The new NDIS support needs assessment: I-CAN and PECQ explained
The new NDIS support needs assessment is a structured conversation, planned to begin rolling out from April 2027, where a trained assessor works with you to understand your life and your disability support needs. It uses a tool called I-CAN version 6 as its base, alongside a questionnaire about your personal and environmental circumstances (the PECQ). Its purpose is to gather consistent information so plan budgets are fairer. This guide explains it in plain language, and how being prepared with the evidence you already have can help.
If the words "new assessment" make your stomach drop, that is understandable. The good news is that the process is being co-designed and tested with people with disability, it is not here for everyone at once, and much of what makes it work is information you may already have.
What is the NDIS support needs assessment?
The support needs assessment is part of the NDIS’s new way of planning. Instead of leaning heavily on reports you have to gather and pay for, an assessment gathers information through a conversation with you. The NDIA describes it as a consistent and reliable information gathering step, used to help build fairer and more consistent budgets in NDIS plans.
In practice it is a structured conversation, expected to take around three hours, that can be split across more than one meeting. It can happen in person or by video, at a suitable time and place, and you can bring your family, a support person or a carer with you. The assessor asks about your daily life to understand what types of support you need. Once it is done, the assessor writes up a final support needs assessment report, which is used to help build the budget in your plan. Plans are still approved by trained NDIS staff, and you keep your review rights.
Who carries out the assessment
Assessments are carried out by trained, accredited assessors who complete a training and accreditation program. The NDIA has said this program is being developed with the University of Melbourne and the Centre for Disability Studies. The idea is that the process is appropriate for a range of disability groups, culturally appropriate, trauma-informed and inclusive.
What is the I-CAN version 6?
The NDIA is adapting a tool called the I-CAN, at version 6, as the base for the new support needs assessment for participants aged 16 and over. The I-CAN was developed by the Centre for Disability Studies and has been used in the sector for over 20 years.
What matters about the I-CAN is its approach. It is person-based and strengths-based. In plain terms, that means it starts from you as a person, and it looks at what you can do and what support helps you do more, rather than treating you as a problem to be fixed. It is designed to help identify the disability-related supports a person needs. The NDIA has been clear that the I-CAN is a base for the new assessment, and that it is being developed and tested further before rollout.
What about children under 16?
The I-CAN version 6 is being adapted for people aged 16 and over. For children under 16, no support needs assessment tool has been chosen yet. If your child is younger, that part is still being worked out, and it is fair to wait for official detail rather than assume.
What is the PECQ?
Alongside the I-CAN, assessors will use a Personal and Environmental Circumstances Questionnaire, often shortened to PECQ. It is there to collect the extra information needed to understand your support needs, the things about your life and your environment that a single tool would not capture on its own.
The PECQ is still being developed, so the fine detail is not public yet. What is confirmed is that it sits beside the I-CAN as part of the same assessment, and that some participants with more complex support needs may be asked to provide reports from their treating health professionals. That is a useful signal about why your existing evidence still matters.
When does this start, and who does it affect?
The NDIA plans to begin rolling out the support needs assessment from April 2027. It will be gradual, not everyone at once, so many participants will not experience change for some time. The rules and policy that sit underneath it are still being developed in consultation with the disability community, so some detail is still being finalised.
This is part of the wider set of reforms we cover in our guide to what the 2024 NDIS changes mean for your evidence. If you support other people through this, our guide for advocates and support coordinators looks at how to check client evidence securely.
How being prepared with your evidence helps
An assessment is a conversation, and conversations go better when you have gathered your thoughts. Being clear about how your impairment affects everyday life, and the support you rely on, helps you describe your situation calmly and completely. The NDIA has said some people with more complex needs may be asked for reports from their treating professionals, so knowing what your current documents show is genuinely useful.
A practical way to prepare is to think through the everyday areas the NDIS looks at, which we walk through in our guide to functional impact across everyday areas. You do not need to go and get anything new. This is about understanding what you already hold. You can also browse the wider MagMindLab guides hub for more.
Getting ready for the support needs assessment
We are building a Support Needs Evidence report to help you see how the documents you already have describe your support needs across everyday life, so you can walk into an assessment feeling prepared rather than caught off guard. It is coming soon. You can register your interest through early access. It does not decide your plan or your budget, and only the NDIA can do that. It is there to help you understand and organise what you already know.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NDIS support needs assessment?
It is a structured conversation, planned to begin rolling out from April 2027, where a trained assessor works with you to understand your life and disability support needs. It is expected to take around three hours, can be split across meetings, and can be in person or by video. The report helps build the budget in your NDIS plan.
What is the I-CAN version 6?
The I-CAN version 6 is a person-based, strengths-based tool developed by the Centre for Disability Studies and used in the sector for over 20 years. The NDIA is adapting it as the base for the new support needs assessment for people aged 16 and over. It focuses on the person and the supports that help them.
What is the PECQ?
The PECQ, or Personal and Environmental Circumstances Questionnaire, sits alongside the I-CAN to collect extra information about a person’s life and environment. It is still being developed, so the detail is not public yet. Some participants with more complex needs may be asked to provide reports from their treating professionals.
Is there an assessment tool for children under 16?
Not yet. The I-CAN version 6 is being adapted for people aged 16 and over. For children under 16, no support needs assessment tool has been chosen yet, and that part is still being worked out.
How can I prepare for a support needs assessment?
Being clear about how your impairment affects everyday life, and the support you rely on, helps you describe your situation in the conversation. You do not need to get anything new. Understanding what your existing reports and letters already show is a calm, practical way to prepare.