In brief
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
- SDA focuses only on the physical home and its specialist design features, not personal care or daily supports.
- Supports such as Supported Independent Living or Assistance with Daily Life supports are funded separately through the NDIS, protecting participant choice and control.
- SDA is available to eligible NDIS participants when it is assessed as reasonable and necessary.
- There are four SDA design categories: High Physical Support, Fully Accessible, Improved Liveability and Robust.
- SDA homes can be shared or individual, depending on a person’s needs, preferences and goals.
- SDA works alongside other NDIS supports to promote independence, safety and long-term housing stability.
What is SDA
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) exists to provide housing needs that cannot reasonably be met through mainstream housing, even with modifications. SDA is designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. These homes incorporate specialist design features like enhanced accessibility, assistive technology, and layouts that support safe movement and assistance with everyday activities to support greater independence and enable supports to be delivered more safely and effectively.
What isn’t SDA
SDA relates only to the physical home. It does not include personal care, support workers, help with daily activities, or any active supports. Whilst a person living in an SDA home may need these supports, they are assessed and funded separately through the NDIS, even though they may be delivered within the SDA dwelling. This separation helps protect participant’s choice and control.
Who is SDA designed for?
SDA is funded for people who are existing NDIS participants, where the NDIS determines that SDA is the most appropriate housing option compared to other supports.
Under the NDIS guidelines, SDA may be funded if a person:
- Has an extreme functional impairment, meaning they require significant support with daily tasks such as mobility, self-care, or self-management.
- Has very high support needs, meaning they require intensive, ongoing assistance from another person for a significant proportion of the day
SDA is only funded when it is assessed as reasonable and necessary for a person’s individual situation.
How SDA works within the NDIS
When SDA is approved, it appears as its own item in a NDIS plan, these funds can only be used towards occupancy at an SDA physical home and its specialist design features. SDA works alongside other NDIS supports, which are funded separately.
This separation ensures participants have choice and control over where they live and who provides their support, allowing housing and care to be tailored to individual needs, meaning that if a participant would like to change their supports, they can usually do so without needing to change their home, with the exception of some shared living arrangements.
Types of SDA
There are different SDA design categories, including:
- High Physical Support
- Fully Accessible
- Improved Liveability
- Robust
Different design categories exist because people have different needs, and one type of housing design will not suit everyone. These categories help ensure the right level of accessibility, safety, and functionality is provided based on how a person moves, communicates, and receives support.
By grouping SDA into design categories, the NDIS can better match people to housing that supports their independence and wellbeing; while ensuring funding is used appropriately and homes meet clearly defined standards.
Shared Vs Individual Living
Shared and individual living describe how people live within SDA. Shared living is where two or more people live in the same SDA home, with their own bedroom and bathroom and shared common areas such as the kitchen and living space; supports can be delivered individually or shared, depending on each person’s needs. This option can suit people who enjoy living with others while still maintaining privacy and appropriate support. Individual living means a person lives alone in an SDA home that is designed specifically for their needs, with supports delivered on an individual basis and tailored to their routines, preferences and goals; this option often suits people who require greater privacy, have complex needs, or where shared living is not appropriate.
SDA can feel complex, especially when exploring housing options through the NDIS. Understanding what SDA is and what it isn’t can help people, families and supports explore whether it may be the right fit for their needs. SDA is designed to support independence, safety and choice, providing housing that works alongside other supports to help people live the life they choose.
- National Disability Insurance Scheme. (n.d.). Specialist disability accommodation. https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/housing-and-living-supports-and-services/specialist-disability-accommodationScope Australia. (2024, November 25). SDA vs. other NDIS housing options: What’s the difference? https://www.scopeaust.org.au/news/sda-vs-other-ndis-housing-options-whats-the-difference
- Housing Hub. (n.d.). What is SDA? https://www.housinghub.org.au/resources/article/what-is-sda?cs=sda-explainer-video-series