What are the SDA Design Categories? 

5–6-minute read  

In Brief  

SDA dwellings are not a one size fits all model. People have different disability related housing needs, and SDA design categories help match individuals to the housing that best suit those needs. The design categories are set by the NDIA under the SDA Design Standard, ensuring homes are built to support different levels of accessibility, safety and functionality. 

In simple terms, SDA design categories focus on how a home is physically designed and built to support a person’s needs, not the supports they receive or who they live with. How a home is physically designed and built, will fall into one of the four SDA design categories. 

The four SDA design categories are: 

• Improved Liveability 

• Fully Accessible 

• High Physical Support 

• Robust 

Each category reflects a different level of housing design to support varying functional needs. 

What are the four SDA design categories? 

Improved Liveability 

Improved Liveability housing is designed to improve everyday living by incorporating a reasonable level of physical access and enhanced provisions for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairments. This category does not require full wheelchair accessibility. 

These homes are designed and modified to help people navigate their environment more easily, reducing visual or sensory barriers that may cause confusion, discomfort, anxiety or safety risks. 

Features may include: 

• Contrasting walls and doors 

• Tactile cues on walls or within doorways 

• Improved wayfinding and clearer layouts for easier navigation 

• Strong visual lines and sight cues 

• Task‑specific lighting in key areas 

Improved Liveability focuses on making homes easier to understand and move through, rather than providing high level physical access supports. 

Fully Accessible 

Fully Accessible homes include enhanced provisions and specialist features for participants with physical impairments who require a high level of accessibility. 

These homes include wide doorways and corridors, step-free continuous flooring, and open‑plan layouts. The aim is to create a safe, accessible environment where participants can live more independently and comfortably, than in a mainstream property. 

Features may include: 

• Wheelchair accessibility at all entry and exit points, with no level changes at door thresholds, stairs or obstacles 

• Bathroom basins and vanities positioned for use in seated or standing positions 

• Power supply to doors and windows to allow for assistive technology or automation 

• Accessible kitchen layouts to support seated food preparation 

High Physical Support 

High Physical Support homes include accessible features and additional structural elements to support participants with very high physical support needs. 

This is the most comprehensive SDA design category and is suitable for participants who require specialised equipment to complete daily tasks more safely and effectively. 

Features include: 

• Structural provisions for ceiling hoists 

• Pre-wiring for home automation 

• Household communication technology 

• Emergency power solutions to support safety during power outages 

• Kitchen benches, sinks and appliances that are accessible from seated and standing positions 

Additional features may include: 

• Assistive technology  

High Physical Support builds on the Fully Accessible design by adding further features that support complex physical support requirements. 

Robust 

Robust homes are designed for participants who require a safer and more resilient living environment. These homes prioritise safety, durability and accessibility and are designed to reduce the need for reactive maintenance while minimising risk to participants and those supporting them. 

Robust housing focuses on stability, predictability and long-term suitability, rather than behaviour‑based assumptions. 

Features include: 

• High impact wall linings, fittings and fixtures 

• Secure windows, doors and external areas 

• Soundproofing to reduce sensory impact 

Additional features may include: 

• Laminated glass 

• Retreat or quiet areas within the home 

How a Participants SDA category is decided? 

The NDIS decides a person’s SDA design category based on their individual functional needs, not their diagnosis, label or assumptions about behaviour. 

The purpose is to determine what type of housing design is required to support a person to live safely, independently, and receive supports effectively, in line with the SDA Design Standard. 

When considering a design category, the NDIA may review evidence about how a person’s disability affects their daily living and housing needs, including: 

• Mobility and physical access needs, such as wheelchair use or other mobility aids 

• Ability to move safely around the home, including transferring, toileting, bathing and meal preparation 

• Need for assistive technology or specialist equipment, such as hoists or smart‑home features 

• Sensory, cognitive or communication needs, including how easily someone can navigate and understand their environment 

• Safety and risk factors, including whether the home needs to be more resilient or low‑stimulation to support wellbeing 

Based on this evidence, the NDIA determines the design category that best matches the person’s needs. Design categories are not chosen by providers ,they are determined by the NDIA and relate only to the design of the home, not the supports delivered inside it. 

Design categories can also be reviewed over time if a person’s needs change, as part of NDIS plan reviews.