(12 September 2025)
Multiple Sclerosis NZ welcomes the recent announcement from the Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston’s that disabled people and family whānau will once again have choices about how to use disability support funding.
This is a momentous moment, following what has been a challenging 18 months for many in our community, struggling within to use their funding in meaningful ways. A return to flexible funding will see people with MS and their families have more control and choice in how they spend their budgets.
Our understanding is that those receiving funding will work with their NASCs to develop a personalised plan which is tailored towards achieving your personal goals.
This is a prime example of what happens when the community comes together, with a united voice. “The improvements have been informed by what more than 1,800 disabled people, their families and carers told DSS they wanted in nationwide community consultation this year,” Louise Upston says.
Echoing the words of Carers Alliance Secretariat Laurie Hilsgen, the announcement is “a historic day for carers with strong inclusion in the Minister’s remarks about the important role of family carers who will be considered in needs assessments – and have choice again about how to use respite and Carer Support funding to sustain their wellbeing.”
We are interested to see the detail surrounding how families and carers will be considered. We remain concerned that Carers needs are only considered as part of the assessment where their needs are relevant to the care of the disabled disability support user, rather than identifying their needs as individuals.
Changes won’t come into effect until 2026 but we’re pleased to see we’re on the path to improvement.
What are the changes?
Disability Services have identified that the main changes you will see are:
- NASCs will work with you to develop a personalised support plan.
- More choice and control in the use of your flexible funding.
- The purchasing guidelines developed in 2024 will be removed.
- You will be provided with a budget to manage your flexible funding within.
- You will get guidance to help manage your budget, making flexible funding easier to use.
- All NASCs around the country will do their assessments the same way. This is so their decisions on support are fairer and more consistent.
- Families and carers will be considered as part of the assessment where their needs are relevant to the care of the disabled disability support user.
- You can seek a reassessment if your circumstances have changed, but otherwise will not receive more funding if you use up your budget early.
What are the timelines?
Work is still required to prepare for these changes. As such we won’t see the impact until early next year:
- From 1 February 2026
- People who are new to disability support services are assessed using the new system.
- Reassessments will be paused until October 2026, unless urgent.
- From 1 April 2026
- People who already use flexible funding through a NASC will be allocated a budget. This will be informed by how much flexible funding they have used in the past.
- Purchasing guidelines, including the March 2024 changes, will be removed.
- DSS will work with NASCs and Hosts to introduce changes.
- From 1 October 2026
- Regular reassessments, including the development of personal plans, gets underway.