SIL and SDA are two of the most commonly confused terms in the NDIS world. People use them interchangeably. They are not the same thing. Understanding the difference matters because they are funded differently, accessed differently, and serve different purposes.
SIL: the support
SIL (Supported Independent Living) covers the support workers who help you live independently. It is the people, not the property. Your SIL funding pays for the staff who help with personal care, cooking, cleaning, community access, health monitoring, and daily living skills development.
SIL can be delivered in any type of housing. You can receive SIL in a shared house with other NDIS participants, in your own rented apartment, in a family home, or in an SDA property. The housing type is separate from the support.
SDA: the property
SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) covers the physical dwelling. It is the bricks, mortar, and accessibility features. SDA properties are purpose built or significantly modified to meet specific design standards for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
SDA funding pays for the housing itself. Wider doorways, ceiling hoists, accessible bathrooms, emergency power systems, smart home technology. These are structural features that standard rental properties do not have.
Only about six per cent of NDIS participants are eligible for SDA funding. It is for people whose disability requires specialist housing features that cannot be achieved through standard home modifications.
How they work together
Many participants who receive SDA also receive SIL. The SDA pays for the accessible property. The SIL pays for the workers inside it. Together, they provide both a suitable physical environment and the daily support needed to live there.
But you can have one without the other. You can receive SIL in a standard rental with no SDA. You can also receive SDA without SIL if your support needs are met through other means.
At Acme, we provide both SIL support and SDA properties across South East Queensland. If you are trying to work out which one you need (or whether you need both), call us on 07 3063 3362 and we will walk you through it.
Need NDIS support in South East Queensland?
Acme Support Services provides nursing, personal care, SIL, and transport across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, and Redlands.
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