Why Accessible Housing Is Coming Into Focus

Australia has an ageing population, a growing number of NDIS participants, and a housing stock that was largely built without considering lifelong accessibility. The gap between what people need and what is available is large and widening.

Several intersecting trends are reshaping how Australians think about and plan accessible housing, from national construction code changes to the growing SDA market. This guide covers the key trends, what they mean for families, and how to navigate the funding landscape.

The National Construction Code Changes

Silver standard now mandatory for new homes

In May 2023, the National Construction Code (NCC) was updated to require all new Class 1a dwellings (standard detached and attached houses) to meet the Silver livable housing standard as a minimum.

Silver standard features include:

  • A step-free path from the street to at least one entry door
  • At least one step-free entry to the home
  • Internal doorways with clear openings of at least 820mm
  • A toilet on the ground floor or entry level
  • Reinforced walls in at least one bathroom to allow future grab rail installation
  • A bathroom with enough space for a hobless shower

These features do not make a home fully wheelchair accessible, but they make it significantly easier to adapt over time, reducing the cost and disruption of modifications as needs change.

What Silver standard does not cover

Silver standard homes are not wheelchair accessible in the full sense. A wheelchair user will still likely need additional modifications such as:

  • A roll-in shower with no lip
  • Lower benchtops and accessible kitchen design
  • Lever-style door handles and tapware
  • Wider hallways
  • No steps within the home

The Gold and Platinum tiers of the Livable Housing Design Guidelines address these higher levels of accessibility.

Implications for buyers and builders

For families buying a new home in anticipation of ageing in place or supporting a family member with disability, the NCC change means that any new build completed after May 2023 should have Silver features incorporated. Ask the builder or developer to confirm compliance and request documentation.

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Market Growth

What SDA is

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is purpose-built or significantly modified housing funded by the NDIS for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. SDA funding covers the physical housing; separate funding (Supported Independent Living or Individualised Living Options) covers the support provided within it.

The SDA market has grown substantially since NDIS rollout, with increasing investment from private developers, housing associations, and disability organisations building new SDA-enrolled dwellings.

SDA design categories

SDA properties must be enrolled in one of four design categories:

Improved Liveability: Designed for people with sensory, intellectual, or cognitive disability. Features include better lighting, acoustics, and layout design rather than physical accessibility features. May include sensory rooms, clear wayfinding, and calming design.

Fully Accessible: Designed for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Step-free throughout, wider doorways, accessible bathrooms and kitchens.

Robust: Designed for people with complex behaviours that may result in property damage. Features include reinforced walls, impact-resistant materials, and secure external spaces. Also incorporates fully accessible design elements.

High Physical Support: The most intensive category. Designed for people with very high physical support needs requiring ceiling hoists, space for two workers to work simultaneously, emergency power backup for life support equipment, and advanced physical access throughout.

Finding SDA and what the market looks like

The NDIS SDA map (available through the NDIS website) lists enrolled SDA properties by location. There is geographic concentration in metropolitan areas and major regional centres, with limited SDA in rural areas.

Vacancy rates vary by design category and location. High Physical Support SDA is scarce in most states. Improved Liveability properties are more numerous. Waiting periods for preferred properties can be significant.

Families supporting an NDIS participant who may be eligible for SDA should discuss this at planning with a support coordinator who has specific SDA knowledge.

Universal Design in Practice

Universal design is increasingly referenced in Australian housing policy, but it is important to understand what it means in practice.

Beyond compliance

Most accessible housing discussion focuses on compliance: does the property meet a standard? Universal design goes further. It asks whether the built environment works well for everyone without requiring visible adaptations that signal disability.

A kitchen designed universally might have adjustable-height benchtops, pull-out shelves at lower levels, and lever taps, not because someone with disability is currently using it, but because these features serve older users, injured users, and users with temporary conditions just as well.

Several notable trends are emerging in new construction:

Step-free access as standard. Beyond NCC compliance, some developers are positioning step-free entry and ground floor bathrooms as a design feature rather than an accessibility modification.

Flexible floor plans. Homes designed with the possibility of a ground-floor bedroom, even if initially used as a study, give future flexibility for users who cannot use stairs.

Wider circulation spaces. Hallways of 1200mm and doorways of 900mm clear provide wheelchair accessibility without looking institutional.

Bathroom design. Larger bathroom spaces with hobless or low-lip showers, reinforced walls, and clear turning circles are increasingly common in quality new construction.

