We are making improvements to Disability Support Services (DSS) funded supports.
The improvements are informed by what the disability community told us in 2025, and by the Independent Review in 2024.
They are about:
- making the system fairer and more consistent
- giving disabled people more choice and control over their flexible funding.
The improvements will help stabilise the disability support system and ensure it is sustainable.
They create a stable foundation to strengthen the disability support system over the longer term.
Learn more about what the disability community told us
Making the system fairer – from mid-February 2026
The first of these improvements begin from mid-February 2026.
They improve the way disabled people’s needs are assessed and supports are allocated. This may also include their family, whānau or carers’ needs and supports.
People will experience these changes when they apply for the first time, or when they have a reassessment in the future.
The changes will make things fairer and more consistent across the country, no matter where you live.
Learn more about the February changes to assessments and allocations.
More choice and control over flexible funding - from April 2026
From April, further changes will make flexible funding easier to use.
People who get flexible funding will gain more choice and control over how they spend their funding.
The purchasing rules will be removed.
People who get flexible funding will be given budgets so they know how much they can spend.
There will be support if people need help to manage their budgets.