SDA vs SIL: What's the Difference?

SDA vs SIL — the short answer

SDA funds the home. SIL funds the support you receive in it. Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) pays for a specialist, accessible dwelling. Supported Independent Living (SIL) pays for the help you need day to day — personal care, cooking, getting ready. They're separate parts of your NDIS plan, and many participants have both.

What is SDA?

SDA is NDIS-funded housing for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. It covers the building itself — features like wider doorways, accessible bathrooms, reinforced walls or ceiling hoists. The NDIS pays the SDA amount to the provider who owns or manages the property.

What is SIL?

SIL is funding for the support workers who help you live as independently as possible — assistance with daily tasks, personal care, medication, cooking and cleaning, and overnight help where needed. It pays for people and their time, not for the house.

The simplest way to picture it

Think of SDA as the house, and SIL as the help inside it. One is bricks and mortar; the other is the team that supports you. They often work together, but they're funded separately and don't have to come from the same provider.

Can you have both?

Yes — it's common. A participant can have SDA funding for a specialist home and SIL funding for the support delivered there. You can also have one without the other: some people have SDA but arrange support differently, and many people receive SIL in housing that isn't SDA.

Do you need SIL to live in an SDA home?

Not always. It depends on your support needs. Some SDA residents have 24/7 support funded through SIL; others need far less. When you search for a home, it's worth checking whether support is available on site, especially if you also have SIL funding.

Frequently asked questions

Is SDA the same as SIL?

No. SDA funds the home; SIL funds the support you receive while living there. They are separate parts of your NDIS plan.

Can I get SIL without SDA?

Yes. Many people receive SIL support in housing that isn't SDA. SIL is about the support, not the type of dwelling.

Can I have both SDA and SIL?

Yes, and it's common — SDA for the home and SIL for the support. They can come from different providers.

Does one provider handle both?

Sometimes, but not always. The SDA provider owns or manages the home; a SIL provider delivers the support. They may be the same organisation or two different ones.

How do I know which I need?

Your NDIS plan sets out what you're funded for. A support coordinator or planner can help you understand whether you have SDA, SIL, or both.

Looking for a home? Browse SDA and SIL vacancies across Australia at SDAccommodations.com.au — free to search, always.

Source: NDIS — Specialist Disability Accommodation; NDIS — Supported Independent Living.