September 3rd, 2025

Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston announced that next year there will not be any purchasing guidelines for disabled people supported through Needs Assessment Coordination Services (NASC).

From 1 April 2026, people already with a NASC will receive a set budget instead, and be provided with support on managing this budget. This support will include understanding what you want and need, exploring what barriers you experience and what a set budget could be used for to address these areas.

It will be really clear what the funding budget is used for and how that use can enable you to live a good life.

Like any budget, your assigned budget will have a limit. This limit means there will continue to be enough for each year and enough for as many people as possible to access support services.

This person-centred approach is closer to the ‘Enabling Good Lives’ (EGL) choice and control model which has been piloted in a few areas in New Zealand. People who receive support through this EGL model will not see any changes.

This new approach to NASC flexible funding will start earlier for new people to the service, from 1 February 2026.

Other changes

From 2026, all NASC will also undertake assessments of a disabled persons needs in the same way. They will include family and carers in these assessments and take into account what will be helpful for support people too.

One of the focus areas for Disability Support Services (part of Ministry of Social Development) was to set a similar standard for the supports available across New Zealand for our disability community. Funding and assessments were two areas our community asked the team at Disability Support Services to look at and make fairer and easier to understand.

Reassessments

Please note - The NASC team will be pausing from February to October 2026 to give them time to put all these changes into place for our community receiving these services. However if your need is urgent, you can contact your NASC and let them know.

Your budget will be allocated based on your current needs assessment spending and can change in future reassessments as discussed with your NASC.

From 1 October, NASC reassessments will begin again and personal plans will begin to be introduced.

For more information

Take a look at the Disability Support Services website for more information.

The DSS team are connecting with NASC providers across New Zealand, answering any questions they have and supporting the process of setting these changes into motion ahead of 1 February.