NDIS participants with high support needs have several accommodation pathways beyond living with family. Understanding the differences between SIL, SDA, ILO, and other options helps you choose the right living arrangement for your goals and needs.

Key Points

  • SIL (Supported Independent Living) funds 24/7 support workers, not the building
  • SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) funds the specialized building, not support
  • ILO (Individualised Living Options) offers customized arrangements with maximum choice and control
  • You can have SIL without SDA, SDA without SIL, or both together depending on needs
  • Medium-Term Accommodation provides temporary housing for up to 90 days during crises
  • Short-Term Accommodation (respite) gives carers breaks and participants skill development opportunities
  • Most NDIS participants live in standard housing with lower-intensity supports, not SIL or SDA

Overview of NDIS Accommodation Supports

NDIS funds various accommodation options depending on support intensity required.

Accommodation TypeWhat It FundsWho It’s ForTypical Annual Funding
SIL (Supported Independent Living)24/7 support workersVery high support needs requiring around-the-clock assistance$180,000-$400,000
SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation)High-spec accessible building rentExtreme functional impairment requiring specialized housing features$60,000-$100,000
ILO (Individualised Living Options)Custom support arrangements designed specifically for youPeople wanting maximum control over living arrangementsVaries widely
Short-Term AccommodationTemporary stays for respite or skill developmentAnyone needing carer breaks or independence training$5,000-$30,000
Medium-Term AccommodationTemporary housing during crises (max 90 days)People experiencing housing crisis or transition$15,000-$50,000
Standard housing + supportsRegular Support Worker visitsMajority of participants with lower support needsVaries

Supported Independent Living (SIL) in Detail

SIL funds support workers to assist with daily living tasks 24/7.

What SIL Covers

  • Personal care (showering, toileting, dressing)
  • Meal preparation and assistance with eating
  • Medication management and health monitoring
  • Household tasks (cleaning, laundry)
  • Community participation support
  • Skill development and independence training

SIL Eligibility

You need very high support needs that cannot safely be met with less than 24/7 assistance. Typical SIL participants have:

  • Severe intellectual disability requiring extensive support
  • High support physical disabilities requiring full assistance with ADLs
  • Complex disabilities with combined cognitive and physical support needs
  • Acquired brain injury with ongoing high support requirements

SIL Arrangements

Shared SIL:

  • 2-6 participants share a house with rostered support staff
  • Support costs shared between residents, lowering per-person funding
  • More social connection with housemates
  • Less privacy and flexibility

Individual SIL:

  • You have dedicated support staff (1:1 arrangements)
  • Much higher costs ($300,000-$500,000+ annually)
  • Maximum privacy and control
  • Harder to justify as reasonable and necessary unless extreme needs

SIL Funding Process

  1. Request SIL assessment at planning meeting or plan review
  2. Independent assessment of support needs
  3. Plan variation to add SIL funding to Home and Living budget
  4. Find SIL provider with vacancy
  5. Transition planning and move

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) in Detail

SDA funds the building with specialized accessibility features.

What SDA Covers

SDA rent-equivalent funding for buildings with features such as:

  • Ceiling hoists for transfers
  • Fully accessible bathrooms with roll-in showers
  • Widened doorways and corridors
  • Adjustable height kitchens
  • Smart home environmental controls
  • Reinforced walls and fittings (robust category)
  • Emergency backup power

SDA Design Categories

Improved Liveability:

  • For sensory, intellectual, or cognitive disabilities
  • Better acoustics, lighting, spatial layout
  • Typical funding: $45,000-$65,000/year

Fully Accessible:

  • For high physical support needs, wheelchair users
  • Ceiling hoists, accessible bathrooms, wide doorways
  • Typical funding: $60,000-$90,000/year

Robust:

  • For complex challenging behaviors
  • Reinforced walls, impact-resistant fixtures
  • Typical funding: $65,000-$95,000/year

High Physical Support:

  • Combination of Fully Accessible + Robust
  • Extreme physical and behavioral needs
  • Typical funding: $80,000-$120,000+/year

SDA Eligibility

Only ~6% of NDIS participants qualify. You need extreme functional impairment requiring specialized housing features that:

  • Cannot be achieved through home modifications to standard housing
  • Substantially improve your living situation
  • Represent value for money compared to alternatives

SDA Assessment

Complete SDAT (SDA Decision Tool) assessment with independent occupational therapist to determine eligibility and appropriate design category.

