NDIS Funding for Postural Seating: What the 2026 Changes Mean
Current as at 31 August 2026. NDIS reform is being rolled out in stages between 2026 and 2030, and further rules are still being developed. Check the NDIA website for the latest position before making funding decisions.
If you are an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, support coordinator or family member involved in prescribing postural seating, the NDIS you knew is changing. New laws received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026, with the first changes starting 27 August 2026 and the rest rolling out in stages through to 2030.
Quick answer: postural seating is funded as assistive technology under Capital Supports. The two budget reductions announced for October 2026 apply to social, civic and community participation supports and to capacity building daily activities, not to assistive technology. The changes most likely to affect a seating prescription are the new 90-day claim deadline from 1 December 2026, the end of leftover funds carrying over under plan renewals from February 2027, and new framework planning from April 2027.
What Has Not Changed
Postural seating is still funded. A saddle seat prescribed to stabilise the pelvis, open the hip angle and support a person's functional goals is assistive technology, and assistive technology remains a funded support category.
The Government has also confirmed that the October 2026 budget reductions will not apply to a list of critical supports, including home and vehicle modifications, supports in the home, personal mobility equipment and transport, consumable products, and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Further amendments protect employment supports, disability-related health supports, high-intensity supports, complex behaviour supports, and some customised and wearable technology and hearing supports.
For most participants, PWDA's guidance is that you do not need to do anything differently right now. Current plans and supports continue as usual, and the NDIA has said it will notify participants before changes affecting them are introduced.
The Timeline That Matters for Seating
The Three Changes Worth Acting On
1. The 90-day claim deadline
From 1 December 2026, participants and plan managers must claim within 90 days of the support being delivered. Custom seating has a lead time. A chair ordered in one quarter and delivered in the next can easily drift past 90 days before anyone submits the claim, particularly where a plan manager is waiting on paperwork from a supplier.
The practical fix is simple. Agree at the point of order who lodges the claim and when, and diarise it against the delivery date rather than the order date.
2. Leftover funds stop carrying over
From February 2027, when a plan reaches its reassessment date the NDIA may create a renewed plan instead of reassessing it. A renewed plan carries the same level of supports the participant was previously assessed for, adjusted for current prices. Money left over in the previous plan does not carry into the renewed one.
If a seating assessment has been completed and the funding is sitting unused, that is now a use-it-or-lose-it situation rather than a rollover.
3. Evidence has to work harder
From February 2027, the NDIA must consider equity between participants, the sustainability of the Scheme, and the circumstances of participants with similar needs when deciding what is reasonable and necessary.
This does not mean seating gets refused. It does mean a prescription that reads as a comfort upgrade is weaker than one tied to specific functional outcomes. The strongest reports describe what the person cannot currently do, what the seating changes mechanically, and what functional goal that unlocks. Postural collapse leading to fatigue that limits school attendance is a functional argument. A more comfortable chair is not.
Two Worked Examples of Functional Framing
Our Australian special needs case studies show the difference in practice.
Ruby, who has muscular atrophy, was collapsing in a standard classroom chair. Her pelvis tilted backward, her spine rounded, and she extended her neck to see her work, which exhausted her quickly. Her occupational therapist trialled a Small Adaptive Saddle Chair with a reduced abduction seat, standard backrest, 80 mm drop-through gas lift and locking castors. The functional outcome was that her arms were freed from bracing her torso, so she could focus on schoolwork for longer without fatigue.
Notice what makes that fundable. It is not "Ruby finds the chair comfortable." It is a described postural problem, a specified configuration with a reason for each element, and a functional gain in a defined setting.
David, an adult with cerebral palsy and increased adductor tone, was largely confined to a wheelchair. Seated on the saddle, his hips were held abducted and extended, his feet reached full contact with the floor, and he began using his legs to propel the chair himself. He reported walking further independently and relying on the wheelchair less on daily outings.
Again, the fundable elements are mobility, independence and reduced reliance on other equipment, not comfort.
Both cases were documented before the 2026 changes, and neither is a guarantee of a funding outcome for anyone else. They are useful as a model for how to write the argument.
What a Strong Seating Prescription Contains
Whether you are writing the report or reading one, these are the elements that carry weight:
The functional goal, in the participant's own words where possible. A trial record showing what was tested and what changed. The specific configuration prescribed, including seat size, stem height, base and any accessories, with a reason for each. Evidence of clinical reasoning linking the postural mechanism to the functional outcome. Independent certification of the equipment, such as AFRDI Level 6 for severe commercial use. A quote valid for long enough to survive the approval process.
