How functional capacity assessments will work — what we know so far

The functional capacity assessment (FCA) is the centrepiece of the April 2026 NDIS reforms. It replaces diagnosis-led eligibility decisions with a standardised evaluation of how your disability affects your ability to carry out daily life.

Here’s everything confirmed so far — and what’s still being designed.

What is a functional capacity assessment?

A functional capacity assessment evaluates your ability to carry out everyday activities across a set of domains. The key shift is from what condition you have to what you cannot do as a result of that condition.

Two people with the same diagnosis can have very different functional presentations. Under the new framework, it’s the functional presentation — not the diagnosis — that determines eligibility.

The domains being assessed

The expected functional domains are based on international frameworks used by the WHO and comparable disability schemes overseas:

1. Communication — expressing yourself, understanding others, reading and writing
2. Mobility — moving within your home, community, and workplace
3. Self-care — bathing, dressing, eating, managing your health
4. Self-management — making decisions, managing finances, organising daily tasks
5. Learning — applying new skills, solving problems
6. Social participation — maintaining relationships, participating in community and work
7. Domestic life — household tasks, preparing meals
8. Community involvement — using transport, accessing services

Each domain will be assessed on a severity scale. The overall pattern across domains — not any single score — will determine eligibility.

Who will conduct assessments?

The NDIA is designing an accredited assessor model. Assessors are expected to be allied health professionals — occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists — who have completed specific FCA training.

The assessment will not be self-reported. It will involve a structured interview and potentially observation of how you carry out tasks.

Important: the assessment tool itself has not been finalised and is not expected to be ready until 2028. Existing participants will be reassessed under the new framework when their plan comes up for review — starting from 2028, not before.

How this differs from the current process

Currently, NDIS eligibility requires:

1. A diagnosis of a permanent disability
2. Evidence that the disability substantially reduces functional capacity in at least one of five areas
3. Demonstration that supports are “reasonable and necessary”

The new framework removes the diagnosis as the primary gateway and replaces step 2 with a standardised tool — removing some of the subjectivity from current assessments while raising the bar for what counts as sufficient functional impairment.

How to prepare now — even before the tool exists

You can’t sit an assessment that doesn’t exist yet. But you can build the evidence base that will support you when it does.

Start a functional diary. Document what you do and don’t do each day — not your diagnosis, but the specific tasks you need help with. Include both good days and bad days. Capture how your functioning varies.

Ask your treating professionals for functional statements. Rather than a letter that says “X has [diagnosis],” ask for a report that says “X cannot [specific task] without [specific support] because [functional reason].” This framing is what the new system will look for.

Get an OT assessment now. Occupational therapy assessments already use functional outcome frameworks and will translate well to the new system. An up-to-date OT report is one of your most valuable assets.

Document your support dependency. What happens when your support isn’t available? What can you not do? This “support necessity” evidence will be critical.

Connect with a disability advocate. Free advocates through DANA and state-based advocacy services can help you understand what evidence to build and how to frame it for the new framework.

Will the assessment be fair for people who fluctuate?

This is the most significant open question in the reform design. Conditions like multiple sclerosis, psychosocial disability, and acquired brain injury involve significant day-to-day or week-to-week variation. A single assessment snapshot on a good day will not capture the full picture.

Disability advocacy organisations — including Every Australian Counts and PWDA — are actively pushing for the assessment design to account for fluctuating conditions. The NDIA has acknowledged this as a design challenge. Watch for consultation on this point as the tool is developed.

What happens if you disagree with your assessment result?

The existing NDIS internal review and AAT external review rights will apply to FCA outcomes. You will be able to:

1. Request an internal review within 3 months of the decision
2. Appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal within 28 days of the internal review outcome
3. Access free legal aid and advocacy support throughout

The detailed review process under the new framework has not yet been finalised.

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Related: Full FCA explainer — 8 domains, what assessors look for, how to prepare · How to prepare for your plan review in 2026

Last updated May 2026. The FCA tool and full eligibility criteria are still in development. This page will be updated as the NDIA publishes further guidance. For advice on your specific situation, speak to a free disability advocate.