Individualised Living Options (ILO) in Detail

ILO is a philosophy more than a specific program, emphasizing maximum choice and control in living arrangements.

What ILO Means

ILO arrangements are custom-designed for you or a small group you choose. You decide:

  • Where you live (location and property type)
  • Who you live with (choosing housemates or living alone)
  • What support model you use (rostered staff, live-in support, combination)
  • Your daily routines and household operations

ILO vs Traditional SIL

FeatureTraditional SILILO
Who designs arrangementProvider determines setupYou design with provider support
Housemate selectionProvider matches participantsYou choose housemates or live alone
LocationProvider’s existing propertiesYou choose location
Support modelStandard rostered shiftsCustomized to your preferences
FlexibilityStructured routineHigh flexibility
ComplexityProvider managesRequires active participant involvement

ILO Funding

ILO uses the same funding mechanisms as SIL (24/7 support funded through Home and Living budget). The difference is how supports are delivered, not funding amount.

ILO may cost more initially due to setup costs, property search, and custom arrangement design. However, long-term costs can be comparable to traditional SIL.

Who ILO Suits

ILO works best for participants who:

  • Have clear preferences about living arrangements
  • Want maximum control over housemates, location, and routines
  • Can engage in planning and design process (or have strong family/advocate support)
  • Are willing to accept the complexity of custom arrangements
  • Have support needs requiring 24/7 assistance (ILO is not for lower support needs)

Creating an ILO

  1. Secure SIL-level funding in your plan (same as traditional SIL)
  2. Work with Support Coordinator or specialist ILO facilitator to design arrangement
  3. Find property in desired location
  4. Recruit housemates if shared arrangement
  5. Engage support provider willing to deliver customized model
  6. Transition into arrangement with ongoing refinement

ILO development takes 12-24+ months from concept to move-in.

Short-Term Accommodation (STA / Respite)

Short-Term Accommodation (previously called respite) provides temporary stays away from your usual residence.

Purposes of STA

Carer respite:

  • Gives family carers breaks to prevent burnout
  • Allows carers to travel, attend events, or simply rest

Skill development:

  • Practice independence skills in supported environment
  • Gradual transition preparation for SIL or ILO
  • Building confidence in new settings

Emergency backup:

  • When usual carers are ill or unavailable
  • During household emergencies or crises

STA Types

Facility-based STA:

  • Purpose-built respite facilities
  • Staff on-site 24/7
  • Group living environment
  • Structured programs and activities

Host family STA:

  • Staying with another family
  • Home environment setting
  • More personalized, less institutional
  • Better for children and young adults

In-home STA:

  • Support workers stay at your home while family carers leave
  • Maintains routine and familiar environment
  • Reduces disruption for participant

STA Funding

STA is funded through Core Supports budget and is flexible (you control how much respite to use).

Typical allocation: $5,000-$30,000/year depending on carer support needs. Rates vary by STA type and intensity.

Medium-Term Accommodation (MTA)

MTA provides temporary housing for up to 90 days when you cannot live in your usual residence due to crisis.

When MTA is Used

  • Family relationship breakdown requiring immediate alternative housing
  • Homelessness or risk of homelessness
  • Waiting for SIL or SDA property to become available
  • Recovery from abuse, neglect, or exploitation
  • Transition from institution or hospital to community

MTA vs STA

MTA is for housing crises, while STA is for planned respite. MTA typically lasts weeks to months, STA lasts days to weeks.

MTA Funding

Funded through Core Supports with specific MTA line item. Costs vary widely depending on accommodation type and support intensity required.

MTA is transitional. During your MTA stay, your team works on permanent housing solution.

Standard Housing with Supports

Most NDIS participants (94%) live in standard housing (private rental, own home, family home) with support visits rather than 24/7 arrangements.

Support Options for Standard Housing

Regular Support Worker visits:

  • Few hours daily or several times weekly
  • Assistance with specific tasks (personal care, meal prep, community access)
  • Funded through Core Supports

Home modifications:

  • Ramps, grab rails, accessible bathrooms
  • Funded through Capital Supports
  • Enables independent living in standard housing

Assistive technology:

  • Equipment supporting independence
  • Communication devices, mobility aids, smart home tech
  • Reduces reliance on human support

This approach suits participants with lower support needs who can manage most daily tasks independently or with family support.

