Frequently asked questions

The NDIS provides funding to participants for support and services aimed at increasing their independence, inclusion, and social and economic participation.

Reasonable and necessary is a term used to determine what kind of funded support you might need. Simply put - reasonable is something that is considered fair, and necessary is something that you need because of your disability. This can be very confusing as everyone interprets differently.

These supports and services must meet certain criteria based on section 32 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act).

The NDIS may ask you to determine how you justify purchasing products, services and items as reasonable and necessary from your NDIS funds, it is important to provide them with as much evidence as you can to confirm the reasoning for your choice.

When you attend your NDIS planning meeting, the NDIA Planner or Local Area Coordinator or ECIC will collect information about you to build your plan to include supports that NDIS considers are reasonable and necessary to your situation and help you pursue your goals and aspirations. 

Your NDIS Planner determines reasonable and necessary as everyone's situation, disability and goals are different this means that what NDIS considers reasonable and necessary for you will be different for someone else and and likewise, what they consider reasonable and necessary to someone else will be different to you.  

This checklist and guide will assist you to break down the criteria that the NDIS uses when determining if a support, product or service you're seeking meets the definition NDIS considers to be reasonable and necessary to your personal situation. 

For a support to be reasonable and necessary, it should:

• Relate to your disability
• Help you pursue your goals and aspirations
• Increase your independence
• Increase your community, social and workplace involvement
• Be considered value for money (this is especially true if the support is priced above the NDIS Price Guide)
• Be effective and work for your needs
• Take into account your current formal and informal supports

If you answered yes to all of the questions then you may be able to make the purchase using your NDIS funds.  

There are some things that may not be considered as ‘reasonable and necessary’, like:

• Day-to-day living costs that are not related to your disability support needs
• Supports that can reasonably be given by a family member, carer, or the wider community
• Supports already funded by other areas of government 

What if I am still unsure ?

To discuss your individual circumstances and better understand the NDIS contact our team of expert plan managers at hello@blitzit.com.au or call us for a chat on 1300 966 119.

There are several types of plan reviews available that you should know about. Each one has a specific purpose, which you can learn from your Blitzit administrators:.

✔️ Scheduled review (or often referred to as annual review)

✔️ Plan extension (also known as rollover plan or interim plan)

✔️ Plan reset

✔️ Light touch review (otherwise known as administrative review)

✔️ Review of a reviewable decision (RORD or internal review)

✔️ AAT appeal (if a RORD has been declined)

✔️ Change of circumstances review. 

Whilst it can be overwhelming, we’re here to make the complex processes easier. If you want to get your plan managed to support you in your reviews, get in touch with us at 1300 966 119 or hello@blitzit.com.au.

A scheduled review (also referred to as an annual review) You will be contacted by your Local Area Coordinator or your planner to arrange a time for your scheduled review.

Prior to your scheduled review is a good time to check if your supports are working for you and that they are helping you work towards your goals and achieve them and if you would like to make any changes to your goas or supports then this is the best time to make this changes.

The best time to review your budget is at least 3 months before your NDIS plan expires. This ensures that you don’t underspend or overspend, helping you make the most out of your NDIS plan. This way, you avoid out-of-pocket expenses and you can still engage new or existing services that can help you achieve your goals. Start booking your assessments and gathering your reports to take to the meeting.

When you are plan-managed by Blitzit, we’ll take care of reminding you of your plan’s timeline! If you need help managing your NDIS budget, get in touch with our expert staff at 1300 966 119 or hello@blitzit.com.au and we’ll be happy to help.

The NDIA recommends having a written service agreement so participants and providers are clear about what each party has agreed to.

Service agreements help make sure each party is clear about the supports being provided, the cost of supports, the responsibilities of your providers, how long the agreement is and the dispute resolution process. 

For more advice on making the most out of your budget, book a no-obligation call with Blitzit today. Give us a ring at 1300 966 119 or email hello@blitzit.com.au.

Often referred to as a rollover plan or interim plan, a plan extension occurs if a scheduled meeting review cannot push through or a new plan cannot be finalised before the current plan date’s end.

The plan extension is instigated by the NDIA or your Local Area Coordinator (LAC), but you or your support coordinator or nominee can request it if deemed relevant.

To know more about plan extension and other plan reviews, you can talk to us! Book a no-obligation call today at 1300 966 119 or email hello@blitzit.com.au.

A plan reset occurs automatically when a plan “restarts” when: 

✔️A light touch review has occurred to resolve an admin error.

✔️Equipment or home modifications previously not included in the original plan are approved.

The plan dates and funding “reset” based on the original funding levels. Should you have more questions regarding your NDIS plan, you may contact our friendly team at 1300 966 119 or email hello@blitzit.com.au.

A light touch review is also referred to as an administrative review. 

This review has a limited scope and is basically an administrative "fix" if a material error has been made or if the funds management type needs to be changed.

This can occur at any stage during the plan up to 100 days prior to the plan end date. 

While there is no form to apply for a light touch review, you may still request it. However, it’s generally instigated at the discretion of NDIA.

Get in touch with Blitzit at 1300 966 119 or hello@blitzit.com.au if you have any more questions about your NDIS plan!

Yes, a Review of Reviewable Decision (RORD) is often called an internal review. 

This is a request to review a specific decision made by an NDIA delegate, including:
✔️ The type or level of support approved in a plan

✔️ NDIA declining to fund a support/service in a plan

✔️ NDIA declining to accept an unscheduled review request

✔️ NDIA declining access to the scheme

The Review of Reviewable Decision (RORD) must be applied within the first 90 days of receiving written confirmation of the decision being questioned and initiated by you or a family member or friend.

