Information about changes to assessments and allocations.
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What is happening with reassessments?
Non-urgent reassessments are temporarily paused to give NASCs and EGL sites time to put in place the changes to assessments and allocations.
This pause does not apply if your circumstances change. You can still request an urgent reassessment at any time.
DSS, NASCs and Enabling Good Lives sites are working to restart non-urgent reassessments as quickly as possible.
Note: The pause in reassessments does not apply to residential support packages. These continue as normal.
When will routine or non-urgent reassessments re-start?
In the September announcement we advised that reassessments will be paused from February until October 2026, to give NASCs and Enabling Good Lives sites time to implement these changes.
We’ve been working closely with NASCs and Enabling Good Lives sites, and it’s now likely that scheduled reassessments will be able to resume sooner. We will keep the community updated.
Urgent reassessments remain available for people whose situations have changed.
What meets the criteria for an urgent reassessment?
A reassessment is urgent when someone's situation changes in a way that means they can no longer be safe or have their basic needs met without quick support.
Will carer support be retained?
Yes. Access and eligibility for Carer Support are not changing. Flexibility will increase from April 2026, enabling people to choose options for respite and wellbeing breaks that work for them, aligned to the disabled person’s needs and plan.
How has DSS considered the needs of parents and family carers in the new assessment approach?
The new approach is designed to recognise the needs of family, whānau and carers in their important role supporting a disabled person.
Assessments will now include questions about caring, options for respite or wellbeing breaks, and supports to reduce stress for carers and those they support. Information from these conversations feeds into the My DSS Funding Plan, which can include specific support for carers where appropriate.
This means funding can be used to help carers take a break, protect their own wellbeing, and have back-up options they trust. DSS will continue to work with carers and the disability community to strengthen this approach over the coming year.
Every situation is different. Sometimes a disabled person may not want their family, whānau or carer involved in their assessment (they may not require any family support, for example). They let their NASC know this before an assessment or review.
Further work will happen this year to strengthen the disability support system, and we will continue to engage with carers and others in the disability community as part of this.
Has DSS worked with carers to implement this new model?
DSS has been working with our NASCs, Enabling Good Lives sites and Hosts to implement these changes.
The changes are informed by the feedback we heard from the disability community.
Family, whānau, support people and carers took part in the consultations – around two-thirds of people who attended public workshops were family, whānau and carers.
We listened to their feedback and it has directly informed these changes.
In addition, we’ve drawn on research and practice informed by studies on respite, carer fatigue and carer burnout.
Carers and the disabled people they support will be included in any further consultations as part of our wider work to strengthen the system.
How will assessments and reassessments be done?
From now on, all reassessments will use the new assessment and allocation system - but NASCs / EGL sites will continue to engage in the way that best suits each individual person, whether that's in-person, or online, or over the phone.
Will yearly reassessments be in person?
Annual reviews are usually not in person unless there is a reason for this. Reassessments take place every three to five years, or when there is change in your disability-related needs. These are carried out in the way that bests suits you, whether that's in-person, or online, or over the phone.
Will the new assessment tool mean my funding allocation will reduce?
Funding allocations will continue to be based on each person's assessed disability-related needs. The new assessment tool will not change this.
What is the My DSS Funding Plan?
The My DSS Funding Plan is part of the new, nationally-consistent assessment and allocation approach for DSS-funded supports, introduced in February 2026.
Over time, everyone who gets flexible funding will move to the new My DSS Funding Plan. This will happen at your next review or reassessment.
The My DSS Funding Plan helps you understand what funding you have, what the funding is intended for, and the outcomes the funding is meant to support. It helps guide and plan how your flexible funding is used.
Will the NASC share the provider rates and indicative funding ranges with the disabled person as part of the My DSS funding plan?
The disabled person and/or their representative has the right to understand how their plan was developed. They should be provided with all information from their My DSS Funding Plan, including provider rates.