SIL vs SDA is one of the most common points of confusion in a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan, and Individualised Living Options (ILO) add a third name to the mix. The three are funded separately and do different jobs. This guide explains each one, sets them side by side, and covers what none of them will pay for.
The one-line difference
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is the home: housing built for people with very high support needs.
- Supported Independent Living (SIL) is the support: funding for a support worker to help or supervise you at home around the clock.
- Individualised Living Options (ILO) is a way of living you design: funding to choose where you live, who you live with and how you are supported.
A participant might have one of these, two of them, or none. Which one fits depends on your support needs and what the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) agrees is reasonable and necessary for you.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
SDA is housing for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. It may suit you when other home and living supports do not meet your disability needs. An SDA home can be a house, apartment, villa, duplex or townhouse, with features such as wide doorways, wheelchair-accessible kitchen sinks, ceiling hoists or button-operated doors.
SDA homes are grouped into four design categories:
- Improved liveability, with features for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairments.
- Fully accessible, with a high level of physical access, for example for people who use a wheelchair at home.
- Robust, built to be very strong and durable, which may suit people who need help with complex behaviours.
- High physical support, for very high support needs, with features such as ceiling hoists or a backup power supply.
SDA providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission), and each home must be enrolled with the NDIA before it counts as an SDA dwelling. You record your SDA provider on your plan and sign a written service agreement with them. The guide to what SDA is and who qualifies goes into more detail.
Supported Independent Living (SIL)
SIL is funding for a support worker to help or supervise you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It may suit you if you need someone with you around the clock, including overnight, with hands-on help with daily activities for at least 8 of those hours.
Support workers funded through SIL help with day-to-day tasks inside your home, such as personal care, showering, dressing, cooking, eating and cleaning. You may share a worker with housemates or have your own, depending on how much help you need. SIL is designed to build your skills so you can live as independently as possible.
SIL must be delivered by a provider registered with the NDIS Commission. If you employ or organise your own support workers, the NDIA has said you do not need to change anything.
Individualised Living Options (ILO)
ILO funding helps you decide where you live, who you live with and how you want to be supported. You might share a home with a housemate, or live in the home of a host. ILO can include personal care, help to set up and run your own home, household tasks and support to build your skills. It also works alongside help from family, friends and your community.
An ILO might suit you if you are 18 or over (or 17 and planning ahead), and you need support at home, formal or informal, for at least 6 hours a day. You also need to be ready to put time into designing your future home.
ILO runs in two stages. First you work with an ILO provider to explore options and design a support package, then submit a service proposal to the NDIA. Once the proposal is approved, you set up the arrangement and start using it. The NDIA suggests that both you and the provider get independent financial advice before you agree to an ILO arrangement.
SIL, SDA and ILO side by side
| SDA | SIL | ILO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it funds | The home itself | Support workers in your home, around the clock | A living arrangement you design, with primary and extra supports |
| Who it is for | People with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs | People who need help or supervision 24 hours a day | People 18 or over (or 17 and planning) needing at least 6 hours of support a day |
| Who delivers it | A registered SDA provider with an enrolled home | A registered SIL provider | An ILO provider you work with to design it |
| What it does not cover | Personal care, SIL, ILO or assistive technology | Rent, groceries or other day-to-day costs | Rent or mortgage, everyday bills, activities outside the home, home modifications |
Can you get SDA without SIL, or SIL without SDA?
SDA pays for the building only, so anyone living in SDA needs their in-home support funded another way. For many participants that is SIL, which is why the two often appear together. The NDIA describes SIL as one example of the in-home supports people in SDA may have, not as a condition of getting SDA.
SIL works the other way round. It is funding for support workers, not for a type of home, and the NDIA notes that some people have both SDA and SIL in their plans while others have one. If you live alone, or with people who are not NDIS participants, the NDIA may look at whether another home and living support suits you better than SIL.
What none of them pay for
Outside SDA, the NDIS does not fund housing. Rent, mortgage repayments, groceries, power and internet are your own costs under SIL and ILO. If you live in SDA, you pay the SDA provider a rent contribution, which has a set upper limit and should be written into your service agreement, plus your own bills.
If affordable housing is the problem, state and territory government housing programs may help. Your my NDIS contact can point you to them.
Medium term accommodation while you wait
Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) covers a place to stay for up to 3 months (90 days) when you cannot yet move into your long-term home. That might be because your SDA vacancy is not ready, your home is being modified, you are leaving hospital and are eligible for SDA, SIL, ILO or home modifications, or you are leaving a justice setting while you wait for SDA.
MTA pays for the accommodation only. Food, power and personal care are not included, though you can keep using your plan for your other approved supports. It is a one-off support, and it is not emergency housing. Provider24 lists businesses offering Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) if you need to compare options.
Compare living support providers on Provider24
Once you know which of the three your plan funds, the next step is a shortlist. Provider24 has a separate category for each: Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) providers, Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers and Individualised Living Options (ILO) providers. You contact each business yourself. Listings on Provider24 do not confirm registration, so check any SDA or SIL provider on the NDIS Commission’s register before you sign.
This article is general information, not advice. For your own situation, read the NDIA’s pages on SIL, SDA and ILO, or talk to your my NDIS contact.
Frequently asked questions
Is SIL the same as SDA?
No. SDA is the housing itself, built for people with very high support needs. SIL is funding for support workers who help you inside your home. Some people have both in their plans.
Can you get SDA without SIL?
SDA does not include any support from workers, so you need in-home support funded separately. SIL is a common way to fund it, but the NDIA presents it as one example of the in-home supports SDA residents may have.
Is SIL funded by the NDIS?
Yes. SIL is an NDIS home and living support, funded in your plan where the NDIA agrees it is reasonable and necessary. It cannot be used for rent or groceries, and it must be delivered by a registered provider.
What is ILO in the NDIS?
ILO stands for Individualised Living Options. It is funding to design your own living arrangement, such as living with a host or a housemate, with the supports you need at home.