Housing (SDA & SIL)
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL) are different. SDA concerns eligible specialist housing; SIL concerns paid assistance with daily life, usually in a shared or individual home. A person may receive one without the other.
Understanding housing (sda & sil)
Housing decisions have long-term effects, so separating the property, tenancy and support arrangements is essential. SDA funding relates to the dwelling for eligible participants with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. SIL is the rostered support delivered in the home. The SDA provider, SIL provider and tenancy manager may be different organisations, and each agreement should clearly state its role.
Choice should not disappear because services are bundled. Ask whether the person can change the support provider while remaining in the home, how vacancies are managed, and what happens if housemates or support arrangements do not work. Understand rent, utilities, food and other ordinary living costs separately from funded disability supports.
A good exploration process considers location, accessibility, compatibility, overnight needs, staffing, privacy, transport and connection to community. Visit more than once where possible, review agreements independently, and avoid pressure to accept a vacancy before the person understands alternatives and exit arrangements.
What support may include
- Exploring housing goals, accessibility needs, preferred location and living arrangements.
- SDA dwellings designed to an enrolled design category for eligible participants.
- SIL assistance with personal care, household routines, community participation and overnight needs as rostered.
- Individualised living supports or other home-and-living options where those better fit the person.
- Coordination among housing, tenancy, support and informal networks while keeping responsibilities distinct.
Plan the support
- List non-negotiable accessibility, location, privacy, communication and overnight support requirements.
- Separate rent, tenancy, SDA payments, SIL supports, utilities, food and personal expenses.
- Review compatibility and choice when sharing, including routines, visitors, pets, culture and communication.
- Obtain independent help to understand service agreements, tenancy terms, vacancies and exit clauses.
Questions to ask providers
- Are you the housing provider, support provider, tenancy manager, or more than one of these?
- Can I change my SIL provider without losing the home?
- How were roster, staffing ratios and shared-support assumptions calculated?
- How are housemate compatibility, vacancies, incidents and complaints managed?
- What costs are paid from NDIS funding and what must I pay personally?
Funding considerations
SDA must be specifically included in an eligible participant’s plan and is paid for the enrolled dwelling. SIL is separately considered and funded according to support needs. Rent and ordinary living costs remain personal expenses.
Home and living decisions can also involve individualised living options, personal care, home modifications or mainstream housing. Current NDIA guidance and the participant’s plan should guide which pathway is relevant.
Safeguards and records
- Check SDA dwelling enrolment and the registration status relevant to each provider’s role.
- Seek independent advice where housing and support agreements create pressure or conflicts of interest.
- Confirm emergency, overnight, medication, evacuation and incident procedures for the actual home.
- Ensure the person understands complaints, advocacy, tenancy rights and how to leave an unsuitable arrangement.
Official information
Find housing (sda & sil) providers or browse all service guides.
Reading about Housing (SDA & SIL)
- SDA and SIL explained: the difference between the home and the support: Specialist Disability Accommodation and Supported Independent Living are often mentioned together, but they are different supports. Here is the difference in plain language.
- 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.