What is the difference between SIL and SDA?

SIL is the daily support you receive, such as help with cooking, personal care and staying safe. SDA is the specialist housing itself, the actual building, designed for people with very high or complex needs. SIL pays for people; SDA pays for the home. They are funded separately, and you might have one, both or neither.

Does the NDIS pay my rent?

Generally no. NDIS funding pays for disability supports, not everyday living costs like rent, food and utilities, which you cover from your own income as anyone else does. Specialist Disability Accommodation is an exception, where the NDIS covers the specialist housing component, though you usually still contribute a reasonable rent amount.

Do I need SDA to receive SIL?

No. SIL and SDA are separate supports. SIL provides daily support and can be delivered in ordinary housing, not only in specialist homes. SDA is only for a small number of people with very high or complex needs. Many people receive SIL without ever having SDA, because they do not require specialist housing features.

What is Individualised Living Options (ILO)?

ILO is a flexible way to arrange your home and living around your own preferences, including how and with whom you want to live. It often combines paid and informal supports, such as living with a housemate or host. It usually has two stages: help to design the arrangement, then the ongoing supports that make it work.

How long can I stay in Medium Term Accommodation?

Medium Term Accommodation can fund a place to stay for up to 90 days. It is for people who have a confirmed long-term home to move into but cannot move in yet, for example while accessible housing is being finished. It is a temporary measure to bridge the gap, not a permanent living arrangement.

What is Short Term Accommodation or respite?

Short Term Accommodation, often called respite, funds short stays away from your usual home. It can give you a break and a change of setting, and give your regular carers time to rest. It usually bundles accommodation, food and support for a set number of days, and is meant for occasional use rather than long-term living.

What evidence do I need for home and living supports?

The NDIS looks at your support needs, your goals and what is reasonable and necessary. Helpful evidence includes reports from health professionals such as occupational therapists, information about your daily support needs, and details of what you have already tried. Being clear about your living goals also strengthens your request. A support coordinator can help gather this.

Can the NDIS fund home modifications?

Yes, in many cases the NDIS can fund modifications to make your home safer and more accessible, such as ramps, rails or bathroom changes. An occupational therapist usually assesses what is needed and recommends the modifications. Whether they are funded depends on whether they are considered reasonable and necessary for your disability support needs. See ndis.gov.au for details.

NDIS housing options: SIL, SDA, ILO and more

The home-and-living supports explained in plain English, and who each option suits.

Where you live and who you live with matters. The NDIS calls this area "home and living", and it can fund the support you need to live as independently as possible, whether that is in your own place, a shared home or family-style arrangement.

Home and living supports come in a few different forms, and the names can be confusing at first. This guide explains the main options in plain English, how they fit together, and what the NDIS looks at when deciding what to include in your plan.

In this guide

SIL (Supported Independent Living) is the help with daily tasks, often in a shared home, not the house itself.
SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) is specialist housing for people with very high or complex needs, and it is funded separately from SIL.
You may have SIL, SDA, both, or neither, depending on your needs and goals.
ILO (Individualised Living Options) is a flexible way to build support around how and with whom you want to live.
MTA and STA cover short-term or in-between situations, such as waiting for a long-term home or giving carers a break.

The home-and-living supports

Home and living is the part of the NDIS that helps you with where and how you live. It covers a range of options rather than a single service, and the right mix depends on your disability support needs, your goals and your personal preferences.

The main options you will hear about are Supported Independent Living (SIL), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), Individualised Living Options (ILO), Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) and Short Term Accommodation (STA, often called respite). Some people also need home modifications so their existing home works better for them.

A key thing to understand is the difference between support and housing. Most NDIS funding pays for support, meaning the help a person provides you, not your rent or the cost of buying a home. You still pay your everyday living costs, such as rent, food and utilities, from your own income, just as anyone else does.

Because these supports overlap, it helps to think about them as building blocks. You might combine a type of accommodation with a type of daily support to create an arrangement that suits you.

SIL explained

Supported Independent Living, or SIL, is help with the everyday tasks of living. This can include support with things like cooking, cleaning, personal care, managing medication, building skills and staying safe at home. It is usually for people who need a lot of support, often around the clock.

The most important point about SIL is that it is the support, not the house. SIL funds the people who help you, not the building you live in. Many people who receive SIL live in a shared home with other participants, where support workers are on hand and some costs are shared, but SIL can also be arranged in other living settings.

The amount of SIL funding is based on how much support you need, not on where you live. The NDIS looks at your daily support needs, whether you need help overnight, and whether support can reasonably be shared with other people in the home.

SIL is one option among several. It suits people with higher daily support needs, but it is not the only way to live independently, and for some people ILO or other arrangements are a better fit.

SDA explained

Specialist Disability Accommodation, or SDA, is specialist housing designed for people with very high or complex support needs. It is the building itself, not the support inside it. SDA homes are built or modified with features that make them safer and more accessible, such as robust construction, wheelchair-friendly layouts or assistive technology.

Only a small number of participants are eligible for SDA. It is intended for people whose needs cannot reasonably be met in ordinary housing, for example because they require specialist physical features or because appropriate housing is genuinely hard to find. The NDIS assesses this carefully and asks for evidence from health professionals.

