HOW SUPPORT COORDINATORS CAN JUSTIFY DEEP CLEANING IN AN NDIS PLAN
Maintaining a safe and hygienic home is essential for participant wellbeing. However, under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), deep cleaning is not automatically funded.
For Support Coordinators, the key question is: When does deep cleaning meet the “reasonable and necessary” criteria?
According to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), funded supports must be disability-related, linked to participant goals, value for money, and not more appropriately funded by another system. Since general household cleaning is considered an everyday expense, deep cleaning must clearly address risks caused by the participant’s disability.
When Can Deep Cleaning Be Justified?
Deep cleaning may be reasonable and necessary when:
- The participant’s disability prevents them from maintaining a safe home
- There are serious health risks (e.g., mould, allergens, biohazards)
- The participant is immunocompromised or has respiratory conditions
- A crisis event (hospital discharge, mental health episode, hoarding situation) has created unsafe living conditions
In these cases, the cleaning is not cosmetic — it is risk prevention and health protection.
How Support Coordinators Can Strengthen Justification
To reduce the risk of funding rejection, Support Coordinators should:
- Obtain Allied Health Evidence
Reports from Occupational Therapists or other clinicians should explain how the disability directly impacts the participant’s ability to maintain safe housing.
- Link to Plan Goals
Connect the request to goals such as maintaining tenancy, improving independence, or reducing hospital admissions.
- Focus on Risk and Safety
Frame deep cleaning as a preventative intervention that reduces safeguarding concerns and long-term costs.
- Demonstrate Value for Money
A one-off deep clean may prevent far more expensive crisis responses or hospitalisation.
Final Thoughts
Deep cleaning is not routine housekeeping under the NDIS. However, when it directly relates to disability-related risks and supports participant goals, it may meet the “reasonable and necessary” criteria. With strong evidence and clear documentation, Support Coordinators can effectively justify deep cleaning within an NDIS plan.
If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our Radiant Clean Experts:
📞 Call us: +61 3 9367 7198
🌐 Book online: https://radiantclean.com.au/services/deep-clean/
▶️ Watch video: https://www.youtube.com/@radiantcleanndis
