Necessaries

Necessaries refers to goods and services that are essential for the basic maintenance of a person. The scope typically includes food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and other essentials required to sustain life and health. The term is used in both legal and economic contexts to distinguish essential needs from luxuries.

In law, the doctrine of necessaries concerns the obligation to provide or pay for essential goods and services when the recipient cannot contract on their own behalf. Under common law, a person who furnishes necessaries to a spouse, child, or other dependent may be entitled to reimbursement from the dependent, from their guardians, or from their estate, provided the items are reasonably necessary and appropriate to the recipient’s station in life. The liability generally covers the reasonable value of the necessities and excludes nonessential luxuries.

Modern applications vary by jurisdiction. Many legal systems recognize a duty to provide basic needs through family law or social welfare programs, while others restrict recovery to specific circumstances or require court oversight. In commercial contexts, the concept helps define what a guarantor or caregiver may be obligated to supply or pay for on behalf of someone who cannot fully contract for themselves. The standard typically emphasizes reasonableness and necessity, rather than the personal preferences of the recipient.

Etymology: derived from Latin necessarius, meaning indispensable.