TL;DR: Understanding what the NDIS will fund can be challenging, especially when it comes to everyday household items like air conditioning. This guide explains how the NDIA distinguishes between standard day-to-day living costs and reasonable and necessary disability supports. Learn the rules for low, mid, and high-cost assistive technology to confidently manage your plan.
What is the official NDIS definition of a day-to-day living cost?
Under NDIS rules, a day-to-day living cost is an ordinary expense that people must pay for regardless of whether or not they have a disability, and it is explicitly excluded from NDIS funding.
The NDIS Act and the rules made under the NDIS Act establish what can and cannot be funded. To help participants understand how to spend their funds in the right way, the NDIA provides two separate lists. The first list, "Supports that are NDIS supports," contains 37 categories of goods and services that the NDIS can fund. The second list, "Supports that are not NDIS supports," contains 15 categories of goods and services that cannot be funded under any circumstances. Day-to-day living costs represent one of these 15 excluded categories. The NDIA will not include funding for things that are not NDIS supports when creating NDIS plans. If a participant uses their NDIS funding to buy things that are not on the approved NDIS supports list and are not in line with their NDIS plan, the agency has the authority to ask them to pay that money back. If you are left without funding for an everyday necessity, you may need to look into Alternative Funding Options When NDIS Support is Reduced through other government or community systems.
Why is standard air conditioning excluded from NDIS funding?
Standard air conditioning is excluded from NDIS funding because it is classified as an ordinary, day-to-day household living cost that people without a disability also have to pay for.
The reasonable and necessary criteria dictate that NDIS supports cannot replace income or cover standard household appliances and utility bills that are common to all Australian households. Because heating, cooling, and general climate control are typical costs of running a home, a standard air conditioning unit or the electricity bills to run it are considered day-to-day living costs. The NDIS will not fund these general expenses. However, the agency recognises that some participants have unique disability support needs that require specialised environmental controls. For a support to be funded, it must relate directly to your disability, help you work towards your goals, and be an NDIS support or approved replacement support. When a participant's disability-specific needs necessitate modifications to their physical environment, they can explore Assistive Technology and Home Modifications - NDIS Options to see what modifications can legally be funded under Capital budgets. Such specialised capital supports must be proven to be value for money and supported by professional evidence.
How do the reasonable and necessary criteria apply to everyday household items?
Every item you buy with NDIS funding must meet the reasonable and necessary criteria, meaning it must relate directly to your disability, represent value for money, and not be a standard day-to-day living cost.
To determine what can be funded, an NDIA planner looks at the evidence and information you provide and assesses it against the NDIS rules. The planner evaluates whether a support is likely to be effective and beneficial to you, whether it works with mainstream supports in your network, and whether it helps you work towards your goals, including taking part in work, study, and social activities. During this assessment, your NDIA planner also looks at if you share a support with anyone, how much of the support you need (including hours, items, or equipment), and how often you need it (including days, weeks, months, or years). An everyday item cannot be funded if it is the same as supports already provided by your family, community services, or other mainstream systems. Each support must be reasonable and necessary both individually and as a package of supports. The NDIA planner will explain these funding decisions at your plan meeting, where they will ask about your individual situation to ensure the funded package fits together effectively.
What are the funding categories for low-cost everyday disability supports?
Low-cost everyday disability supports that cost less than $1,500 can be purchased using your consumables budget within your Core supports.
Low-cost assistive technology refers to equipment or devices that cost less than $1,500 and help you complete tasks you might not be able to do because of your disability. Because these items cost less than $1,500 and are classified as low-risk, you do not need to provide quotes, assessments, or evidence to the NDIA before purchasing them. You also do not need to ask the agency for approval before buying them from a standard retail store or online. Common examples of low-cost assistive technology include walking sticks, portable ramps, screen magnifiers, shower chairs, handrails, incontinence alarms, modified eating utensils, and adjustable-height chairs. Even though these low-risk items do not require prior approval, you must still ensure they relate directly to your disability, help you work towards your goals, and are safe to use. The NDIA suggests that participants obtain professional advice from an assistive technology advisor before making a purchase, to ensure the item is value for money and fits their individual situation.
When does an everyday support cross into mid-cost or high-cost assistive technology?
An everyday support crosses into mid-cost assistive technology when it costs between $1,500 and $15,000, and into high-cost assistive technology when the price exceeds $15,000.
Mid-cost assistive technology is more complex than low-cost items and requires a formal recommendation from an assistive technology advisor, such as an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, continence nurse, or rehabilitation engineer. Examples of mid-cost supports include mobile hoists, mobile shower chairs, ankle-foot orthotics, and adjustable beds. High-cost assistive technology includes highly complex items like prosthetics, powered wheelchairs, or specialised vehicle modifications. To fund a high-cost item, the NDIA requires a formal assessment from a qualified assistive technology assessor, and you may be asked to trial or rent the item first to provide feedback on your experience. If you find your access to these capital budgets or specialised supports is threatened by plan reviews, learning about Advocacy and NDIS Cuts: How to Protect Your Access to Funding can help you protect your rights. If a mid-cost or high-cost support is listed in your plan as a "stated support" or marked "quote required," you must submit formal quotes or specialist reports before the NDIA will make the funding available.
How can participants safely manage their flexible funding budgets without making mistakes?
Participants can manage their flexible funding safely by tracking spending within the same support budget and seeking a plan implementation meeting to clarify any confusing rules.
Your plan may contain up to four budgets: Core supports, Capacity Building supports, Capital supports, and Recurring supports. If a support category is flexible, you can choose how to spend that funding across different categories within that specific budget, but you cannot spend your funding across different support budgets. For example, you can use your Core supports flexibly across daily life and social participation categories, but you cannot use that money to purchase transport services if transport is allocated to a separate recurring budget. One concrete next step to ensure you are spending your flexible funds correctly is to request a plan implementation meeting with your my NDIS contact. Tracking these rules can feel challenging, but the NDIA recognises that mistakes happen, such as claiming from the wrong support category. If you make an error, you can call 1800 800 110 for help, or contact your registered plan manager, support coordinator, recovery coach, or the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to resolve the issue.
Key Takeaways
- Identify day-to-day living costs like standard air conditioning and utility bills as excluded costs that everyone must pay, making them ineligible for NDIS funding.
- Use the "consumables" budget to buy low-cost assistive technology (under $1,500) without needing quotes or assessments, provided the items relate directly to your disability and are safe.
- Obtain a formal assessment from an assistive technology assessor for high-cost items (over $15,000) and a recommendation from an advisor for mid-cost items ($1,500 to $15,000).
- Request a plan implementation meeting at any time by calling 1800 800 110 if you need to clarify whether an item is an approved NDIS support or if you make a claiming mistake.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about what the NDIS funds and is not intended as legal, medical or financial advice. NDIS rules, prices and timeframes change regularly — always check the official source before acting, and seek professional advice for your own situation.
Information current as at 10 August 2026.