Technology integration. Smart home features such as voice-activated lighting, automated blinds, and remotely controlled door locks are increasingly standard in new builds and have accessibility benefits.

Ageing in Place: Adapting Existing Homes

For most Australians, the relevant question is not how to design a new accessible home, but how to adapt an existing one as needs change.

The most common adaptation sequence

Research on home modifications for ageing in place consistently identifies a similar sequence of adaptations as needs progress:

  1. Bathroom safety modifications (grab rails, shower seat, non-slip surfaces)
  2. Handrails on interior and exterior steps
  3. Improved lighting throughout
  4. Entry modifications (step removal or ramp installation)
  5. Kitchen adaptations (reorganised storage, seated work areas)
  6. Major bathroom renovation or shower conversion
  7. Lifting equipment (bath lifters, ceiling hoists)

An occupational therapist assessment at each stage ensures modifications are appropriate to the person’s current and anticipated needs.

Building in future capacity

When undertaking any bathroom or kitchen renovation, it is worth building in future capacity even if not immediately needed. Reinforced bathroom walls cost little extra during a renovation but make grab rail installation simple in future. A larger shower footprint accommodates a seat later. These decisions are cheap when made during renovation and expensive when retrofitted.

Funding Accessible Housing Modifications

NDIS Capital Supports

NDIS participants can access Capital Supports funding for home modifications that are directly related to their disability. An occupational therapist prescription is required. The modification must be reasonable and necessary, and the NDIA will assess whether it represents value for money compared to alternatives such as relocating to a more accessible home.

Support at Home AT-HM budget

For aged care participants under the Support at Home program, the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) budget can fund a range of home modifications. Items above $15,000 require prior departmental approval and an OT assessment.

Commonwealth Home Support Programme

CHSP includes a home modifications sub-program. Access is through My Aged Care. Waiting periods vary.

State government grants

Some state governments offer home modification grants for low-income homeowners or renters with disability or aged care needs. Programs are not universal and change over time. Contact your state housing authority or an aged care advocacy organisation for current information.

Private funding

For homeowners funding modifications privately, prioritise modifications that provide the greatest safety benefit, get multiple quotes, and use licensed tradespeople. Keep documentation of all modifications for insurance and future valuation purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Livable Housing Design Guidelines in Australia?

The Livable Housing Design Guidelines are a voluntary standard developed by Livable Housing Australia that sets out three tiers of accessible features for new homes: Silver (basic accessibility), Gold (enhanced accessibility), and Platinum (full wheelchair accessibility). From May 2023, the National Construction Code requires all new Class 1a dwellings (standard houses) to be built to at least the Silver standard. This means new homes must have step-free entries, wider doorways, and reinforced bathroom walls, among other features.

What is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) under the NDIS?

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is purpose-built or significantly modified housing funded by the NDIS for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. SDA funding covers the cost of the housing itself, while Supported Independent Living (SIL) funding covers the support workers who assist residents. SDA properties must be enrolled with the NDIA and are built to one of four design categories: Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, Robust, or High Physical Support.

What is the difference between SDA Fully Accessible and High Physical Support design categories?

The Fully Accessible category is designed for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids and need a physically accessible environment but do not require the highest level of structural support. High Physical Support is the most intensive SDA category, designed for people who require ceiling hoists, wider doorways for large power wheelchairs, space for two support workers to work simultaneously, and other structural features for complex physical care. High Physical Support properties attract the highest SDA funding payment.

Can I modify a private rental property for accessibility?

Under most state and territory tenancy laws, a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse a reasonable request for minor modifications to a rental property to meet disability or aged care needs. What is ‘reasonable’ depends on the nature of the modification and the property. For major structural modifications, you will need landlord consent and possibly council approval. Written agreement should be obtained before any work starts. If a landlord refuses unreasonably, you can apply to your state or territory tribunal.

What is universal design and how is it different from accessible design?

Universal design aims to create environments that work for the broadest possible range of people without requiring adaptation or specialised design. Accessible design targets specific needs, such as wheelchair access. Universal design includes those features but also considers people at different life stages, people with temporary injuries, parents with prams, and older people with changing mobility. A universally designed home works for a 25-year-old, a 75-year-old, and a wheelchair user without requiring separate adaptations for each.

What government funding is available to modify a home for accessibility?

Several programs can fund accessible home modifications. NDIS participants can access Capital Supports funding for home modifications directly related to their disability. Support at Home participants have an Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) budget. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) includes a home modifications sub-program. Some state governments offer grants for low-income homeowners. An occupational therapist assessment is required for most funded modifications.