SDA explained
Specialist Disability Accommodation
SDA is housing, not support. Homes designed or built for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs, funded by the NDIS for those the NDIA finds eligible.
In short
- SDA pays for the home. It never pays for your support.
- The NDIA decides who is eligible, and only a small group of participants are.
- Your home and your support are separate agreements.
The basics
SDA is the home, not the help
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is funding for a home that has been designed or built to suit people with very high support needs.
When SDA is in a plan, it is funded in Capital supports, the part of a plan for bigger, one-off investments. The funding is paid to the SDA provider, who owns or manages the home. SDA homes must be enrolled with the NDIA, and SDA providers must be registered with the NDIS Commission.
SDA is housing
It pays for the building and its design features. You usually pay a rent contribution from your own income, plus your own food and bills.
Support is separate
Help with daily life is funded separately, for example as Supported Independent Living (SIL), and comes with its own service agreement.
The NDIA decides
Whether SDA is in your plan, and which design category, is decided by the NDIA. No provider can promise it.
Design categories
The four SDA design categories
Every SDA home is built to one of four design standards. If you are eligible, the NDIA decides which design category suits your needs.
Improved Liveability
Homes with better physical access and design features for people with a sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment, such as clear sightlines, good lighting and easy-to-find rooms.
Fully Accessible
Homes built for people with significant physical impairment, with a high level of physical access throughout, such as step-free entries, wider doorways and accessible bathrooms and kitchens.
Robust
Homes built to be very durable and resilient, reducing the risk of harm and with space for support, for people who need a home that can stand up to a lot and keep everyone safe.
High Physical Support
Homes for people with very high physical support needs, with features such as structural support for ceiling hoists, emergency power and space for equipment and support workers.
SDA homes also come in different building types, such as apartments, villas, townhouses, duplexes and houses. Some are shared with housemates; others are for one person. These are general descriptions; the detailed design rules are set by the NDIA.
Eligibility
How SDA eligibility is decided
SDA is for a small group of NDIS participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs who meet the NDIA's criteria. The NDIA makes the decision. This is the usual shape of the process; check the current steps with the NDIA or your support coordinator.
Step 1: Talk it through
Tell your local area coordinator (LAC), support coordinator or the NDIA that you want to explore SDA, and what you want from a home.
Step 2: Gather evidence
Usually including an occupational therapist report and a functional capacity assessment, describing your needs and the home design that would suit you.
Step 3: The NDIA decides
The NDIA considers the evidence and whether SDA is the right housing solution for you, compared with other options.
Step 4: Find a home
If SDA is in your plan, you look for an enrolled SDA home in the right design category, and visit before you decide.
Step 5: Arrange support
Your support is arranged separately, with a provider you choose, under its own service agreement.
If you disagree with a decision about SDA, you can ask the NDIA for an internal review. There are time limits for asking, so ask early. Our guide on preparing for a home and living reassessment covers evidence in more detail.
Compare
SDA and SIL, side by side
They are often mentioned together and sometimes delivered in the same building, but they are two different supports. A general guide only.
| Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) | Supported Independent Living (SIL) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Housing: a home designed or built for very high support needs. | Support: help with, or supervision of, daily tasks at home. |
| Part of the plan | Capital supports. | Usually Core supports. |
| Who gets it | A small group of participants the NDIA finds eligible. | Participants who need significant support across the day, when the NDIA funds it. |
| The agreement | A tenancy or residency agreement with the SDA provider. | A service agreement with the support provider. |
| What you pay | Usually a rent contribution, plus food and bills. | Nothing for the support itself. Rent, food and bills are paid by you. |
You can have SDA without SIL, and SIL without SDA. Some people living in SDA apartments also have On-site Overnight Assistance (OOA), a shared overnight support funded separately. Read SIL and SDA: what is the difference?
Your choice, protected
Your home and your support are always separate.
Separate agreements
Your SDA home comes with a tenancy or residency agreement. Your support comes with a service agreement. They are always two documents.
Change either one
You should be able to change your support provider without leaving your home, and move home without losing your support team.
No strings attached
Your support never depends on where you live, and your home never depends on who supports you.
Finding a home
Looking for an SDA home?
Manora Care is a support provider. Manora Group's sister brand, Manora Living, provides SDA homes. If SDA is in your plan, you can see the homes Manora Living currently has available on its website.
Find a home with Manora Living (opens the Manora Living website)
Your support never depends on where you live, and your home never depends on who supports you.
You can live in any SDA home and choose any support provider, and you can use Manora Care for support wherever you live. Read your choice, protected.
Words to know
New to these terms? The NDIS glossary explains SDA, SIL, OOA, MTA and more in plain words.
Or start with NDIS explained, and read about Supported Independent Living.
Questions
SDA questions, answered plainly
Who decides whether I am eligible for SDA?
The NDIA decides. It is not decided by a support provider, a housing provider or a support coordinator. The NDIA looks at evidence about your needs, often including an occupational therapist report, and whether SDA is the right housing solution for you.
Does SDA pay for my support?
No. SDA funds the home itself. Support, such as help with personal care and daily tasks, is funded separately, for example as Supported Independent Living (SIL) or other Core supports, and comes with its own service agreement.
Do I pay rent in an SDA home?
Usually, yes. SDA residents generally pay a rent contribution from their own income, as well as their own food and bills. The NDIS sets rules about how much the rent contribution can be. The SDA provider should explain yours in writing before you sign anything.
Do I need SIL to live in SDA?
No. Some people in SDA homes use SIL, and others use in-home support at set times of the day or another arrangement. What you need depends on your support needs and what the NDIA funds.
Can I change my support provider and stay in my SDA home?
You should be able to. Your home and your support are separate agreements, so changing your support provider should not mean moving out. If the same organisation, or related organisations, provide both, ask them to explain in writing how they keep the two separate.
What if I am not eligible for SDA?
Most NDIS participants are not eligible for SDA, and that does not stop you living independently with support. Many people receive SIL or in-home support in a private rental, social housing or a family home. Home modifications and Individualised Living Options (ILO) may also be worth asking about.
Does Manora Care provide SDA homes?
Manora Care is a support provider. Manora Group's sister brand, Manora Living, provides SDA homes. You can see current homes at manoraliving.com.au. Your support never depends on where you live, and your home never depends on who supports you.
This page is general information, not advice about your plan. SDA rules change from time to time. For your own situation, check with the NDIA.
Questions about support in an SDA home?
Talk to us about the support you want, wherever you live. There is no cost or commitment to talk.