Specialist Disability Accommodation home

SDA vs SIL: what is the difference?

By The Find My SDA Team · Updated 31 Jul 2026

SDA and SIL are two of the most confused terms in the NDIS, partly because they often appear together in the same home. This guide explains the difference in plain terms: SDA is the building, SIL is the support you receive to live in it. It is general information, not advice about your own plan.

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What SDA is

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is the home itself: a specially designed, accessible dwelling built to the NDIS SDA Design Standard for participants with an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.

SDA funding pays for the bricks and mortar of that home and is paid by the NDIS to the SDA provider, not to you. Most residents also pay a Reasonable Rent Contribution towards living there.

What SIL is

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is the day-to-day support that helps you live in your home. It covers help with everyday tasks such as personal care, meals, medication prompts and building daily living skills, usually delivered by support workers.

SIL is funded through your core supports, separately from SDA. You can receive SIL in an SDA home, in other housing, or without SDA at all.

The key difference

The simplest way to remember it: SDA is the house, SIL is the help. SDA is about the physical home and its accessibility features. SIL is about the people who support you inside it.

They are funded as separate line items in your NDIS plan, and you can be funded for one, both, or neither, depending on your needs.

How SDA and SIL work together

In many shared SDA homes, residents also receive SIL, so the accommodation and the support are arranged alongside each other. Even then, the two remain separate: different funding, and often different providers.

When you enquire about an SDA vacancy with Find My SDA, we can explain how the accommodation is enrolled and how any on-site support is arranged for that particular home, so you can see how SDA and SIL fit together for you.

How to check what is in your plan

Your NDIS plan shows whether you are funded for SDA, SIL, or both, usually as separate line items. If you are unsure, your support coordinator, plan manager or NDIS planner can explain what your plan allows.

Knowing which you are funded for helps you look for the right home and the right support before you make a decision.

Common questions

Is SDA the same as SIL?

No. SDA is the specially designed home, funded to the provider for the dwelling. SIL is the day-to-day support you receive to live in it, funded separately in your plan.

Can I get SIL without SDA?

Yes. SIL support can be delivered in ordinary housing, not only in SDA homes. They are separate types of funding.

Do SDA and SIL come from the same provider?

Not always. The SDA provider owns or is enrolled for the home, while SIL support is often delivered by a separate support provider. A single home can involve both.

How do I know if I am funded for SDA or SIL?

Your NDIS plan lists them as separate line items. Your support coordinator or NDIS planner can confirm what your plan includes if you are unsure.

More guides

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