About the changes

What is changing? 

From 2026, there will be changes to DSS funded supports.

These changes will make flexible funding easier to use. They follow on from feedback received from the disability community.

The changes start from February 2026 for people new to DSS. If you already get DSS funded supports, the changes start on 1 April 2026.

Current arrangements remain in place until then. 

The main changes are:

• You will get more choice and control in how you use your flexible funding.
• The purchasing guidelines will be removed.
• If you get flexible funding, you will be given a budget to manage within.
• You will get guidance to help manage your budget.
• All NASCs around the country will do their assessments the same way. This is so their decisions on support are fairer and more consistent.
• The needs of families, whānau and carers external will also be considered in assessments.

These changes will make the process more transparent so you know what to expect and can be prepared.

Why are changes happening? 

These changes will provide more consistency to the assessment and allocation processes, and more choice and control on how you use flexible funding.

The changes are informed by what the disability community told us they wanted during our February-March 2025 consultations.

Are you going to change the eligibility criteria for DSS? 

It’s important that disabled people, their whānau and carers have certainty about their supports and services.

We can confirm that there are no plans to change eligibility criteria for DSS. 

The DSS definition of eligibility is:

a person with a disability is someone who has been identified as having a physical, intellectual, sensory disability, autism (or a combination of these) which is likely to continue for a minimum of six months and result in a reduction of independent function to the extent that ongoing support is required. 

What this means in practice is that:  

In general, to be eligible for DSS funding you must be identified as having at least one of the following: 

• Physical disability

• Intellectual disability 

• Sensory disability 

• Autism 

And that you will need ongoing disability related support for at least six months. 

When will I know what I am going to get? 

If you get flexible funding, from April 2026 you will also get a budget so you know how much you can spend. We know people want to know what their budget will be. DSS will provide you with more clarity on this early next year.

The Government has agreed to set flexible funding budgets in line with what people have spent in the past.

To do this, we are taking into account spending prior to the implementation of the purchasing guidelines in March 2024. We are also considering how this will affect people in different situations and where spending has changed over time, including against current allocations. We are not taking a strict average. 

We are committed to allocating funding fairly and ensuring it enables disabled people to access the supports they have been assessed as needing and continues to provide choice and control.

The new flexible funding budgets are intended to ensure disabled people have choice and control and can access the supports they need. Every care is being taken to ensure new budgets meet disabled people’s needs and to ensure they have funding until they are able to be assessed using the new assessment process.

Will I need pre-approval for every single purchase? 

No. You will not need pre-approval for every purchase. 

You will have more choice and control over how you use your flexible funding to remove barriers linked to your disability.

There will only be a small number of things you cannot use your funding on like alcohol, tobacco, gambling and illegal activities.

A small list of things will also require pre-approval. Things like international travel and one-off purchases above a set value limit. We will have more information on those pre-approvals and one-off purchase limits in the New Year. 

What is meant by flexible funding, what types of DSS funding is included in these changes?  

The types of flexible funding included in the changes from April 2026 are:

• Carer Support 

• Individualised Funding (IF Personal Care, IF Household Management, IF Respite, Enhanced Individualised Funding) 

• Personal Budgets (EGL Personal Budgets, MidCentral Personal Budgets) 

Choice in Community Living is not included in the flexible funding changes. 

Do I need to have all the answers when I go through the assessment with NASC/EGL? 

During the community consultation we heard that people wanted more support to prepare for their assessment. So, we will provide people with pre-assessment information so they can understand the process. 

NASCs will use one assessment process nationally and develop personalised support plans. Decisions will be fairer, consistent, and transparent no matter where you live. We expect that you’ll come to your assessment meeting with questions. Your NASC is there to provide information that is relevant to your situation, help you explore options, and figure things out together over time.