Home Modifications

This refers to changes and modifications made to NDIS participants’ homes so that their disabilities are better accommodated. The modifications are designed to make it easier and more comfortable for participants to live in their homes. In order for a home modification to be funded by the NDIS, it has to be deemed “reasonable and necessary.” Below are three examples cited by the NDIS:

• Due to the impact of your disability, you or your carers cannot reasonably access and use frequently used rooms and spaces in your primary residence;
• Your primary residence, in its current condition, has significant and adverse impacts on the sustainability of current living and care arrangements; and
• A suitably qualified Occupational Therapist has performed an assessment and recommended home modifications, considering all possible alternatives, including the use of equipment.

The NDIS must also be satisfied that any proposed modification “represents value for money.” For example, before funding a home modification, the NDIS will determine whether less expensive alternatives are available. It will also consider how long the participant is expected to live in the home, weighing that against the cost of the proposed modification.