Individualised Living Options (ILO)
NDIS support
A way of designing a living arrangement around one person’s goals, needs and preferences, rather than choosing from a set of existing housing models.
The short answer
An Individualised Living Option is a way of designing where and how you live around your own goals and preferences, instead of choosing from existing housing models.
About Individualised Living Options (ILO)
Most people think of housing as a choice between living at home with family and moving into a shared home run by a provider. Individualised Living Options open up other possibilities, such as living in your own place with tailored support, sharing with a housemate you choose or living alongside family in a way that gives everyone more freedom.
The process usually has stages. First there is exploration, where you think about what you want your life to look like and who is important to you. Then comes design, where a provider or coordinator helps you shape a living arrangement and the supports that will make it work. Finally, the arrangement is set up and reviewed as you settle in.
Because ILO is a newer and more personal approach, it helps to ask providers about their experience and how they involve you. A good provider listens, explains options in plain language and moves at a pace that suits you and your family.
Who is this service for?
People who want to design a living arrangement around their own goals and preferences, rather than choosing from existing housing models.
What a typical session looks like
An Individualised Living Option is a way of arranging a home and supports around the person, rather than fitting the person into an existing model. The process usually begins with exploring what you want from your home life and who you want around you. This is followed by designing a support arrangement, which might involve living alone with tailored support, sharing with a friend or living with a host family.
Once the arrangement is up and running, day to day life is shaped by your routines and choices. Support workers help where you need it, and a coordinator or planner reviews how it is going and adjusts as things change. The idea is that the arrangement flexes with your life, not the other way around.
Who delivers this support
ILO involves people with experience in planning individualised arrangements, including support coordinators, specialist planners and providers who can deliver flexible support. It also involves the person, their family and friends, who play an important role. It is worth asking whether a provider has experience with individualised arrangements, since they work differently from group models.
How to choose a provider
- Ask about the provider's experience with individualised living arrangements.
- Find out how they help you explore and design options.
- Ask how they involve family, friends and other supporters.
- Check how they handle changes if the arrangement is not working.
- Ask how the arrangement will be reviewed over time.
Questions to ask a provider
- How do you explore and design an arrangement around what I want?
- What experience do you have with individualised living arrangements?
- How are staffing and rosters organised so support fits my routine?
- How will you help me stay connected with friends, family and the community?
- How do you review and adjust the arrangement over time?
- What is the plan if the arrangement needs to change?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not exploring what you really want before settling on an arrangement.
- Leaving out family and friends who could help with design and support.
- Not planning for staffing gaps or emergencies.
- Skipping regular reviews, so the arrangement drifts from what you need.
- Assuming an individualised arrangement is more complicated than it needs to be.
Getting started
- Think about the kind of home and life you want.
- Talk to your planner or support coordinator about home and living supports.
- Speak to providers who work in this area.
- Agree a step-by-step plan for exploring and setting up your arrangement.
How it fits with the rest of your plan
ILO sits within the wider group of housing and living options and may involve a range of other supports, such as personal care, community access and therapy. It suits people who want more choice and control over where and how they live. Because it is tailored, it takes careful planning and regular reviews to make sure it continues to work.
Eligibility
You can use NDIS funding for Individualised Living Options (ILO) if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
Funding
Which part of an NDIS plan pays for Individualised Living Options (ILO) depends on the specific support and on how your plan is set up. Your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator can confirm where it fits, and providers can give you a quote to check against your budget. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.
What it costs
Supports such as Individualised Living Options (ILO) that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.
Housing (SDA & SIL) providers on the NDIS register
12,965 NDIS providers list housing (sda & sil) supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.
Providers listing housing (sda & sil)
- 1 Abbira Care Services - VIC; includes Fraser Rise, VIC
- 1 All Care - SA; includes Findon, SA
- 1 Care Connect - NSW; includes Manly, NSW; Rooty Hill, NSW; Rosehill, NSW
- 1 Circle Of Care - VIC; includes Pakenham, VIC
- 1 Heart Care Services - NSW; includes Orange, NSW
- 1 In Town Services - SA; includes Mansfield Park, SA
- 1 The Helpers - NSW; includes Parramatta, NSW
- 1-Care - NSW; includes Lalor Park, NSW
- 10 Plus Care - VIC; includes Camberwell, VIC
- 121 Best Care - QLD; includes Calamvale, QLD
- 121 Supports Hunter - NSW; includes Hamilton, NSW; Newcastle, NSW; Newcastle West, NSW
- 123 Community Support - NSW; includes Ermington, NSW
See all 12,965 housing (sda & sil) providers
Listings by state and territory
- New South Wales (4,358)
- Victoria (3,830)
- Queensland (2,292)
- South Australia (1,277)
- Western Australia (1,098)
- Northern Territory (303)
- Australian Capital Territory (284)
- Tasmania (216)
Suburbs with the most listings
- Brisbane, QLD (597)
- Melbourne, VIC (462)
- Sydney, NSW (354)
- Central Coast, NSW (274)
- Perth, WA (259)
- Adelaide, SA (244)
- Blacktown, NSW (229)
- Parramatta, NSW (207)
- Liverpool, NSW (200)
- Tarneit, VIC (184)
- Ipswich, QLD (171)
- Canberra, ACT (169)
Listings covering the most areas
- Permalink Support Services - 503 areas
- Nurse Next Door Canberra - 189 areas
- Huge Care - 188 areas
- Aligned Assist - 184 areas
- Amazing Procare Toowoomba - 171 areas
- Allabilities Cares - 170 areas
- Allied Horizon Disability Services - 154 areas
- Number 1 Care Provider - 134 areas
Checking credentials
- Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
- Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
- Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.
Regulation and safeguards
NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.
Related services
- Interpreting and translation
- Nursing training for support workers
- Personal training
- Training for carers and parents
Frequently asked questions
What is an Individualised Living Option?
A way of designing where and how you live around your own goals, needs and preferences, rather than fitting into a set housing model. It can involve exploring options and setting up supports.
Who helps set it up?
Providers or coordinators with experience in home and living supports can help you explore, design and put arrangements in place. Ask about their experience and approach.
Is it the same as living in a group home?
No. The idea is that arrangements are built around the individual, which might mean living alone, with a housemate or with family, with supports designed to fit.
Do I have to live alone?
No. The idea is to design something that suits you, which might mean living with a housemate, family or others.
Who helps me design my living arrangement?
A provider or coordinator with experience in home and living supports, working with you and your family.
Is it available everywhere?
Availability varies by area. Ask your planner and local providers what is possible near you.
How is an individualised living option different from supported independent living?
Supported independent living usually involves shared housing with rostered support, while an individualised option is designed around one person, and might involve living alone, with a friend or with a host family.
Can an individualised arrangement include a friend as a housemate?
That is often possible, and it is one of the strengths of an individualised approach. Everyone involved needs to agree, and the support arrangements are designed around the household.
Who helps set up an individualised arrangement?
A support coordinator or specialist planner can help with exploring options, working out the supports and connecting you with providers.
Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Individualised Living Options (ILO)?
If Individualised Living Options (ILO) is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
How do I find a Individualised Living Options (ILO) provider near me?
Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.
Sources and further reading
- NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint
Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory
Helpful reading
- 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.
- How to change NDIS provider without losing support: You are allowed to change providers. A little planning means the new service is ready before the old one ends, and nothing falls through the gap.