SDA vs SIL vs ILO: Compare NDIS Housing and Support

Clickability editorial update, September 2026

SDA vs SIL: separate the home from the support

SDA is specialist housing; SIL funds support workers. Some participants have both in their plan. ILO means individualised living options, a designed arrangement for support at home. It is not a third type of building.

Start by separating three questions: what housing features do you need, what assistance do you need through the day and night, and which costs will you pay yourself? Comparing acronyms without these details can leave an attractive property looking like a complete support solution when it is not.

Read the NDIA’s SDA, SIL and ILO guidance for each option. None is approved simply because a provider has a vacancy.

How participants can compare actual living arrangements

Describe an ordinary weekday and a difficult day. Include transfers, meals, communication, medication assistance where relevant and what happens overnight. Then describe the home you want: location, privacy, visitors, routines and who you are comfortable living with.

Ask a provider to explain how their proposal handles those needs. “Twenty-four-hour support” does not tell you how often a worker is shared, how help is requested or what happens when two people need assistance at once. Ask for the actual arrangement rather than relying on a broad description.

Visit if possible, and bring someone you choose to help record answers. Check access with your own equipment and ask what you can change about your room or routines. Keep unresolved questions in writing. A home that is available quickly still needs to suit your preferences, support needs and approved funding.

SIL vs ILO: ask how support will be organised

The NDIA describes SIL as support or supervision available around the clock, with assistance for daily activities for at least eight hours and some help or supervision during the other hours. Funding depends on individual needs; it is not a promise of a dedicated worker throughout every hour. See the SIL explanation.

ILO involves designing the arrangement, putting approved supports in place and monitoring how it works. Current suitability guidance refers to at least six hours of formal or informal support a day and being ready to explore the arrangement. It is not a simple “more than six, less than twenty-four” eligibility test. See current ILO guidance.

Ask who provides the main support, what extra help is available and how a change is handled if a host or housemate leaves. For any option, separate the everyday routine from the backup plan. Do not assume family will fill an uncovered shift without discussing it with them.

What families should clarify before a move

Write down the help you currently provide and the help you can sustainably continue after the move. Include weekends, overnight calls and transport, rather than describing family support as unlimited. Discuss these expectations with the participant before they enter a provider proposal.

Ask how the participant will tell someone if the arrangement is not working, especially if they communicate without speech. Agree on who they want involved and how concerns will be followed up. Regular family contact can support the person, but should not become a substitute for funded support or their own choices.

Plan the practical transition together: equipment, familiar routines, information the new team needs and a way to review the first few weeks. Keep the participant’s preferences visible when different people are contributing to the decision.

What evidence should go into a home and living request?

The NDIA request pathway asks for recent evidence from a relevant treating professional describing daily needs, their functional impact and other options explored. Start with your my NDIS contact to discuss the pathway rather than assuming the historical application steps above are still required.

Prepare a practical account of when assistance is needed, what current support does and where gaps remain. Record your preferred outcome and the alternatives you have considered. A relevant assessment can connect that account with your functional needs; it should explain the recommendation rather than merely name SDA or SIL.

The NDIA decides whether to include the requested support. A provider’s quote, assessment or conditional offer does not guarantee that decision. Before paying a deposit or signing an agreement dependent on future funding, understand what happens if the funding or move is delayed.

Separate rent, support and provider agreements

For SDA, the NDIA requires a written service agreement, a registered provider and an enrolled dwelling. Participants pay an agreed reasonable rent contribution and ordinary living costs. The SDA guidance explains the rent contribution and housing requirements.

Ask for a written breakdown of personal costs, NDIS-funded services and any charges that depend on the arrangement. Identify who is responsible for the property and who delivers support. Ask how complaints, notice periods and a change of support provider will work.

Make a comparison sheet with columns for access, support arrangements, personal costs, location, household compatibility and exit conditions. Record confirmed answers separately from proposals awaiting funding. This helps you compare an actual arrangement rather than a marketing label.

A current check for SIL participants and providers

Registration requirements for SIL changed from 1 July 2026. For an existing unregistered provider using the relevant transition pathway, a valid application made before 1 October 2026 allows continued delivery while the Commission considers it. Application is not registration approval. See the Commission’s transition pathway.

Ask which pathway applies and whether the required application has been lodged. The NDIA participant advice distinguishes people who choose and manage their own support workers from SIL for this change. Confirm the current position before publishing or making a service decision, especially as this deadline is imminent.

Questions readers ask

Do I need SDA funding to have SIL?

No. SDA concerns specialist housing and SIL concerns support. They can be used together, but one does not automatically establish eligibility for the other. See NDIA’s explanation.

Is SDA the same as modifying my existing home?

No. SDA is a specialist housing arrangement. Home modifications are a separate support pathway.

Does ILO pay my rent?

No. ILO does not fund the dwelling, rent, mortgage or ordinary living expenses.

Does having a housing goal guarantee funding?

No. The NDIA considers your needs and evidence against funding requirements before deciding whether to include a support.

Can I stay with a SIL provider while its registration application is considered?

The relevant transition pathway allows an existing unregistered SIL provider that applies before 1 October 2026 to continue while the application is assessed. Check the provider’s actual pathway and status; this is not a blanket exemption.