For seating in particular, sizing detail matters. Pelvic width varies between individuals, so a report that specifies which seat size was trialled and why is considerably stronger than one naming a product alone.
What Is Still Being Decided
A great deal. The legislation creates the framework and the powers, but detailed rules, policies and operational processes are still being developed. Areas still open include the new access assessment, the detailed operation of support needs assessments and budget setting, record keeping rules, and provider registration.
Anyone telling you exactly how postural seating will be assessed under new framework planning is guessing. The honest position is that the funding pathway for assistive technology has not been reduced, the timing rules around claims and renewals have tightened, and the case for any prescribed support needs to be well evidenced.
Where to Get Help
If the NDIA has made a decision you disagree with, you may be able to request an internal review. For most reviewable decisions, the request must be made within three months of receiving the decision in writing. The Disability Gateway on 1800 643 787 can connect you with disability advocacy services, and the NDIA publishes a guide to decision reviews.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing maintains a page on the NDIS legislation changes, and PWDA is collecting participant experiences as the changes roll out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is postural seating still funded by the NDIS after the 2026 changes?
Yes. Postural seating is funded as assistive technology. The budget reductions announced for October 2026 apply to social, civic and community participation supports and to capacity building daily activities. Assistive technology is not one of the reduced categories.
When do the NDIS changes actually start?
The laws received Royal Assent on 20 August 2026 and the first changes started 27 August 2026. Further changes begin on 1 October 2026, 1 December 2026, 1 February 2027, 1 April 2027, 1 July 2027, 1 October 2027, 1 January 2028 and 1 July 2028, with some transition arrangements continuing to the end of 2030.
What is the 90-day claim rule?
From 1 December 2026, participants and plan managers must make claims within 90 days of the support being delivered. For custom-made equipment with a manufacturing lead time, the claim window runs from delivery, so it is worth agreeing who lodges the claim before the order is placed.
Will leftover assistive technology funding roll over into my next plan?
Not under a plan renewal. From 1 February 2027, when a plan is renewed rather than reassessed, money left over in the previous plan does not carry into the renewed plan.
Who can request a plan reassessment now?
From 27 August 2026, only the participant, their plan nominee or a child representative can ask the NDIA for an unscheduled plan reassessment. A request can still be made where there has been a significant and ongoing change to functional capacity and support needs, living arrangements, education, work, or informal supports. If the NDIA does not decide within 90 days, the request is treated as refused, which opens up review rights.
What is new framework planning and when does it affect me?
New framework planning uses a support needs assessment, conducted through a semi-structured interview with a trained NDIS assessor, to help determine a participant's budget. Participants receive a report explaining how their budget was decided. The rollout begins 1 April 2027 and runs progressively to 31 December 2030, so it will not affect everyone at once.
How long do I need to keep records of an assistive technology purchase?
Participants and plan managers need to keep records about NDIS support payments for three years. Nominees keep them for five years, and providers for seven years. Detailed rules about exactly which records are required are still being finalised.
Does a saddle seat need to be certified to be funded?
Certification is not a funding requirement in itself, but independent structural certification such as AFRDI Level 6 supports the case that the equipment is fit for sustained daily use. For a participant who will use the chair every day for years, durability evidence strengthens a reasonable and necessary argument.
What does a funded seating outcome look like in practice?
In Bambach's documented Australian case studies, the outcomes were functional rather than comfort-based. For a school student with muscular atrophy, stabilising the pelvis freed her arms from bracing her torso so she could work longer without fatigue. For an adult with cerebral palsy, the open hip position restored full foot contact with the floor, allowing him to propel his own chair and walk further independently. Individual results vary, and neither case guarantees a funding outcome for another participant.
Bambach has designed saddle seats in Australia since 1989, and they are prescribed by occupational therapists and physiotherapists for participants who need pelvic stability and an open hip angle. See the special needs and adaptive seating range, read the full Australian case studies, or browse the complete range. To discuss a configuration for a specific participant, call +61 2 8966 4800.
This article is general information about NDIS funding processes. It is not financial, legal or clinical advice, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDIA. Funding decisions depend on individual circumstances.