Value for money in home and living decisions
What 'value for money' means in NDIS home-and-living decisions, why it's used to compare options, and how to make your preferred option stack up
What does value for money mean here?
Why does the NDIS compare my options?
How do I make my preferred option stack up?
A worked example: comparing two options fairly
The evidence that proves value for money
Common objections and how to answer them
Value for money over the long term, not just this plan
Frequently asked questions
What does value for money mean in NDIS home and living?
It means a support is a cost-effective way to meet your needs and goals, considering the benefits it delivers against the cost compared with other reasonable options. It's part of the reasonable-and-necessary test, and it means cost-effective for the outcomes — not simply the cheapest option.
Does value for money mean the cheapest option?
No. It means the funding is justified by the outcomes, weighed against alternatives that would genuinely meet your needs. A more expensive option can still be value for money if cheaper alternatives wouldn't meet your needs or achieve the outcomes.
Why does the NDIS compare my housing options?
Because value for money is one of the reasonable-and-necessary criteria. For home and living, the NDIA often weighs options like solo SIL against shared support or an ILO, or SDA against home modifications, to check the funded option is justified for your needs.
How do I make the value-for-money case for my option?
Be clear about the outcomes it achieves, explain with evidence why cheaper or alternative options wouldn't meet your needs, show the longer-term benefits like independence or reduced other supports, and frame it as effective and justified rather than just preferred.
Can I get a more expensive option funded?
Yes, if it's justified. Value for money weighs cost against outcomes, so a higher-cost option can be funded where cheaper alternatives genuinely wouldn't meet your needs. Clear evidence of the outcomes and why alternatives fall short is what makes the case.
If a cheaper option exists, will the NDIS always fund that one?
Not automatically — value for money weighs cost against outcomes, so a cheaper option only wins if it would genuinely meet your needs and achieve the same outcomes. If a lower-cost arrangement would not actually work for you, it isn't a fair comparison, and clear evidence of why it falls short is what protects the…
How do I respond if I'm told to try shared support first?
Respond with evidence rather than just a preference — explain the specific risks or unmet needs that a shared arrangement would create for you, backed by OT or clinical evidence and, where relevant, what has been tried before. The value-for-money test compares options that genuinely meet your needs, so showing that…
Can longer-term savings count towards value for money?
Yes — the NDIA can consider longer-term benefits, so a support that builds independence and reduces future support needs, or prevents predictable crises, can be more cost-effective across a whole life even if it costs more now. Making that whole-of-life picture visible, rather than only the up-front cost, often…