If you are new to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the Home and Living options can be hard to follow.
You may hear of SIL, SDA, ILO, STA and MTA. On the surface, they can sound alike, but they serve completely different purposes. To make it even easier, start with two questions.
What help do I require to be able to live at home?
Once you separate support from housing, the different Home and Living options become easier to understand.
Home and Living supports cover different ways a person may be supported to live safely and as independently as possible.
For some participants, this may mean In-home support in their current home. For others, it may involve Supported Independent Living, Individualised Living Options, specialist disability accommodation or temporary accommodation.
The right option depends on the person’s support needs, housing goals, living preferences and circumstances.
The NDIS does not fund ordinary rent or everyday living costs through SIL. These costs need to be considered separately when looking at housing options.
Supported Independent Living (SIL) is an NDIS support for people who need a high level of help with daily life at home.
A Support worker or disability support worker may help with tasks such as personal care support, preparing meals, cleaning, taking medication and developing daily living skills( capacity building supports).
SIL is about the support a person receives, not the home itself.
A person receiving SIL may live with other people or, depending on their circumstances, have a different living arrangement. The support arrangements should reflect their individual support needs and goals.
Supported Independent Living is generally for people who have higher support needs and need significant help with daily activities.
Support may include:
The amount of support needed will differ from person to person.
Having an NDIS plan does not automatically mean someone will receive SIL. The NDIS considers the participant’s individual circumstances and support needs when making funding decisions.
There is no single way to live in Supported Independent Living.
A Support Worker could assist one person to wash and get dressed, make breakfast and take medication, and then later help the person to cook, clean and go out in the community.Another individual may require more hands-on assistance with personal care and everyday activities.The role of the Support Worker is not to do everything for the person, but rather support the person to improve on certain things so they can do them independently.For example, if someone needs assistance with cooking it could be a goal to increase the independent skills of the person by supporting them to learn to cook simple meals for themselves.
SIL can also support community participation. This may include helping a participant attend work, appointments, social activities or other places that are important to them.
SIL pays for an approved support pacakge, not the person’s home.
It does not pay for ordinary rent, groceries or other everyday living expenses.
This is an important difference to understand when exploring NDIS accommodation and other Home and Living options. A participant’s housing costs need to be considered separately from their support funding.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is specialist housing designed for people who have very high support needs or extreme functional impairment.
Unlike SIL, SDA relates to the home itself.a
An SDA property may include features such as:
SDA is not the same as SIL. SDA relates to the housing, while SIL relates to the support provided to the participant.
Yes, a participant may receive both if they meet the relevant requirements.
For example, someone may need a specialist home because of their disability and also need regular support with personal care and daily activities.
In this situation, SDA can address the person’s housing needs while SIL can provide the support they need at home.
However, receiving SIL does not automatically mean a person needs or qualifies for SDA.
Individualised Living Options (ILO) are designed around the participant and the way they want to live.
An ILO can support different living arrangements, depending on the person’s preferences and support needs. This may include living with a host, sharing a home with another person or living alone with regular support.
The focus is on creating an arrangement that suits the individual rather than expecting them to fit into one standard model.
ILO may suit someone who wants more choice over their living arrangements and does not feel that a shared SIL arrangement is right for them.
The participant’s housing goals, support networks and preferences should be considered when exploring an ILO.
Short Term Accommodation (STA) is for short periods away from a participant’s own home. This may be called a respite option for your main career.
STA can also give participants experiences outside their regular home, school, or workplace.
STA could include options for a young person who has only ever lived at home to have a few nights away.
They may practise morning routines, preparing meals, or build other daily living skills while receiving support.
STA can also allow participants and their families to learn more about what type of living arrangement may suit them.
It should not, however, be treated as an automatic pathway to SIL. A short stay may help someone build confidence or learn new skills, but longer-term support arrangements need to be considered separately.
Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) is temporary accommodation for participants who need somewhere to live while their longer-term housing is being arranged.
It may be suitable in situations where a participant has a longer-term home coming but cannot move into it yet.
For instance, a participant is discharged from hospital but may not be able to go back to their home. They may be in interim accommodation waiting for long-term arrangements.
MTA is not designed to be a permanent home. It is intended to help bridge the gap between one living arrangement and another.
There is no single Home and Living option that will suit everyone.
Do not begin with an acronym, begin with their needs.
Does the person need a high level of support?
Consider the tasks that they need support for in day-to-day living.
Do they need personal care? Help with meals? Medication support? Assistance with household tasks? Support to build daily living skills?
If they need significant support at home, Supported Independent Living may be one option to explore.
A functional capacity assessment can also help consider whether the person’s disability affects their ability to use their current home safely.
