Opening the door to NDIS home and living supports
[Image Description: In a white kitchen a man is helping feed a younger lady in a yellow top sitting in a wheelchair, they are both smiling, behind them are a woman looking in a drawer and a younger man leaning on the bench.]
Finding the perfect place to live can feel like a challenge, especially with Australia's housing crisis in full swing. But for NDIS participants, it can be a crucial step towards gaining more independence.
When it comes to finding a home, there's a lot to think about: accessibility, support, safety – the list goes on. And what works for one person might not work for another, so it's essential to think about your (or your loved ones) individual needs and preferences before making any decisions.
Luckily, there are NDIS housing supports available to help you along the way. Our friends at Vertika are experts in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Individualised Living Options (ILO), so they’ve helped us put together a guide on the different housing support options that the NDIS offers.
Together, let's explore how the NDIS can support you in finding the perfect place to call home.
SIL - Supported Independent Living
Supported Independent Living (SIL) offers personalised assistance to help you maintain your home life. It includes support or supervision for everyday tasks such as personal care, medication management, meal preparation, and ensuring personal safety.
The goal of SIL is to promote your independence while enhancing your skills in areas like cooking, cleaning, and maintaining routines. It can also assist with implementing behaviour support plans and improving social skills.
While this funding doesn't cover your daily living costs such as rent and groceries, it can provide support for medical appointments and transportation to community activities.
This might be right for you if:
you need a significant amount of help at home all the time, including overnight support
you live with other NDIS participants (you could get SIL if you live alone, but one of the other options below might be better fit)
you want to build your independence, but need supervision or support with that
SDA - Specialist Disability Accommodation
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) provides housing designed for people with significant support needs. These homes are made to be more accessible based on your specific needs, helping you live more independently and receive support more safely.
While SDA covers the cost of the housing itself, you still need to pay for everyday expenses like rent and bills. You might live in a shared home with your own room, or you could live alone if that works better for you.
Providers that offer SDA (such as Vertika) must meet high standards and be registered with the NDIA to ensure the homes meet your needs. There are different categories of SDA, each tailored to specific needs, including Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, High Physical Support, and Robust.
This might be right for you if:
you need a lot of person-to-person support for a significant part of the day
you have a lot of trouble doing daily tasks on your own or sometimes may not be able to do them at all
you need home modifications or assistive technology in your home to be able to live safely
ILO - Individualised Living Option
An Individualised Living Option (ILO) is a support that assists you in determining your preferred living situation, including where you want to live and who you want to live with.
With ILO, you have many choices: you might share your home with friends, housemates, or live with a host family.
ILO consists of two stages. The first stage helps you figure out the best place and way for you to live, along with the support you need and who will provide it. The second stage helps you get settled in your chosen living arrangement with the necessary support.
ILO funding doesn't cover the cost of a house, home modifications, or support outside of your home. Instead, it focuses on exploring and planning the living arrangement that suits you best so you can live life your way.
This might be right for you if:
you’re over 18 and have a goal to look at your housing options
you need help at home for at least 6 hours a day, but you don’t need 24 hour support from a support worker, or daily nursing care
you’re able to put time and effort into building your skills and creating your future home
MTA - Medium Term Accomodation
Medium Term Accommodation serves as a temporary solution when you have a place to live, but you can't move into your long-term home yet because your disability supports, like home modifications, aren't ready.
This funding covers only the cost of accommodation and doesn't include your everyday living expenses or personal support needs. Typically, it's funded as part of other home and living supports in your plan, such as ILO.
You can use it for up to 90 days of accommodation, but in extreme cases, it may be extended.
This might be right for you if:
you have a home you’ll move into but you’re waiting on home modifications or assistive technology to be finished there
you’re unable to stay in you’re current accommodation while waiting for your new home to be ready
you’ve been approved for a place in SIL or ILO but need to wait for someone else to move in
STA - Short Term Accommodation / Respite
Short Term Accommodation, including respite, provides funding for support and accommodation for a brief break from your regular home. It covers the cost of your care in a different place for up to 14 days at a time, with a maximum of 28 days per year. During your stay, you might share accommodations with others or have a place to yourself.
This funding comes from your flexible core funding, so if you have enough budget available, you can access this support without needing pre-approval.
This might be right for you if:
your usual supports aren’t available for a short period of time
you have a goal to try new things, meet people, or develop skills, and a short stay somewhere could help with this
a short break will help your family or informal supports to support you for longer
Home Modifications or Assistive Technology
Home modifications are changes made to your home to help you deal with your disability. They're meant to make it easier for you to get around safely and do everyday things. They can be small changes like making doorways wider, or bigger changes like combining your bathroom and toilet so a hoist can fit.
Similarly, Assistive Technology includes items and equipment that help make your home safer and easier to use. It can be simple stuff like a grab rail in the shower, which you can buy with your flexible core funding, or more expensive things like a power wheelchair to help you move around.
This might be right for you if:
you have safety concerns or difficulty moving around your home
you have trouble with personal care, like using your shower
you’re unable to reach or use things in your home safely without support
it would help you work towards a goal in your home
Home Sweet Accessible Home
As you explore the different housing and support options in the NDIS, it's important for you to think about what's best for you. When you understand them, you can make smart choices that match what you want and need. These choices help you be more independent and create a home that feels just right for you.
Chat to your LAC or NDIA planner about what might work for you, and to take the first step, add a goal into your NDIS plan about home and living - this is an essential part of having any of these supports funded and is an easy one to tick off.
It's important to keep up with what's happening in disability accommodation so you can find the best and most helpful options, and as we all know, the NDIS is constantly changing. Your journey to a great living arrangement starts with knowing your choices and staying informed.
Want to stay up date with NDIS changes and see how others are using their home and living supports?
Vertika provide Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL) apartments. They design and construct their buildings to be spaces where communities thrive.
