Is SDA the same as SIL?

No. SDA pays for the physical home (bricks and mortar). SIL pays for the support workers who assist you day-to-day. They can be funded together but are two separate line items in an NDIS plan.

Do all NDIS participants get SDA?

No. SDA is only for participants whose extreme functional impairment or very high support needs meet the eligibility criteria. Most participants receive support in a mainstream home.

How do I search for an SDA home?

Start on our Find an SDA Home page, pick your state, bedrooms and design category, and shortlist properties to enquire with providers directly.

What is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?

Purpose-built accessible home interior with open plan layout.

By SDA Listings Editorial · 1 July 2026 · 7 min read

What SDA actually pays for

SDA is the housing itself — the walls, ramps, ceiling hoists, wider doorways, reinforced bathrooms and smart-home wiring that make a home usable for someone with extreme functional impairment. It does not pay for personal supports. Those come from Supported Independent Living (SIL), Home and Community Care or informal supports.

The NDIA funds SDA at a set price per bedroom, per year, based on three things: the design category, the building type and the location. A participant with SDA funding chooses a home in their price bracket and the provider claims the payment directly from the NDIS.

The four SDA design categories

Improved Liveability — better lines of sight, hearing and lighting for people with sensory or cognitive impairment.
Fully Accessible — removes environmental barriers for people with significant physical impairment.
Robust — hard-wearing and safe for people whose behaviour of concern may damage a standard home.
High Physical Support — the highest specification, including ceiling hoists, structural provision and assistive technology.

If you are unsure which category is right, our SDA design categories explained guide walks through each with examples.

Who is SDA for?

SDA is for a small subset of NDIS participants — roughly 6% — who have extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. The NDIA assesses need against the SDA Rules. Being told you may benefit is not the same as being approved: the funding must appear in your plan before a provider can claim it.

How to start your search

Once SDA funding is in a plan, the participant, their coordinator or their family can start shortlisting homes. On SDA Listings you can:

Open Find an SDA Home and enter state, bedrooms and category.
Browse published vacancies on Browse Properties.
Contact the provider directly via the enquiry form — no data is auto-shared.

Support coordinators can manage shortlists per participant from the coordinator workspace. Providers can list vacancies from the provider dashboard.

What to watch out for

Not every listing marketed as "SDA" is actually enrolled. Ask the provider for the enrollment reference and design category. Confirm the vacancy is real — good providers keep vacancy status current. Our questions to ask a provider guide covers the essentials.

Frequently asked questions

Is SDA the same as SIL?: No. SDA pays for the physical home (bricks and mortar). SIL pays for the support workers who assist you day-to-day. They can be funded together but are two separate line items in an NDIS plan.
Do all NDIS participants get SDA?: No. SDA is only for participants whose extreme functional impairment or very high support needs meet the eligibility criteria. Most participants receive support in a mainstream home.
How do I search for an SDA home?: Start on our Find an SDA Home page, pick your state, bedrooms and design category, and shortlist properties to enquire with providers directly.