Do you need both SIL and SDA?
How SIL and SDA work together, when you'd have both, and why many people have one without the other
SIL is support; SDA is the building
When do you have both SIL and SDA?
When is one enough?
How the two providers work together
A step-by-step way to work out what you need
SIL and SDA are proven with different evidence
Which comes first, and how long it takes
If you have both: two agreements and the conflict-of-interest rule
Frequently asked questions
Do you need both SIL and SDA?
Not usually. SIL funds daily support and SDA is a contribution toward a specialist building. Many people need only SIL (support in an ordinary home). You'd have both when you need a high level of daily support and a specially designed dwelling.
Can you have SDA without SIL?
Yes. SDA and SIL are assessed separately. You can be eligible for a specialist dwelling (SDA) while arranging your support another way — drop-in support, family support or an Individualised Living Option (ILO).
Can you have SIL without SDA?
Yes, and it's the most common combination. Many people receive significant daily support (SIL) while living in an ordinary rental or their own home, with no specialist dwelling funding.
Are SIL and SDA paid to the same provider?
Not necessarily. SDA is paid to the housing provider that owns the dwelling; SIL is paid to your support provider. They're often different companies, which means you can change your support provider without having to move house.
How do I know which I need?
Ask whether your need is about the task or the building. Help with showering, cooking or getting to bed points to SIL support; needing an accessible or reinforced building points to SDA. Most people need SIL only.
Is it harder to get SDA than SIL?
Generally yes. SDA has a high threshold — extreme functional impairment or very high support needs — and is funded for only a small share of participants, backed by detailed OT and medical evidence. SIL is more common and is worked out from a Roster of Care, so many people are funded for SIL without ever qualifying for…
Can the same company provide my SDA and my SIL?
It can, but it creates a recognised conflict of interest that the provider must disclose and manage. Keeping your housing and support with separate organisations is safer for your choice and control, because it means you can change support providers without having to move out of your home.
Do I need SDA if my home just needs modifications?
Usually not. If home modifications — a ramp, an accessible bathroom, a ceiling hoist — can make an ordinary home safe and workable, that is often funded instead of SDA. SDA is reserved for people who need a purpose-built or specially reinforced dwelling that modifications alone cannot achieve.