SDA and SIL explained: the difference between the home and the support
· Housing and living · Source checked 12 October 2026
Specialist Disability Accommodation and Supported Independent Living are often mentioned together, but they are different supports. Here is the difference in plain language.
Two different things
Specialist Disability Accommodation, or SDA, is about the building. It is housing designed or modified for people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. Supported Independent Living, or SIL, is about the help delivered inside a home: assistance with daily tasks, such as personal care, meals and routines.
You can have one without the other. Some people live in SDA and receive SIL; others receive SIL in an ordinary rented house; others have neither.
How SDA is funded and who can access it
SDA funding is included in a plan for people the NDIA decides meet specific criteria, usually involving very high support needs. It is paid to the SDA provider as part of the housing arrangement and is separate from the support funding used for day-to-day help. Having a disability, or needing a lot of support, does not by itself mean SDA will be funded.
If you are considering SDA, ask the NDIA how eligibility is assessed and what evidence is needed. Official guidance sets out the process.
How SIL works
SIL is funded as a support rather than as housing. It pays for the staff who help with daily living in a shared or individual home, so it is tied to a provider’s roster and the number of people in the household. SIL providers usually put together a quote that the NDIA considers when setting funding.
You can choose your SIL provider independently of who owns or manages the home, and it is worth understanding where the housing provider’s role ends and the support provider’s begins.
Questions to ask before you move
Ask who is responsible for the house and who is responsible for the support, how housemates are chosen, what your rights are as a tenant, and how you can change support providers without losing your home. Ask how repairs, visitors and changes to your routine are handled.
Take your time. Visit the home if you can, meet the people who would support you and bring someone you trust. This is general information, not advice about your plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SDA and SIL?
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is about the building: housing designed or modified for people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. Supported Independent Living (SIL) is about the help delivered inside a home, such as personal care, meals and routines. You can have one without the other.
Who can get SDA funding?
SDA funding is included in a plan for people the NDIA decides meet specific criteria, usually involving very high support needs. Having a disability, or needing a lot of support, does not by itself mean SDA will be funded. Ask the NDIA how eligibility is assessed and what evidence is needed.
How is SIL funded?
SIL is funded as a support rather than as housing. It pays for the staff who help with daily living in a shared or individual home, so it is tied to a provider’s roster and the number of people in the household. SIL providers usually put together a quote that the NDIA considers when setting funding.
What should I ask before moving into a shared home?
Ask who is responsible for the house and who is responsible for the support, how housemates are chosen, what your rights are as a tenant, and how you can change support providers without losing your home. Visit if you can, meet the people who would support you and bring someone you trust.
Keep learning
- Moving to a new town or state with the NDIS: a practical checklist: Your plan travels with you, but your providers may not. Here is what to sort out before, during and after a move.
- How to choose an NDIS provider: 12 questions to ask before you commit: A practical checklist for comparing providers, from how a service fits your plan to what happens when something goes wrong.
- Registered or unregistered? What it means when you choose an NDIS provider: Registered and unregistered providers can both be legitimate, but the rules, checks and options for your plan are not the same. Here is how to think about the difference.
- NDIS service agreements: what to check before you sign: A service agreement sets out what a provider will do, what it costs and how either side can change it. Read these points before you agree to anything.
More in our NDIS updates and insights, our step-by-step guides, or the NDIS and aged care provider directory.
Official sources
Source checked 12 October 2026. Rules and guidance can change; verify current details with the responsible agency. How we write and check our guides.