SDA, SIL, STA, MTA and ILO: NDIS Housing Supports Compared

This article provides general information only about the housing supports described by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It does not constitute legal, financial or clinical advice, and it does not take account of the circumstances of any individual participant or family. Eligibility, funding and plan terms are determined by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

1. The central distinction

The most common source of confusion is that the NDIS treats two things separately: the building a person lives in, and the support a person receives while living there. Funding for one does not imply funding for the other.

1. The home itself may be addressed through Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), or through home modifications, or through ordinary housing in the private or social rental market.
2. The support provided in the home may be addressed through Supported Independent Living (SIL), or through other core supports delivered to the participant.

A participant may have one of these in a plan, both, or neither. Whether either is included depends on the participant’s needs and goals and on the decision made on the plan.

2. The five supports, defined

The table sets out each support in one clause. The definitions are summaries, and the NDIS publications referred to below remain the authority.

Group homes, mentioned in many guides, are not a separate funding category. They are an arrangement in which several participants share a dwelling and a roster of staff; which supports are funded depends on each participant’s plan.

3. Matching the support to the need

The following clauses indicate which support is generally relevant to which circumstance. They are indicative only. A registered professional or the NDIA should confirm which applies.

1. The participant has very high support needs and a long-term home that is accessible by design is the issue. SDA is the support most commonly considered. Access to SDA funding is subject to eligibility criteria, and not all participants with high support needs meet them. The related article on Specialist Disability Accommodation describes the support in more detail.
2. The participant has a suitable home, or will have one, but needs regular support with daily tasks. SIL is the support most commonly considered, whether in a shared household or in the participant’s own place.
3. The participant’s family or carers need a short break from caring, or the participant needs time away from the usual arrangement. STA is the support most commonly considered. It may be used for planned respite.
4. The participant needs a safe place to live between an existing arrangement and a long-term home. MTA is the support most commonly considered, for example during a wait for SDA or after a hospital stay. The article on how medium-term accommodation works explains the arrangement.
5. The participant has a clear preference about where and with whom to live, but the options on offer do not fit. ILO is the support most commonly considered, since it is intended to help design a living arrangement around the individual.
6. The participant wishes to remain in the current home. Home modifications and ordinary support may be more appropriate than any of the five supports above.

4. Questions to settle before a plan meeting or review

1. What are the participant’s living goals, stated in the participant’s own words where possible?
2. What level of support is needed at different times of day and night?
3. What features does the home need to have, for example mobility access, assistive technology or space for a support person?
4. Is the participant seeking a shared or a private living arrangement?
5. Where are the participant’s family, friends, work, study and community connections, and how will the home relate to them?
6. What would happen if the current arrangement became unavailable?

A written record of the answers, shared in advance with the planner or support coordinator, assists the NDIA in assessing what is reasonable and necessary. The article on Supported Independent Living and daily tasks sets out how that support operates within the home.

5. Matters that vary and should not be assumed

1. Eligibility. Each support has its own criteria, and a plan decision is made on the evidence provided.
2. Waiting times and availability. Availability differs by region, and no guide can state what is available in a particular place at a particular time.
3. Costs. Funding is set by NDIS price arrangements and the plan, and a participant’s own contributions, such as rent, depend on the housing arrangement. Current figures should be taken from the NDIA directly.
4. Provider quality. Claims by providers about standards or facilities should be checked against registration, any published quality and safeguarding information and the participant’s own inspection.
5. Rights and tenancy. Where a participant lives in a rented dwelling, tenancy law in the relevant State or Territory applies, in addition to NDIS rules.

6. Where to take the matter next

1. The NDIS Home and living pages describe each support and are the primary reference.
2. The participant’s planner, local area coordinator or support coordinator may assist with how housing supports fit within a plan.
3. A registered occupational therapist can provide a functional assessment where one is needed to support an SDA or home modification request.
4. Legal or financial questions, including tenancy and contributions, should be directed to a registered legal practitioner or financial adviser in the relevant jurisdiction.

Concluding note

No single housing support is best for all participants. The appropriate choice follows from the participant’s needs, goals and circumstances, and the useful first step is to separate the question of the building from the question of the support. Participants and families are encouraged to prepare a written statement of goals and to raise it with the NDIA or a support coordinator before the next plan review.

Sources: National Disability Insurance Scheme, Home and living (https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/home-and-living/types-home-and-living-supports); National Disability Insurance Scheme, Specialist Disability Accommodation (https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/home-and-living/types-home-and-living-supports/what-specialist-disability-accommodation-sda)