’s preferred method of contact.

Emailing a manual letter

To send a manual letter via email:

Send an email with the manual letter attached. Refer to article Sending an email.

Mailing a manual letter

To send a manual letter via mail:

Refer to the current postage process for your location.

Version Control

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Version	Amended by	Brief Description of Change	Status	Date
1.0	KMM575	New resource — transitioned article from PACE.	Approved	2026-03-19

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