KB Type: Concept
Domain Area: Legislative
Confidence: Provisional — requires Andrew's research to verify
Depth Hint: Standard
Version: 1.0 — 2026-04-23
Status: Provisional

Provisional article — seeded from NbLM. Requires Andrew's research to verify.

The Statement of Participant Supports is the second, legally distinct part of an NDIS Plan, representing the NDIA's approved funding and support response to the participant's stated goals. For NDIS support coordinators and psychosocial recovery coaches, understanding this statement is critical because the NDIA cannot legally approve funded supports unless they directly link to the goals outlined in the Participant Statement (the first part of the plan). Therefore, a coordinator's ability to clearly evidence the participant's needs and context directly dictates the funding architecture, budget flexibility, and specific item codes that the NDIA will ultimately authorise in this statement.

Section 33(1) of the NDIS Act 2013 establishes that an NDIS Plan comprises exactly two parts:

(a) Participant Statement of Goals and Aspirations: Prepared by the participant (or with facilitation), specifying their goals, objectives, aspirations, and environmental/personal context.

(b) Statement of Participant Supports: Prepared with the participant and approved by the NDIA CEO, specifying the funded supports and how they will be managed.

These two parts are legally interdependent. The Statement of Participant Supports is the NDIA's response to the Participant Statement — it cannot exist independently and must directly address the goals articulated in Part (a).

Section 33(2) dictates that the statement of participant supports specifies:

General Supports: Non-funded supports and services available to the participant through mainstream systems or informal networks.

Reasonable and Necessary Funded Supports: The specific supports the NDIA has approved for funding, subject to meeting all Section 34(1) criteria.

Reassessment Dates: When the plan will be reviewed and potentially reassessed.

Plan Management: How the funding will be managed (self-managed, plan-managed, or NDIA-managed).

Section 33(2A), introduced by the 2024 Amendment Act, requires the statement to specify:

Total Funding Amount: The overall budget allocated to the participant.

Categorisation of Supports: How funds are distributed across the 21 Support Categories under the PACE Framework.

Funding Component Amounts: The specific dollar amount allocated to each category.

Funding Periods: How frequently funds will be released (not exceeding 12 months).

Section 34(1) outlines the "Reasonable and Necessary" criteria the CEO must be satisfied with before funding a support. Section 34(1)(a) mandates that the support must assist the participant to pursue the goals laid out in their Participant Statement.

This creates a legal chain:

If a requested support lacks a corresponding goal in the Participant Statement, it cannot legally be included in the Statement of Participant Supports.

Section 99(1)(d) makes the approval of the statement of participant supports a reviewable decision, allowing participants to request an internal review. This is particularly relevant when:

The Participant Statement Toolkit is designed to help practitioners prepare the Participant Statement (Part a) in a way that directly informs and justifies the Statement of Participant Supports (Part b). By clearly documenting:

Goals and Aspirations: The foundation for all funded supports
Environmental and Personal Context: Justification for why NDIS funding is appropriate
Evidence of Effectiveness: Clinical evidence that supports will work
Value for Money Justification: Cost-benefit analysis required by Section 34(1)(c)
Budget Architecture Proposals: Recommendations for funding periods, categorisations, and controls

...the toolkit enables coordinators to shape the Statement of Participant Supports by providing the evidentiary foundation the NDIA needs to approve appropriate funding.