The phrase NDIS reasonable and necessary supports gets used a lot, but rarely explained clearly. If you have ever wondered why one support gets funded and another does not, this guide is for you. We will break it down in plain English.
Understanding NDIS reasonable and necessary supports is one of the most useful things you can do as a participant. It shapes every funding decision the NDIS makes. Once you know the test the NDIS applies, you can build a stronger case for the supports you actually need. Let us dive in.
What "reasonable and necessary" means
Every support the NDIS funds has to be "reasonable and necessary". Put simply, that means the support must be a fair and sensible thing to fund, and it must genuinely help you because of your disability.
It is not about funding everything you might want. It is about funding what you need to live your life, pursue your goals and take part in the community. The test is set out in the NDIS legislation, and the NDIS applies it to every request.
The key idea is the link to your disability. A support has to relate to your disability-related needs, not your everyday living costs that everyone has, disability or not.
The NDIS reasonable and necessary supports criteria
The NDIS weighs a support against a set of criteria. To be funded, a support generally must meet all of them. Here is the plain-English version.
- It relates to your disability. The support must connect to your disability-related needs.
- It is not a day-to-day cost. It should not be an everyday living expense unrelated to your disability.
- It represents value for money. The cost is reasonable compared to the benefit and to other options.
- It is likely to be effective and beneficial. There is good reason to expect it will help you.
- It considers informal supports. It takes into account what family, carers and the community already provide.
- It is most appropriately funded by the NDIS. It is not something another service system, like health or education, should provide.
A support usually needs to satisfy all of these, not just one. That is why evidence matters so much, which we come to below.
Funded versus not funded: some examples
Examples make this easier to grasp. The table below shows the kinds of supports that often meet the test, and the kinds that usually do not. Every plan is different, so treat this as a guide, not a rule.
Often funded | Usually not funded |
|---|---|
Support workers for daily living tasks | Everyday groceries and rent |
Therapy linked to your disability goals | General health costs covered by Medicare |
Assistive technology you need for your disability | Standard household appliances |
Support coordination to manage your plan | School tuition covered by the education system |
Capacity-building supports tied to your goals | Holidays and entertainment for their own sake |
Notice the pattern. Funded supports link clearly to disability. Unfunded ones are either everyday costs or the responsibility of another system.
Why it is not about everyday living costs
This point trips a lot of people up. The NDIS is not designed to cover the normal costs of living that everyone has. Food, rent, power bills and a phone plan are costs we all carry, disability or not.
What the NDIS does fund is the extra support you need because of your disability. So it might fund a support worker to help you cook, but not the food itself. It might fund assistive technology to help you communicate, but not a standard smartphone everyone owns.
Understanding this line helps you focus your requests where they are most likely to succeed.
Value for money in plain English
"Value for money" sounds like accounting language, but the idea is simple. The NDIS asks whether the cost of a support is fair for the benefit it gives, and whether a cheaper option would work just as well.
This does not mean the NDIS always picks the cheapest choice. A cheaper support that does not meet your needs is not value for money at all. What it means is that the cost should make sense. If a support helps you build skills, stay safe or reach a goal, and the price is reasonable, it stacks up.
Sometimes value for money works in your favour. Investing in a capacity-building support now, like learning to travel independently, may reduce the need for paid support later. Framing a request that way can strengthen your case.
The role of informal and mainstream supports
The NDIS does not sit on its own. It works alongside your informal supports and the mainstream services everyone can use.
Informal supports are the help you get from family, friends and carers. The NDIS takes these into account, but it does not expect your family to do everything. If relying on informal support is not reasonable or sustainable, that is worth explaining.
Mainstream services are systems like health, education and housing. The NDIS is generally not meant to fund what these systems should provide. Knowing where the line sits helps you send each request to the right place, which saves time and frustration.
How evidence strengthens your NDIS reasonable and necessary supports case
Meeting the reasonable and necessary test comes down to evidence. The NDIS decides based on what you can show, not just what you say. Strong, specific evidence makes a strong case.
Helpful evidence includes:
- Reports from therapists and clinicians that link the support to your disability.
- Clear goals that show why the support matters to your life.
- A record of what you have tried and how it worked.
- Details of your informal supports and where the gaps are.
This is where a support coordinator earns their keep. A good coordinator helps you gather the right evidence, connect it to the criteria and present it clearly. At 360 Support Coordination, you get a named coordinator who knows your plan and keeps audit-ready documentation to NDIS Practice Standards. You can see how we work on our how we work page and find practical tools in our participant toolbox.
If your needs are complex, our Level 2 support coordination service gives you steady, hands-on help to build and present your case. We do not make funding decisions, and neither does any provider, but we help you put your best foot forward.
Final thoughts
Once you have NDIS reasonable and necessary supports explained in plain English, the whole system feels less mysterious. The test is really asking one thing: does this support genuinely help you because of your disability, and is it the right thing for the NDIS to fund? When you link your requests to your disability, back them with solid evidence and lean on a coordinator who knows the criteria, you give yourself the best chance.
Want help building your case? Book a free 15-minute call at /book-a-call, reach out via /contact-us, or send a referral at https://intranet.ansaconsultandtech.com.au/referral?b=360sc. You can also call us on +61 3 7047 6747.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does reasonable and necessary mean in the NDIS?
It means a support must be a fair and sensible thing to fund and must genuinely help you because of your disability. It is not about funding everything you might want, but about funding what you need to pursue your goals and take part in the community. The test is set out in the NDIS legislation.
What are the reasonable and necessary criteria?
The support must relate to your disability, represent value for money, be likely to be effective and beneficial, and take into account your informal supports. It must not be an everyday living cost and must be most appropriately funded by the NDIS rather than another system like health or education. A support generally needs to meet all of these.
What supports are not funded by the NDIS?
The NDIS does not fund everyday living costs that everyone has, such as groceries, rent and general utility bills. It also does not fund supports that are the responsibility of other systems, like standard health care through Medicare or schooling through the education system. Supports unrelated to your disability are generally not funded.
Who decides if a support is reasonable and necessary?
The NDIS, through its planners and delegates, makes the final decision on whether a support is reasonable and necessary. Providers and support coordinators cannot make that decision, but they can help you gather evidence and present your case clearly. Good evidence gives the decision-maker what they need.
How do I prove a support is reasonable and necessary?
Gather evidence that links the support to your disability, such as reports from therapists and clear goals that show why it matters. Explain what you have tried and where your informal supports fall short. A support coordinator can help you organise this evidence and connect it to the criteria the NDIS applies.