Specialist disability accommodation (SDA) is housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Other than SDA, the NDIS does not fund housing, and participants still pay a rent contribution and their day-to-day living costs.
This guide explains what specialist disability accommodation (SDA) means, who may be eligible, the types of home available and how to ask for it. It builds on our overview of how to apply for disability housing.
The NDIS describes SDA as housing for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs (NDIS).
The SDA design standard sets four design categories, and homes come in four building types (NDIA guide to providing SDA).
You must be an NDIS participant first, and the NDIA then decides whether to include SDA in your plan.
The NDIS explains basic access rules on its Am I eligible page. Needing a lot of support does not by itself mean SDA funding will be approved.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →SDA is only one of several home and living options, so it helps to compare them.
Because the rent contribution and living costs are yours to pay, it helps to run the numbers early.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →If you are exploring SDA, start by gathering your reports and talking with your planner or support coordinator about your home and living goals. TQN Care’s NDIS services include support workers who can help you with daily living, community access and respite, wherever you decide to live. We are happy to talk through your options.
SDA stands for specialist disability accommodation. It is housing for NDIS participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Participants pay a rent contribution and day-to-day living costs. Your planner or support coordinator can explain how SDA fits with your plan.
You must be an NDIS participant with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs, and the NDIA must agree to include SDA in your plan. Evidence from your therapists and doctors, linked to your goals, is central to that decision.
Participants pay a rent contribution and day-to-day living costs. Other than SDA, the NDIS does not fund housing. Ask your provider and Services Australia how your income and payments affect what you will pay, and check your plan.
It depends on the building type. A house is for up to three people and a group home is for four or five. The other building types are apartments, and villas, duplexes or townhouses. Ask each provider about the layout and any housemates.