Moving Out With the NDIS: Housing Options in South Australia
Moving out of the family home, or finding a better living situation, is one of the biggest goals we help people work towards. It's also one of the most complicated parts of the NDIS.
There are multiple funding types, long waitlists, confusing acronyms, and a lot of misinformation floating around. So let's break it down properly.
The Different Types of NDIS Housing Support
The NDIS has several ways it can support your housing. They're all different, and which ones apply to you depends on your situation.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
SDA is funding for the building itself, the physical house or apartment. It's designed for people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment.
SDA properties are purpose-built or modified homes that meet specific accessibility standards. They range from apartments to houses, and come in different design categories:
- Improved Liveability - designed for people with sensory, intellectual, or cognitive disabilities
- Fully Accessible - wheelchair accessible throughout
- Robust - built with extra durability for people whose disability may result in property damage
- High Physical Support - the highest level, with features like ceiling hoists and emergency power
Here's the important thing about SDA: very few NDIS participants qualify for it. Out of roughly 600,000 NDIS participants nationally, only about 6% have SDA in their plans. It's not the default housing pathway.
If you think you might be eligible, you'll need detailed assessments from an occupational therapist and other professionals. Your support coordinator can organise these assessments and put together the evidence for the NDIA.
In South Australia, new SDA properties are being built across Adelaide and some regional areas, but demand still outstrips supply. Waitlists are common.
Supported Independent Living (SIL)
SIL is different from SDA. While SDA pays for the building, SIL pays for the support staff who help you live there.
SIL funding covers things like:
- Help with morning and evening routines
- Meal preparation
- Household tasks
- Overnight support (active or sleepover)
- Community access from your home
SIL is usually for people who live in a shared house with other NDIS participants, though it can also fund individual living arrangements.
Getting SIL in your plan requires a detailed assessment, usually a roster of care that maps out exactly what support you need across a typical week. This includes every hour of every day, which is why the quotes can look quite large.
You can have SIL without SDA (for example, if you rent a regular house but need 24/7 support). And you can have SDA without SIL (if the house is accessible but you manage most things independently).
Individual Living Options (ILO)
ILO is a newer, more flexible approach. Instead of moving into a group home, ILO helps you find your own housing arrangement, whether that's renting privately, house-sharing with friends, or living alone with drop-in support.
The idea behind ILO is that you have more choice and control over where and how you live. An ILO provider works with you to:
- Find housing that suits your needs and preferences
- Set up the support you need at home
- Build your independent living skills over time
ILO can be a good option if you don't need 24/7 support but need more than just a few hours of help per week.
Medium Term Accommodation (MTA)
MTA is temporary housing funded by the NDIS, usually for up to 90 days. It's used when you need somewhere to live while a longer-term housing solution is being sorted out.
Common situations where MTA comes into play:
- You've been discharged from hospital but your SDA property isn't ready
- Your current living situation has broken down unexpectedly
- You're transitioning from residential aged care into disability-specific housing
MTA isn't a long-term solution, but it can buy you time while your coordinator works on something permanent.
Renting Independently (With NDIS Support)
Not everyone needs SDA or SIL. Plenty of NDIS participants rent their own place, either from the private market or through community housing providers, and use their plan funding for the support they need at home.
Your NDIS plan can fund things like:
- Support workers to help with daily tasks
- Assistive technology for your home (see our guide on NDIS assistive technology)
- Home modifications (like grab rails, ramps, or accessible bathrooms)
- Help building independent living skills
The NDIS won't pay your rent. Housing costs are your responsibility, through rent, Commonwealth Rent Assistance, or other income. But the disability-related supports that help you live in that home? That's what the NDIS covers.
In Adelaide, there are community housing providers who offer affordable rentals to people with disabilities. Your support coordinator can help you find what's available and put in applications.
The Realistic Timeline
This is the part nobody wants to hear, but it's better to know upfront.
SDA housing can take a long time. From the point where you start the assessment process to actually moving in, 12 months is optimistic. Two years or more is common, depending on what's available in your preferred area.
SIL funding requires a detailed quote and NDIA approval. This process alone can take 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer.
ILO arrangements are generally quicker to set up because they're more flexible, but they still require planning, assessments, and provider availability.
Private rental with supports can be the fastest option if you have the funds for rent and the NDIS supports you need are already in your plan.
This is exactly why it's worth starting the conversation early, even if you're not ready to move for a year or two. The groundwork takes time, and your support coordinator can start laying it now.
Housing in Adelaide vs Regional South Australia
In Adelaide, you'll find more SDA properties, more providers, and more housing options. Suburbs with newer SDA developments include areas across the northern, southern, and western suburbs, though they pop up across the metro area.
In regional South Australia (places like Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Augusta, Whyalla, and the Barossa), options are more limited. SDA supply is lower, and SIL providers may have longer waitlists.
That said, it's not impossible. Some regional areas have community housing organisations with disability-specific properties. And ILO or independent rental with supports can work anywhere if the right providers are available.
If you're in a regional area, our guide on NDIS support outside Adelaide covers what's available.
What Your Support Coordinator Does in This Process
Housing is one of the most complex things a support coordinator works on. Here's what we typically do:
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Talk through your goals. What does your ideal living situation look like? Where do you want to live? Who with (or not with)?
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Organise assessments. OT reports, functional assessments, behaviour support plans if needed. These are the evidence the NDIA requires.
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Research options. What SDA properties are available? Which SIL providers have capacity? What about community housing in your preferred area?
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Submit requests to the NDIA. This might be a change of circumstances request for SDA or SIL funding, or a plan review if your current plan doesn't cover what you need.
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Coordinate the transition. Once housing is confirmed, there's a lot of logistics: setting up utilities, arranging support rosters, trialling the new arrangement, making sure everything works.
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Follow up after the move. The first few months in a new home are an adjustment. Your coordinator checks in to make sure things are going smoothly and addresses any problems early.
Common Problems (And How to Handle Them)
"The NDIA said I don't qualify for SDA." This might be correct, or it might mean the evidence wasn't strong enough. Ask for the decision in writing and talk to your coordinator about whether to request a review or strengthen the evidence.
"I want to live alone but the NDIA keeps pushing shared housing." You have the right to choose your living arrangement. The NDIA should fund reasonable and necessary supports regardless of whether you live alone or with others. Push back on this, in writing.
"There are no SDA properties in my area." This is a supply problem, not a funding problem. New SDA is being built, but it takes time. In the meantime, look at ILO or private rental options with in-home supports.
"My family doesn't think I'm ready to move out." This is common, and it's worth a proper conversation. A support coordinator can help facilitate this discussion and put together a transition plan that gives everyone confidence. Our guide on NDIS for families and carers might help too.
What to Do Next
If you're thinking about moving out, or moving to a different living situation, here's where to start:
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Talk to your support coordinator. If you don't have one, get in touch with us. Housing planning is a big part of what we do.
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Start the conversation early. Even if the move is a year or more away, the assessment and planning process takes time.
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Write down what you want. Location, who you want to live with (or alone), what support you'd need, what's non-negotiable. This gives your coordinator a starting point.
Moving out is a big step. It takes planning, patience, and the right support around you. But it's absolutely possible, and we help people in Adelaide and across South Australia do it every day.
Learn more about how we can help.
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