Reasonable and necessary supports (NDIA Act Section 34)

Reasonable and necessary is a term used to determine what kind of funded supports you might need. Simply put – reasonable is something that is considered fair, and necessary is something that you need because of your disability and to help you bridge the gap between your disability and achieving your goals.
In order to be considered reasonable and necessary, a support or service: must be related to a participant’s disability, should represent value for money, must not include day-to-day living costs not related to your disability support needs, such as groceries.

The NDIS cannot fund a support that is: the responsibility of another government system or community service. not related to a person’s disability

An NDIS Planner will ensure the following rules in relation what might be included in a plan.

1. The support is related to their disability
2. The support will assist the participant to pursue the goals, objectives and aspirations included in the participant’s statement of goals and aspirations
3. The support will assist the participant to undertake activities, so as to facilitate the participant’s social and economic participation
4. The support represents value for money – costs of the support are reasonable, relative to both the benefits achieved and the cost of alternative support
5. The support will be, or is likely to be, effective and beneficial for the participant, having regard to current good practice
6. The funding or provision of the support takes account of what it is reasonable to expect families, carers, informal networks and the community to provide
7. The support is most appropriately funded or provided through the NDIS, and is not more appropriately funded /provided by another person, agency or body.

Specific examples of regular questions, or grey areas we get asked are as follows FAQ Reasonable and Necessary