NDIS Home and Living Supports Explained

A home is more than a building. It is where people rest, feel safe, express who they are and build relationships. This lesson introduces the main NDIS home and living supports and how they fit together. Key points: the NDIS generally does not fund housing itself, except specialist disability accommodation; most people own, rent or live in social housing; home and living supports include supported independent living, individualised living options, specialist disability accommodation, medium term accommodation, short term respite and assistance with daily life; and many people combine more than one support.

Participants who have a goal about home and living can ask the NDIA to consider home and living supports. This lesson outlines the process in general terms. Key points: the participant thinks about their needs, goals and current supports; talks with their my NDIS contact, who explains options including mainstream, community and informal supports; gathers recent evidence from a treating health professional, often an occupational therapist, describing daily support needs, functional impact and other options explored; and submits it to the NDIA, which decides whether supports can be included and invites the person to a plan meeting. Staff can help participants gather information and share observations, with consent.

Supported independent living, known as SIL, is funding for support workers to help or supervise a person with daily tasks in their home, generally 24 hours a day. This lesson explains SIL and recent regulatory change. Key points: SIL helps with tasks like personal care, meals and household tasks while building skills and independence; it is often shared with housemates; it does not cover rent or groceries; it is different from SDA, which is the housing itself; from 1 July 2026 providers delivering SIL must be registered with the NDIS Commission, with transition arrangements for existing providers, and new SIL Practice Standards apply.

Not everyone who needs significant support at home wants or needs SIL. This lesson covers individualised living options and assistance with daily life. Key points: an individualised living option, or ILO, lets a person design how and where they live and who supports them, such as living with a host or housemates, drawing on paid and informal support; ILO starts with an exploration and design stage, then moves to setting up and using the supports; it does not pay rent or everyday costs; and assistance with daily life tasks, such as personal care and household tasks, can support people living in their own homes with fewer hours of support.

Specialist disability accommodation, or SDA, is housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. This lesson explains SDA and its four design categories. Key points: SDA is the housing itself, not the support delivered in it; the four design categories are improved liveability, fully accessible, robust and high physical support; homes must be enrolled by a registered SDA provider; the person usually pays rent and bills as well; and keeping housing and support separate, where possible, helps people change their support provider without losing their home.

Some home and living supports are temporary. This lesson covers medium term accommodation and short term respite. Key points: medium term accommodation, or MTA, funds somewhere to live for up to 90 days when a person has a long term home that is not yet ready, such as while waiting for SDA or home modifications, or on discharge from hospital; it is not emergency housing and covers only accommodation; short term respite, previously called short term accommodation, gives the participant time apart from usual care arrangements so their informal supports can have a break and continue caring.

People living in shared homes have the same rights as anyone else. This lesson explores those rights in practice. Key points: people should have a say in where they live and who they live with; they have a right to privacy, including their own bedroom and private time; they can have visitors and relationships; household decisions should be made with residents, for example through house meetings; people can complain without fear; any restrictive practice must be authorised and in a behaviour support plan where required; and conflict between housemates should be addressed, not ignored.

Working in someone's home is a privilege that comes with responsibility. This lesson sets out what we expect from every worker supporting people where they live. Key points: behave as a respectful guest; ask before touching belongings or changing things; follow the person's routines and support plan; do things with the person, not for them, to build skills; keep the home safe and report hazards and faulty equipment; protect privacy about what you see and hear; record support accurately; and speak up about any concern for the person's safety, rights or wellbeing.

This case study follows Sione, a young man who has recently moved into a shared home with supported independent living. As he settles in, questions come up about his partner visiting, house rules and his own routines. The lesson shows how workers can support rights and relationships in shared living while balancing the needs of housemates, and how house meetings help residents make decisions together. Key points: this is Sione's home, relationships and visitors are a right, and shared decisions are made with residents, not for them.

This case study follows Mia, a woman in her thirties with a physical disability who lives with her parents and wants a home of her own. She is exploring home and living supports with her support coordinator, and asks her support worker for help with the evidence. The lesson shows what staff can and cannot do when someone is making a home and living request: keeping accurate records, sharing observations with consent, never overstating needs and never promising outcomes. It finishes by bringing together the key messages of the course.