If you need help filing your Review of Reviewable Decision (RORD), let Blitzit help you through the process. Get in touch with our expert staff at 1300 966 119 or hello@blitzit.com.au so we can lend you a hand.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) is an independent body where you can send appeals to if the NDIA declined your Review of Reviewable Decision (RORD). This appeal must be sent within 21 days of the internal review being disputed. 

The AAT encourages the NDIA to resolve issues without going to the AAT if possible, so the RORD is a prerequisite for this appeal. 

The actual time frame for the AAT appeal hearing is also often extensive. 

If you have any more questions regarding your NDIS plan, we’re here to answer them. Contact Blitzit at 1300 966 119 or hello@blitzit.com.au.

Blitzit Plan Manager typically processes and pays invoices within three to five business days of receiving the invoice. While we always endeavour to turn around your invoices within this time period, payments may sometimes be delayed due to circumstances out of our control. Please see Getting Paid for more information.

If, as a participant or nominee/carer, you have paid for an item or service that is considered reasonable and necessary for your disability, you can be reimbursed by choosing any of the following options:

Option 1.   Complete Online

complete online here and attach the Tax Invoice and submit for processing.

Option 2.   Download, Scan and Return  

1. Download this form
2. Complete the information to request a reimbursement - fill in all fields 
3. Scan and return by email with the original Tax Invoice to invoices@blitzit.com.au

Option 3. Mail to

Blitzit Plan Manager
PO Box 4323 
Pitt Town NSW 2756

Simply send it to us via email: Invoices@blitzit.com.au   

Or, put the invoice in the post and it send to:

Blitzit Plan Manager
PO BOX 4323,
Pitt Town, NSW, 2756 

(Note: please allow additional time if you choose to post your invoice as postage times are dependent on Australia Post. We will do our utmost to pay posted invoices promptly.)

To pay your invoice quickly, we need the following information to be captured on the invoice. Note the invoice must be raised in the participant’s name:

• Participant’s name
• Address of participant 
• Participant NDIS Number
• Service date
• Invoice number
• Duration of service
• Hourly rate
• Total of invoice
• Service description (category/code)
• Provider information (business name, ABN, address, email/phone number)
• Provider bank details

The invoice must be labelled ‘tax invoice’.

If you require additional information regarding issuing and invoice and the standard requirements, visit the Australian Taxation Office website.

Of course! Participants can choose to change to a different provider at any time. Contact us and we can help answer questions you may have on changing providers.

NDIS covers funding for the following categories. See Understanding Your NDIS Plan for a broad overview on what’s covered under funded support.

• Assistance with daily life (Core)
• Transport (Core) 
• Consumables (Core)
• Assistance with social community and civic participation (Core)
• Assistive technology
• Home modifications and specialist disability accommodation 
• Support coordination
• Increased social and community participation
• Improved daily living 
• Improved relationships 
• Improved learning
• Improved health and wellbeing 
• Improved life choices 
• Finding and keeping a job
• Improved living arrangements

We work closely with many different service providers that can support your individual needs and situation. We may be able to suggest providers in your local area – simply contact us to find out more.

Participants can have transport funded in the following three ways: 

1. Payment for a support worker’s time, when the support worker is accompanying or transporting one or more participants as part their support services.  
2. As a contribution towards the costs associated with delivering the transport service, such as parking, public transport tickets and road tolls.
3. A per-kilometre rate for vehicle running costs when providers offer transport to a participant in conjunction with community activities identified in their NDIS plan. Note, however, that if the provider incurs these costs themselves, they may negotiate with the participant/s to make a reasonable contribution towards those costs when making a booking. Participants and providers can discuss and agree on non-labour costs when arranging a service booking, including:

• Up to $0.85 a kilometre for a standard vehicle not modified for accessibility.
• Up to $2.40 a kilometre for a vehicle that is modified for accessibility or a bus.

When funds have been exhausted in a funding category, this becomes an out-of-pocket expense to the participant, as the NDIS and Blitzit Plan Manager will not pay for the over-servicing of supports that exceed the allocated budget. Blitzit Plan Manager provides as much information as we can around your budget, but it’s ultimately your responsibility to ensure you remain within budget.

If you have a change of circumstances during your plan period, you can contact your support coordinator or visit your local NDIS branch to request a plan review or ‘light touch’ review. It is your responsibility to monitor your funds and make sure all the services you are receiving can be accommodated in your plan.

When your plan goes inactive you will be contacted by a Blitzit Plan Manager team member, your LAC, support coordinator or NDIS planner, who will advise on next steps. We will require a copy of your new plan and signed service agreement for services to resume as normal. 

There are two main ways to get in touch with one of our expert staff: 

• Email: hello@blitzit.com.au 
• Call: 1300 966119 to book an appointment with a Blitzit team member 

To access your portal through Blitzit Plan Manager, you will need to be set up with a User ID and password to login. This will be sent to you once you have completed our online form. 

To login, click the Blitzit Online Portal button at the top right corner of the page and enter your login details. If you are having difficulties, please contact Blitzit Plan Manager for assistance.

As soon as you can after your circumstances change.

Submit the Change of Circumstances (COC) form to let the NDIA know at the earliest possible time if you become aware that a change in circumstances has happened or is likely to happen. 

These requests generally require justification and documentation to be accepted during the regular plan period.

You can purchase the following if they meet the reasonable and necessary criteria, are specific to your disability, meet your needs, and help you to pursue your goals:

✔️ Communication or cognitive support

✔️ Hearing-related AT

✔️ Personal care and safety

✔️ Personal mobility

✔️ Prosthetics and orthotics

✔️ Vision-related AT

✔️ Support capacity building delivery

Need help managing your NDIS budget? Blitzit is here for you. Get in touch with our expert staff at 1300 966 119 or hello@blitzit.com.au, and we’ll be happy to help.