Submission 778
Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for
Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submitted by: Youngcare Ltd
About Youngcare
Youngcare is a national not-for-profit dedicated to creating choice, independence and dignity for young people aged from 16 to 65 with complex and permanent physical disabilities.
Through providing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), financial grants and systemic advocacy, we work to provide safe, affordable and secure housing for young people with disabilities, keeping them out of inappropriate housing, hospitals or institutional housing. Our grants programs fund equipment, services and home modifications either not covered by the NDIS or unable to be secured in a timely manner, helping to bridge the gap between a person’s needs and the support available through the NDIS.
Working directly with people who have permanent physical disabilities also means we engage with NDIS participants every day, including supporting them to navigate the Scheme through our national Youngcare Connect hotline. Born from an overwhelming demand for guidance, funding information and a safe space to share a person’s stories, Youngcare Connect has become a trusted source of support. Youngcare provides these services through the generosity of donors and receives no recurrent government funding.
Executive Summary
Youngcare welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Community Affairs Legislative Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 (the Bill). For more than 20 years, Youngcare has been helping to bridge the gap for those who have otherwise been unsuccessful in receiving critical support from State and Territory funded disability services, and since 2013, the NDIS. Through our grant programs and SDA, we support young people with high physical support needs to live independently, remain at home with their families, avoid long stay in hospital or placed in institutions and choose how they live their lives. Our work is often the difference between a young person receiving the equipment they urgently need or going without. To date, we have supported 2,218 young people across the country, representing more than $13.4 million in financial support.
But the needs are outweighing our funding capacity. Since our grants program began, we have been unable to support 1,221 individuals, representing an unmet funding need of more than $8.7 million. In the first quarter of 2026, Youngcare was able to distribute $260,425 through our At Home Care Grants program in response to a total funding request
Submission 778
of $431,434. This represents almost 40 per cent of funding that was unable to be supported due to a lack of funds, indicating the significant gap between funding need and funding capacity.
Youngcare acknowledges the need to strengthen elements of the Scheme to ensure it remains sustainable and reduces the potential for it to be misused. However, we would like to highlight core concerns with parts of the amendments that we believe will detrimentally impact the thousands of young Australians we support, resulting in an increase in demand for Youngcare services. The following impacts and recommendations will be discussed:
Provision Youngcare Impact RecommendationsConcern
Schedule 50% reduction Youngcare’s Specialist Disability Youngcare recommends that
1 Part 4 & in community Accommodation (SDA) tenants the government exempt people
6 access live with the highest level of with the most complex and
supports. complex and permanent permanent physical disabilitiesphysical disabilities and would from these cuts and maintain be receiving the most funding full funding for community for community access supports. access supports. This ensures Cuts will severely impact SDA people with high physical tenants who will lose essential support needs can continue to supports which keep them live with dignity, independence connected to their community and social connection. and not isolated in their homes.
Schedule Arbitrary cuts As there has been consistent Youngcare’s grant data provides
1 Part 1 & to home-and- changes throughout the NDIS, real-time insight into unmet
6 living supports, Youngcare, which has received need. We recommend the NDIA
including SDA, collaborates with not-for-profits no recurrent government
will see such as Youngcare to share funding, has seen changes in its
increased trends, identify emerging gaps grants program for what people
demand for and co-design solutions. We apply for and an increase in Youngcare also encourage the government
demand. Scheme changes will support to partner with us by providingonly see more applications to targeted funding to help meet Youngcare which already is rising demand and prevent receiving over saturation of its further strain on NDIS services. grants and SDA applications.
Schedule Supports The Minister can reduce funding Youngcare recommends
1 Part 4 determinations for entire categories of supports stronger regulatory safeguards,
under without parliamentary approval and consultation with disability
organisations such as Youngcare ministerial which raises concerns of
before any changes are made. power unilateral decision-making.This is essential to maintain evidence-based decision making that adds stability, fairness and trust in the Scheme.
Submission 778
Response to the Bill and recommendations
Youngcare supports the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and recognises the need for reform to reduce the potential for the Scheme to be misused and improve the financial sustainability. However, any changes must be implemented in a way that does not reduce dignity, independence and choice for young people with complex and permanent physical disabilities. When supports are reduced or delayed for people with these needs, the consequences are immediate and severe, including hospitalisation or placement in other inappropriate institutions. This submission responds to key elements of the Bill that directly impact our SDA tenants and grant recipients.
