Accommodation

Finding the best place for you

Different types of accommodation and living arrangements are available depending on your situation and needs. You may choose to live with or without support, in your own home or with your family. However, finding accommodation that best suits your individual needs doesn’t need to be difficult.

Navigating housing choices is key to a comfortable life. Whether it's 24-hour emergency support, public housing, long-term stays, respite breaks, shared living, short-term solutions, specialist disability accommodation (SDA), supported independent living (SIL) or basic tenancy, we've got insights to help you decide.

Explore your options with the Disability Support Guide and make informed decisions for a home arrangement that fits seamlessly with your needs and lifestyle.

Search for accommodation/housing options

You can find accommodation and housing service options, as well as vacancies from providers by searching our National Disability Insurance Scheme database across Australia.

Click here to search for accommodation options in your area.

Specialist disability accommodation

The National Disability Insurance Scheme offers funding for specialist disability accommodation, commonly referred to as SDA, for people with significant support needs. This specialised form of accommodation is tailored to provide the necessary support and facilities for people with higher care requirements.

SDA funding covers the cost of a person’s home where they receive their day-to-day support — this allows people with disability to remain within the community.

SDA gives people with disability a choice about their housing environment, ensuring they receive the right support and housing design for them, including lighting, accessible spaces and amenities.

Find SDA providers/options

You can find SDA providers and options — as well as vacancies from providers — by searching our NDIS database across Australia.

Click here to search for specialist disability accommodation options in your area.

Supported independent living

For those seeking a balance between independence and support, supported independent living — otherwise known as SIL — is a valuable option. SIL provides the assistance needed for people with disability to live independently while ensuring support is readily available.

These types of support could include laundry, cleaning, meal preparation and personal care.

Different levels of supported accommodation are available, depending on your needs and the number of people in the supported living setting. To get SIL funding in your NDIS plan due to a change in your situation , contact the NDIS. You can also arrange a meeting with your NDIS plan manager to discuss your support needs.

Depending on your needs, other home and support options offered by the NDIS may be more suitable.

Search for SIL services

You can find SIL service providers and options by searching our NDIS database across Australia.

Click here to search for supported independent living options in your area.

Funding and finding a home

You must follow several key steps to secure funding through the NDIS for your housing needs. Begin by understanding the application process, eligibility criteria and the types of support covered under NDIS funding. The amount of funding you receive depends on your individual needs and the level of support required.

SIL funding

Supported independent living is a good option for participants who’d like to live independently but may need extra support.

SIL is referred to as ‘assistance with daily living,’ also known as ADL in the NDIS Core Supports budget. It’s funded individually and the supports can be shared with everyone in a house.

Finding a SIL home

Once you have been approved for SIL, the next step is finding the right place to move into.

There are a few steps that need to happen and some things for you to consider, including:

• matching the support-work-to-housemate ratio that is outlined in your assessment;
• ensuring other potential housemates have the same support-work-to-housemate ratio; and
• finding a house that matches the requirements, as set out in the occupational therapist’s assessment.

Search for a SIL home

There are several different housing types: But which is the right one for you?

Click here to search for supported independent living options in your area.

Individualised living options funding

Individualised living options support is available to NDIS participants who live alone or independently in someone else’s house, but don’t include the house itself — as per specialist disability accommodation criteria. This is because SDA funding focuses on the physical aspect of housing.

ILO funding is more flexible than SIL — usually used by people to live in a shared house — so ILO funding can meet a wider variety of individual needs.

To receive ILO funding, speak with your local area coordinator or complete the Home and Living Supports Request Form — available on the NDIS website — to start the process of finding out if ILO is right for you.

You can’t be funded for both ILO and SIL at the same time, although they both provide some similar supports. However, you can receive ILO funding while living in specialist disability accommodation.

Accessible housing under the NDIS

Finding an accessible house in Australia will always seem challenging, however, this is made even harder when there are limited housing options available in the market.

There is a clear shortage in the market for accessible homes, and homes that are rentals — in addition to being accessible — are generally rented to someone who doesn’t need an accessible house. Additionally, many homes may not be designed with accessibility in mind for people with disability.

However, a number of providers in Australia are working to design, build and modify homes for people with disability, making housing more accessible for everyone.

Search for accessible housing

You can find accessible housing providers by searching our NDIS database across Australia.

Click here to search for supported independent living options in your area.