Choosing the Right Accommodation Option

Consider your support needs, independence goals, financial situation, and personal preferences.

Decision Framework

Choose traditional SIL if:

  • You need 24/7 support for safety and daily living
  • You want established provider with infrastructure
  • You are comfortable with shared living in provider-selected housemates
  • You want straightforward access to proven model

Choose ILO if:

  • You need 24/7 support but want maximum control
  • You have strong preferences about location, housemates, routines
  • You can engage in complex planning process
  • You are willing to wait for custom arrangement development

Choose SDA if:

  • Your functional impairment is extreme requiring specialized building features
  • Standard home modifications cannot address accessibility needs
  • Specialized features substantially improve your living capacity

Choose standard housing with supports if:

  • Support needs are manageable with less than 24/7 assistance
  • You can live independently or with family support plus Support Worker visits
  • Home modifications make standard housing accessible enough

Use STA for:

  • Regular carer breaks
  • Independence skill development
  • Emergency backup when usual supports unavailable

Use MTA for:

  • Housing crises requiring immediate alternative accommodation
  • Transitions between permanent housing arrangements

Combining Accommodation Supports

You may need multiple accommodation support types depending on circumstances.

Common Combinations

SIL + SDA:

  • Very high support needs + extreme functional impairment
  • Full package for most intensive requirements
  • Total funding: $240,000-$500,000+ annually

SIL only (in standard housing):

  • Very high support needs
  • Standard housing accessible enough without SDA
  • Common arrangement, lower cost than SIL + SDA

SDA only (without SIL):

  • Extreme functional impairment requiring specialized housing
  • Support needs met with less than 24/7 assistance
  • Assistive technology or part-time supports sufficient

Standard housing + regular STA:

  • Live at home with family
  • Regular respite gives family carers sustainable breaks
  • Gradual skill building for future independent living

FAQ

Can I switch from SIL to ILO mid-plan?

Yes, though it requires significant planning. Work with Support Coordinator to design ILO, find property and housemates, engage provider, and transition. Funding amount should remain similar (both use SIL-level funding) but delivery model changes.

How do I know if I need SDA, SIL, both, or neither?

Request comprehensive occupational therapy assessment evaluating functional capacity and support needs. OT can recommend whether you need specialized housing (SDA), 24/7 support (SIL), both, or standard housing with modifications and part-time supports.

What if I want to live alone but need 24/7 support?

Individual SIL allows this but is expensive ($300,000-$500,000+ annually). NDIA carefully scrutinizes individual SIL for value for money. Strong justification needed for why shared SIL cannot meet your needs.

Can I trial SIL before committing long-term?

Yes. Use Short-Term Accommodation to stay at SIL providers for trial periods (weekends or weeks). This helps you assess whether SIL suits you and compare different providers.

What happens if SIL provider closes or I’m unhappy with service?

You can change SIL providers. Your funding is portable. Find new provider with vacancy, arrange transition, and move. Give current provider appropriate notice per your service agreement (typically 4-8 weeks).

Is ILO more expensive than traditional SIL?

Setup costs are higher due to property search, custom arrangement design, and provider training. Ongoing costs are similar to SIL once established. Some participants find ILO represents better value through improved outcomes.

Can family members continue involvement if I move to SIL or ILO?

Absolutely. Quality SIL and ILO arrangements welcome family involvement at level you prefer. Family can visit, participate in decision-making, stay informed about your wellbeing, and maintain whatever relationship you want.

What’s the maximum STA funding I can get?

There is no hard cap, but typical allocations are $5,000-$30,000/year. If your family carers need extensive respite to prevent burnout, request higher STA funding at plan review with evidence from GP or therapist about carer stress.

Key Resources

NDIS accommodation options range from independent living with minimal supports to fully supported arrangements with specialized housing. Understanding the differences between SIL, SDA, ILO, and other options ensures you choose accommodation aligned with your support needs, goals, and preferences.

Looking for accommodation providers? Find SIL providers near you or browse SDA accommodation options to compare providers in your suburb.