They may need features such as accessible bathrooms, extra space for mobility equipment, home modifications or other specialist features.
If so, Specialist Disability Accommodation may apply to this person.
Would the person prefer to live alone or with others?
Not all individuals will be seeking the same type of house. Some would prefer a home to share, while others will want individual space.
A person’s sensory needs, routines, relationships and support networks can all affect which arrangement feels right.
If a shared SIL arrangement is not suitable, Individualised Living Options may be another option to explore.
If the participant needs a short stay away from home, STA may be relevant.
If they need temporary accommodation while waiting for a longer-term housing option, MTA may be appropriate in some circumstances.
The important thing is to look at why the person needs the accommodation, not simply choose the option with the most familiar name.
“Independent living” is not always what it seems. Many people consider living alone as living “independently”. This is, however, not necessarily the case. You may live in your own house and have support for certain daily activities.
Supported Independent Living is generally for people who need a higher level of support at home.
The better question is not:
“Does this person live alone?”
Instead, ask:
“What support does this person need for them to stay as safe and as independent as possible?”
This might help the family think about what support this person needs in the most effective way possible, instead of focusing on which setting the person lives in.
Choosing a living arrangement is a major decision. A home may have a vacancy, but that does not automatically mean it is the right home for the participant.
Start with the person.
What type of home do they want? Would they prefer to live alone or with other people? What are their housing goals?
The participant should be involved in decisions about their home and support as much as possible.
Consider what they can do on their own and where they require assistance. A support needs assessment (occupational assessment) may also be able to assist by giving information on what they are capable of.
An Occupational Therapist may be involved in this process, depending on the participant’s circumstances.
If the participant is considering shared living, find out who they may be living with.
Where possible, visit the home and give the participant a chance to see the environment and meet potential housemates.
A vacancy is simply an available room. It does not necessarily mean the arrangement will be a good match.
Think beyond the house itself.
Can the participant get to work, appointments, family, friends and community activities? Does the location support their social and community participation?
A home that looks suitable on paper may not work well if it leaves the participant disconnected from the people and places that matter to them.
Before agreeing to an arrangement, ask the Housing provider or upport provider how the service works.
Questions may include:
Taking some time out to answer these questions helps families to see what they are agreeing to. A participant may also benefit from a Support Coordinator, Local Area Coordinator, or a Support Coordination service to investigate their choices.
No. SIL funding is for approved support. Rent, groceries and other ordinary living costs are separate.
No. SIL and SDA have different purposes. SIL relates to support, while SDA relates to specialist housing.
A person may be able to live alone and receive support, depending on their individual needs and circumstances. SIL is not the only form of In-home support.
No. SIL is generally designed for people with higher support needs. The NDIS considers each person’s circumstances when making funding decisions.
No. STA can also benefit participants. A short stay may give someone a chance to experience a different environment, practise skills and build confidence.
No. Medium Term Accommodation is temporary not residential aged care or residential care. It is intended to support a participant while a longer-term housing arrangement is being worked out.
Different supports may be suitable at different times.
For example, someone may use STA for a short stay, need MTA while waiting for longer-term accommodation, and later explore SIL or another living arrangement.
The right option depends on the participant’s needs at the time.
If you are unsure where to start, ask these questions:
Once you have considered these questions, you can start looking at the Home and Living options that may fit the participant’s circumstances.
A Support Coordinator, Local Area Coordinator, Occupational Therapist or a Home and Living Exploration Services provider may also be able to help, depending on the person’s situation.
|
Option |
What it relates to |
May suit someone who needs |
|
SIL |
Support at home |
A high level of help with daily living |
|
SDA |
Specialist housing |
A home with specific accessibility or design features |
|
ILO |
Individualised living options |
More choice over how and where they live |
|
STA |
Short term accommodation |
A short stay away from their usual home |
|
MTA |
Medium term accommodation |
Temporary housing while a longer term option is being arranged |
The acronyms can seem confusing at first, but they are not interchangeable.
SIL is about support.
SDA is about specialist housing.
ILO is about individualised living arrangements.
STA and MTA are about temporary accommodation for different needs.
Supported Independent Living can be a suitable option for people who need significant support with daily life at home. It can include help with personal care, household tasks, routines, skill development and other daily activities.
But SIL is only one part of the Home and Living picture.
SDA may be relevant when a participant needs specialist disability accommodation. ILO can provide another way to explore individualised living options, while STA and MTA can provide temporary accommodation in different circumstances.
The best place to start is with the participant.
What do they want from their home? What can they do themselves? What support do they need? And what living arrangement would help them reach their goals?
Those answers can help guide the next conversation about NDIS Home and Living options.
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