SDA and SIL are different things and are funded separately. SDA pays for the specialist home, while SIL pays for the daily support you receive there. Some people have both, some have SDA with a different kind of support, and many people have neither. Having one does not automatically mean you get the other.

If you have SDA in your plan, you generally still contribute to your reasonable rent and everyday living costs, while the NDIS covers the specialist housing component.

ILO explained

Individualised Living Options, or ILO, is a flexible approach to home and living. Rather than moving into a set service, ILO helps you design an arrangement around how you want to live and who you want to live with. It focuses on your choices and often draws on informal supports, such as housemates, host families or people in your community.

ILO is usually made up of two parts: first, help to explore and design the arrangement that suits you, and then the ongoing supports that make it work. This might involve living with a housemate who provides some support, sharing a home with a host, or a combination of paid and unpaid support tailored to you.

ILO can be a good fit for people who want more say over their living situation and who do not necessarily need the round-the-clock, shared model that SIL often involves. It puts your preferences at the centre and can be creative and personal.

Because ILO is highly individual, the NDIS works through a planning process with you to understand what you want and what supports are reasonable and necessary to achieve it.

MTA and STA

Medium Term Accommodation, or MTA, is for situations where you have a confirmed long-term home to move into but it is not ready yet. For example, your accessible housing might still be under construction. MTA can fund accommodation for up to 90 days while you wait, so you are not stuck without somewhere suitable to live.

Short Term Accommodation, often called STA or respite, is for shorter stays away from your usual home. It can give you a change of setting and give your regular carers a break. STA usually bundles together accommodation, food and support for a set number of days, and it is meant for occasional use rather than as a long-term living arrangement.

Both of these are temporary by design. They fill gaps and cover in-between situations, rather than being where you settle permanently. They can be really useful at times of change, such as leaving hospital, waiting on a home, or when a family carer needs to be away.

As with other supports, the NDIS decides whether MTA or STA is reasonable and necessary based on your circumstances and goals.

Choosing what suits you

Home-and-living decisions are made through your NDIS planning process. The NDIS looks at your support needs, your goals, the informal supports around you and what is reasonable and necessary. These are often significant decisions, so they tend to involve more detailed assessment than everyday supports.

Evidence matters. Reports from health professionals such as occupational therapists, along with information about your daily support needs and what you have already tried, help show why a particular option suits you. Being clear about your goals, like living more independently or living closer to family, strengthens your case.

It can help to think about the questions behind the labels: How much daily support do I need? Do I need specialist housing features? Who do I want to live with? Do I need something temporary while things change? Your answers point toward SIL, SDA, ILO, MTA, STA or a combination.

You do not have to work this out alone. A support coordinator, Local Area Coordinator or planner can talk through the options with you, and the official information at ndis.gov.au explains each support in more detail. Take your time, ask questions, and choose the arrangement that fits your life.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between SIL and SDA?: SIL is the daily support you receive, such as help with cooking, personal care and staying safe. SDA is the specialist housing itself, the actual building, designed for people with very high or complex needs. SIL pays for people; SDA pays for the home. They are funded separately, and you might have one, both or neither.
Does the NDIS pay my rent?: Generally no. NDIS funding pays for disability supports, not everyday living costs like rent, food and utilities, which you cover from your own income as anyone else does. Specialist Disability Accommodation is an exception, where the NDIS covers the specialist housing component, though you usually still contribute a reasonable rent amount.
Do I need SDA to receive SIL?: No. SIL and SDA are separate supports. SIL provides daily support and can be delivered in ordinary housing, not only in specialist homes. SDA is only for a small number of people with very high or complex needs. Many people receive SIL without ever having SDA, because they do not require specialist housing features.
What is Individualised Living Options (ILO)?: ILO is a flexible way to arrange your home and living around your own preferences, including how and with whom you want to live. It often combines paid and informal supports, such as living with a housemate or host. It usually has two stages: help to design the arrangement, then the ongoing supports that make it work.
How long can I stay in Medium Term Accommodation?: Medium Term Accommodation can fund a place to stay for up to 90 days. It is for people who have a confirmed long-term home to move into but cannot move in yet, for example while accessible housing is being finished. It is a temporary measure to bridge the gap, not a permanent living arrangement.
What is Short Term Accommodation or respite?: Short Term Accommodation, often called respite, funds short stays away from your usual home. It can give you a break and a change of setting, and give your regular carers time to rest. It usually bundles accommodation, food and support for a set number of days, and is meant for occasional use rather than long-term living.
What evidence do I need for home and living supports?: The NDIS looks at your support needs, your goals and what is reasonable and necessary. Helpful evidence includes reports from health professionals such as occupational therapists, information about your daily support needs, and details of what you have already tried. Being clear about your living goals also strengthens your request. A support coordinator can help gather this.
Can the NDIS fund home modifications?: Yes, in many cases the NDIS can fund modifications to make your home safer and more accessible, such as ramps, rails or bathroom changes. An occupational therapist usually assesses what is needed and recommends the modifications. Whether they are funded depends on whether they are considered reasonable and necessary for your disability support needs. See ndis.gov.au for details.

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Official NDIS sources

Novida is an independent directory, not the NDIA. We explain each form in plain English and link you to the official copy — always download and submit the current version from the official website, as forms are updated from time to time.