SIL vs SDA vs ILO: NDIS home and living options explained
SIL pays for support at home, SDA is a specially built home, and ILO is a living setup designed around you. Here's how they differ and fit together.
The decision
Which housing support do you need?
Three options, one question each — match the need on the left to the funding on the right.
SIL
Supported Independent Living
Choose if
You need support to live safely in your home, daily and often overnight
You get: Funding for support workers to help or supervise you at home.
SDA
Specialist Disability Accommodation
Choose if
Your housing itself needs to be purpose-designed for your needs
You get: A specially designed home, funded separate from the supports inside it.
ILO
Individualised Living Options
Choose if
You want to design your own living arrangement from the ground up
You get: A flexible package built around your choices of where and how you live.
Three acronyms, one plain-language table
| Funding | Pays for | Doesn't pay for |
|---|---|---|
| SIL — Supported Independent Living | Support workers to help or supervise you at home | Rent, bills, mortgages, or the home itself |
| SDA — Specialist Disability Accommodation | A specially designed home for very high needs | The day-to-day supports inside the home |
| ILO — Individualised Living Options | A designed living arrangement (host, housemate, or your own mix) | A set blueprint — it's built around you |
What each funding actually pays for.
SIL: the support, not the home
SIL funds people: support workers available to help or supervise you with the daily tasks of living at home — personal care, cooking, cleaning, routines — often across a 24-hour pattern. It does not pay for the house, rent, or bills. You can receive SIL in shared housing, your own home, or an SDA property.
SIL is for people who need a lot of ongoing support to live independently. If you need less help, daily living support or ILO may suit you better and use less of your plan. Compare SIL providers near you in our directory.
SDA: the building
SDA is the home itself: housing built for people with very high support needs, with features like wider doorways, ceiling hoists, accessible bathrooms and extra safety. It's funded separately from support, so someone living in SDA pays rent and uses SIL or other funding for the people who help them. You can browse SDA providers in our directory.
Whether you get SDA depends on your support needs and what you can do day to day, and the NDIA decides based on evidence. It isn't about getting a nicer house. It's about a home designed for needs that an ordinary home can't meet.
ILO: designed around you
ILO starts with you instead of a housing model. You work with a provider to design a living setup around your choices: where you live, who you live with and how you're supported. First you explore and plan, then you put it in place. Living with a host family or a housemate are common examples.
ILO can be a strong fit for participants who don't need the intensity of SIL but want more than basic help, or who want a custom household rather than a standard shared house.
How they combine
| Combination | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| SDA + SIL | A designed home with 24-7 support workers inside it |
| SDA + ILO-style supports | A designed home with more flexible supports arranged around your routine |
| SIL in ordinary housing | Shared or individual housing with funded support, no special design |
| Home modifications + daily living support | Your existing home adapted, plus lighter support — no SIL or SDA |
Common combinations.
Taking housing questions to your plan review
Bring this preparation to the planning conversation
01Describe where you want to live
Own place, shared, with family, a host arrangement — start from lifestyle, not funding.
02List the supports your home needs
Daily help, overnight help, specialised equipment, or a purpose-designed home.
03Gather evidence
Therapy reports and provider input that show the level and design of support you need.
04Ask your coordinator for options
Support coordination can lay out SIL, SDA, and ILO trade-offs before the meeting.
05Decide within your budget
Every option has a price tag — compare what each delivers against what the plan holds.
Build your provider shortlist
When you're weighing SIL, SDA, and ILO, keep the providers worth a conversation in one place — saved on this device.
Search and save providers without leaving this guide. Your shortlist stays on this device.
- Specialised Living
Point Cook, VIC· 4.9 rating
- Care Connection Support Services Pty Ltd
Coolaroo, VIC· 5.0 rating
- Quad Care Pty Ltd
Woodford, QLD· 4.8 rating
- Beeya Care Pty Ltd
Templestowe Lower, VIC· 5.0 rating
- Citywide Home Care Pty Ltd
Seven Hills, NSW· 5.0 rating
Check a provider is registered
SIL and SDA providers must be registered. Confirm the housing provider you're considering holds the right registration before you go further.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have SDA and SIL at the same time?
Yes, and many participants do. SDA is the building, SIL is the support inside it. They're separate funding lines that often pair together — the home is designed, and the 24-7 supports come on top of that design.
Does SIL pay for rent or the home?
No. SIL funds the support workers — the help and supervision. Rent, bonds, and the accommodation itself are paid separately. That's also true for SDA: the participant pays rent to the SDA provider as a separate arrangement.
What's the difference between ILO and SIL?
SIL is a support model: workers helping or supervising you in your home, usually around the clock. ILO is a way of designing a whole living arrangement — where you live, who with, and how you're supported — which can be a host arrangement, a housemate arrangement, or your own mix.
Who decides which option I need?
You, together with the NDIA, based on evidence of your support needs. Housing and living options are decided at planning time, and a support coordinator can gather the evidence and help you weigh the options before the meeting.
Are these the only home and living options?
No. The NDIS also funds assistance with daily life in your own home, home modifications, medium-term accommodation for transition periods, and mainstream housing support. The housing decision usually starts with a conversation about where you want to live — not which acronym to pick.
Official sources
This guide is checked against these official pages.
- Types of home and living supportsSIL, ILO, SDA, and the other home and living options at a glance.
- What is supported independent living (SIL)What SIL funding does and doesn't cover.
- What are individualised living options (ILO)How ILO lets you design where and how you live.
- What is specialist disability accommodation (SDA)What SDA is, who it's for, and what it doesn't include.
Read next
Related guides
Guides that cover the next step.
How to prepare for your NDIS plan review
What to do in the six weeks before your NDIS plan meeting: the evidence to gather, the questions to ask, and what to check when the new plan arrives.
Read the guide
How to choose a support coordinator
What a good NDIS support coordinator does, the questions to ask on the first call, and the warning signs to look out for before you sign up.
Read the guide
What NDIS supports cost in 2026 and how to check a quote
How NDIS price limits work, what pushes a quote up, and how to check a quote against the price guide and your plan budget before you agree to it.
Read the guide
How to find and choose an NDIS provider you can trust
A simple way to find and compare NDIS providers: start with your goals, shortlist three or four, ask them the same questions and read the reviews.
Read the guide