What is reasonable and necessary supports?
Reasonable and necessary supports is the legal standard the NDIA applies to decide whether a support or service will be funded under the NDIS Act, based on whether it relates to the participant's disability, helps them achieve their goals, and represents value for money.
The NDIA must be satisfied that a support is both reasonable and necessary under section 34 of the NDIS Act before approving it for funding. This is the cornerstone legal test that shapes which disability services and supports make it into an individual's NDIS plan.
A support meets this test when it relates to assisting the participant with their disability, helps them pursue their goals and aspirations, and delivers value for money to the scheme. The NDIA considers whether the support is evidence-based or established practice, whether it represents appropriate use of NDIS funds, and whether it is proportionate to the participant's needs and circumstances.
Supports that pass this threshold typically address areas like daily living, social participation, employment, education, and health and wellbeing. They may be delivered by disability services providers across Perth and surrounding regions, or funded as individual supports within a participant's plan.
The test matters because it acts as the gatekeeping mechanism for NDIS funding. Participants and their service providers must frame requests around this standard. Decisions about what is reasonable and necessary can shift as evidence evolves, participant circumstances change, or NDIA policy guidance develops. Understanding how the NDIA applies this test shapes which services are available to fund through plans and which may fall outside the scheme.