The NDIS pricing system is updated regularly to reflect changes in support costs, workforce conditions, market conditions and the broader operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
For 2026–27, there is an important change that NDIS participants, support coordinators and providers should know about: the NDIA has introduced the NDIS Pricing Schedule, replacing the previous Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) document.
The new pricing schedule applies from 1 July 2026 and provides guidance on appropriate and reasonable maximum prices for NDIS supports.
So, what is different between 2025–26 and 2026–27?
What Is the NDIS Price Guide?
The NDIS Price Guide was the commonly used name for the document that helped participants and providers understand pricing rules and maximum prices for NDIS-funded supports.
The terminology has changed over time. The NDIS Price Guide became the Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL), and for 2026–27 the NDIA has introduced the NDIS Pricing Schedule.
The current schedule includes information such as support item numbers, support names, units and recommended maximum prices for national, remote and very remote areas.
It is important to remember that these figures are not necessarily what every provider must charge. Participants and providers can negotiate an appropriate price, and existing service agreements need to be discussed and agreed upon before pricing changes are made.
What Changed in 2026–27?
The 2026–27 pricing update includes both increases and decreases across different support categories.
This means there isn't one simple percentage increase that applies to every NDIS service.
For example, some disability support worker rates increased following workforce cost changes, while some allied health prices decreased or remained unchanged.
According to comparisons of the two pricing schedules, some notable changes include:
- Psychology: increased from $232.99 to $252.99 per hour.
- Disability support worker base rate: increased from $70.23 to $73.58 per hour.
- Occupational therapy: remained at $193.99 per hour.
- Speech pathology: remained at $193.99 per hour.
- Physiotherapy: remained at $183.99 per hour.
- Dietetics: decreased from $188.99 to $178.99 per hour.
- Exercise physiology: decreased from $166.99 to $161.99 per hour.
- Therapy – Other Professional: decreased from $193.99 to $156.16 per hour.
- Support Coordination: key rates remained unchanged.
These examples show why providers should not simply apply an overall percentage increase to their existing pricing.
Each support item needs to be checked against the current schedule.
Why Did NDIS Prices Change?
The annual pricing process considers several factors when assessing appropriate NDIS prices.
The NDIA's Annual Pricing Review (APR) for 2026–27 provides guidance on appropriate prices and considers factors affecting the cost and delivery of NDIS supports. The 2026–27 pricing schedule was released alongside the APR.
Workforce costs are also an important consideration. For example, disability support worker-related pricing has been affected by changes in employment and wage costs.
At the same time, the NDIA has reviewed pricing for different professional services, resulting in increases for some disciplines and decreases for others.
Another Important Change: Short-Term Accommodation
Short-Term Accommodation (STA) is another area that providers and participants should pay attention to.
Under the 2026–27 approach, STA is no longer treated as one bundled daily rate in the same way as under previous arrangements. Accommodation and support components are separated, making the billing structure more detailed.
This means providers may need to review their:
- Billing processes
- Support item codes
- Invoicing templates
- Service agreements
- Rostering systems
- Participant communications
The change is particularly relevant for providers delivering short-term accommodation and respite-related supports.
What Does the 2026–27 Pricing Update Mean for NDIS Providers?
For providers, the annual pricing update is more than simply changing numbers on an invoice.
Providers should review their systems and make sure their pricing information reflects the current NDIS Pricing Schedule.
This can include checking:
1. Support item numbers
Make sure the correct support item and pricing information are being used.
2. Service agreements
If pricing changes are proposed, providers should communicate those changes with participants and obtain agreement before applying them to existing arrangements.
3. Billing and invoicing
Incorrect or outdated pricing information can create avoidable billing and reconciliation issues.
4. Rostering and payroll
Changes to support worker pricing can also affect operational calculations, workforce planning and payroll processes.
5. Internal software
Providers using spreadsheets or disconnected systems may need to manually update pricing tables and billing workflows.
This is one reason why keeping NDIS pricing information connected to operational processes can be valuable for growing providers.
What Should Participants Do?
Participants do not necessarily need to take action simply because the pricing schedule has changed.
However, if a provider proposes a change to the price of an existing support, participants should understand what is changing and agree to the new price before the change is implemented.
The NDIA states that providers must discuss proposed changes to existing service agreements with participants, and participants must agree to those changes.
If you are unsure about a particular support item or price, it is worth checking the current NDIS Pricing Schedule rather than relying on an older copy of the NDIS Price Guide.
2026–27 vs 2025–26: The Bigger Picture
The biggest takeaway from the 2026–27 update is that NDIS pricing is becoming increasingly detailed.
Some services have received higher price limits, some have remained unchanged, and others have decreased.
For providers, this makes accurate pricing management increasingly important.
Using an outdated 2025–26 pricing table could result in incorrect quotes, invoices or claims. Providers should therefore review their current pricing data and make sure their operational systems reflect the 2026–27 requirements.
For a more detailed comparison of the changes, including examples of support categories and pricing movements, read the full guide:
NDIS Price Guide Comparison 2026–27 vs 2025–26
Read the full comparison on TesseractApps
Final Thoughts
The 2026–27 NDIS pricing update brings more than a simple change to hourly rates. The introduction of the NDIS Pricing Schedule, changes across different support categories and updates to billing structures mean that participants and providers need to work with current information.
For NDIS providers, regularly reviewing pricing data can help reduce billing errors, improve financial visibility and support more consistent operations.
If your organisation is still relying on an older NDIS Price Guide or manually updating pricing information across multiple systems, the 2026–27 update is a good opportunity to review your processes.
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