- Concerns regarding community access supports Youngcare is concerned about the Bill’s provision to reduce community access and support hours, a change that would disproportionately impact people with complex and permanent physical disabilities. For tenants in Youngcare’s SDA and some of our grant recipients, these supports are not optional, they are what keeps them connected to their community, able to leave their homes safely and remain protected from isolation. If the Bill is enacted, people with disabilities will be compelled to stay at home more. This means people may be unable to access their workplace, shop for essentials independently or even access GP and specialist appointments; preventing them from being economic and social participants in our community.
Recommendation: Youngcare recommends that the government exempt people with the most complex and permanent physical disabilities from these reductions and maintain full funding for community access supports to ensure people who need it most can continue to live with dignity, independence and social connection. We believe there is an opportunity for government to partner with Youngcare to help bridge the gap created by growing demand, reducing pressure on the NDIS services while ensuring no one is left without essential support.
- Cuts to home-and-living supports, including SDA, will see increased demand for Youngcare support
Youngcare is already seeing the impact of tightening NDIS budgets, with noticeable shifts in demand for our grants program and in the types of supports and services that people with complex and permanent physical disabilities, and their families, are seeking. For example, in our At Home Care grant round in Q1 of 2026, we approved 38 of 55 applications and allocated $260,425. This included essential items such as wheelchairs, a hi-lo bed and mattress, whitegoods, and repairs to a mobility scooter.
Submission 778
However, 17 applications valued at $171,008 went unfunded, highlighting the limited resources Youngcare has to meet current demand.
With further changes to the NDIS, this gap in unmet funding support is expected to widen. In addition, we have already been receiving calls from people with SDA in their plan having their eligibility altered. We anticipate calls to enquire about Youngcare SDA housing to increase further because of these changes, placing added pressure on our services.
Recommendation: Youngcare urges the Committee to ensure that reforms do not unintentionally push young people with complex physical disabilities into crisis, unsafe housing, or institutional settings. Youngcare’s grant data provides real-time insight into unmet need and we would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the NDIA to share trends, identify emerging gaps and co-design solutions. We also encourage the government to partner with us by providing targeted funding to help meet rising demand and prevent further strain on NDIS services.
- Supports determination under ministerial power Youngcare holds concerns regarding the extent of powers proposed to be granted to the Minister, including the ability to introduce funding caps, alter fund supports through legislative instruments, redefine funding categories and make significant operational changes after passing of the legislation.
Of particular concern is the ability to reduce funding below what has already been accessed and determined to be “reasonable and necessary”. This fundamentally changes the purpose of the Scheme and creates substantial uncertainty for Youngcare tenants, grant applicants, and the broader public who contact Youngcare Connect. Our Connect team already regularly engage with Scheme participants who are frustrated by significant delays, inconsistent decision making and confusion around eligibility and evidence requirements. One of the most consistent areas of frustration and confusion from participants occurs when items that had previously been funded by the NDIS are no longer funded, often leaving participants without the support they require. The proposed Bill makes it easier to amend what is considered “reasonable and necessary” under the Scheme, increasing the potential for confusion and stress for people with high physical support needs and their families. Additionally, people who are most reliant on support are also those most likely to struggle with administrative processes.
Recommendation: Youngcare recommends stronger regulatory safeguards, independent oversight, and consultation with disability organisations such as Youngcare before any changes are made. This is essential to maintain stability, fairness and trust in the Scheme.
Submission 778
Conclusion
Youngcare acknowledges the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability and integrity of the NDIS and recognises the need for thoughtful, evidence-based reform. While the provisions outlined in the Bill aim to strengthen Scheme integrity, they also carry significant risks for participants with high and complex physical disabilities. To mitigate these impacts, Youngcare recommends maintaining essential community access supports to prevent crisis situations and reduce the likelihood of young people with disabilities becoming isolated from their community. Strengthening collaboration between the NDIA, SDA providers, housing developers, Scheme participants and organisations such as Youngcare will help ensure that supply aligns with participant needs and bridges gaps across Australia.
Youngcare welcomes the opportunity to present our submission to one of the scheduled public hearings and continue to work closely with the Committee to ensure reforms do not unintentionally disadvantage participants. We stand ready to contribute lived experience insights, case studies, data trends and SDA expertise, and to participate in collaborative discussions on home-and-living supports and provider quality. Through genuine partnership, reforms can uphold participant dignity, independence and choice while supporting a sustainable NDIS.