NDIS Rules Shift: Hireup Champions Your Choice & Control

Navigating NDIS Changes: A Focus on Keeping Trusted Support Relationships Intact

Upcoming NDIS Registration Changes Spark Uncertainty for Participants and Support Workers

As the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) continues to evolve, significant changes are on the horizon regarding how support workers and providers operate. New mandatory registration requirements, set to begin from 1 July 2027, are creating questions and concerns for many NDIS participants, their families, and the dedicated support workers they rely on.

An online platform that connects people with disability to support workers, Hireup, has launched the next phase of its ‘Your life, supported’ campaign. This initiative directly addresses these upcoming changes, aiming to reassure participants and support workers about maintaining vital relationships and choices.

What the NDIS Changes Mean for You

The new requirements will expand mandatory registration for people and organisations providing NDIS-funded disability support. While the full details are still emerging, these changes are aimed at ensuring high-quality, safe support across the sector.

However, for many, the practical implications are unclear. Recent focus groups conducted by Hireup with independent support workers and NDIS participants revealed widespread confusion. Many had heard about the changes but struggled to explain exactly who would be affected, when they would start, or what costs might be involved.

This lack of clarity has led to understandable worries. For participants and their families, the biggest concern is the potential loss of a trusted support worker – someone who understands their unique needs, routines, and preferences.

As one participant shared, “If you’ve had a carer for 10 years and she hasn’t got the money to register, you’re in a hard spot. You don’t want to lose that worker, and I can’t do without support.”

Independent support workers, many of whom are self-employed with an ABN, are also navigating a complex landscape. Some worry that joining a larger provider might mean sacrificing the flexibility and autonomy they value. For others, staying independent could bring significant new administrative and financial burdens related to registration.

Hireup’s Approach: Choice and Security Without the Burden

Hireup’s campaign steps into this challenging environment by offering a pathway for support workers that aims to balance flexibility with compliance. The platform introduces a model where support workers can maintain control over their work while Hireup handles the complexities of being a registered provider.

Through Hireup, support workers can continue to choose who they work with, set their own availability, and build lasting relationships with participants. Critically, Hireup employs them directly, taking care of payroll, tax, and superannuation as a registered provider. This structure aims to remove the extra registration, compliance, and administrative tasks that might otherwise fall to independent workers.

Jen Dickson, chief marketing officer at Hireup, highlighted the core message: “Choice and control shouldn’t come at the cost of security, and navigating the system shouldn’t mean giving up the freedom to work in a way that suits you.”

She added, “We know there’s real uncertainty around registration, and behind those questions are people worried about what they stand to lose. We want support workers to know they have options to keep working on their own terms, and participants to have confidence that they can maintain the trusted relationships that make their support work.”

The “Your Life, Supported” Campaign in Action

The campaign, which features real members of Hireup’s community including clients, support workers, and account managers, celebrates the genuine relationships that are at the heart of quality disability support. It puts disability representation front and centre, reflecting the diverse experiences of the NDIS community.

Running in NSW, Hireup’s largest market, from 11 October to 29 November, the campaign reaches across free-to-air and catch-up television, radio, outdoor advertising, social media, and digital channels. It was developed by Hireup’s in-house team, drawing directly from conversations with their community and their Community Action Group.

What This Means For You: Looking Ahead

The upcoming NDIS registration changes are a significant development, and it’s clear that clarity and support are essential for everyone involved.

For NDIS participants and families, this campaign highlights options for maintaining the crucial, trusted relationships with support workers that make all the difference. For support workers, it presents a potential pathway to continue offering person-centred care with the flexibility they value, while also navigating the evolving NDIS requirements.

As the 2027 deadline approaches, staying informed about these changes and exploring all available options will be key. Consider what solutions best support your individual needs and help maintain the quality and consistency of your NDIS journey.