Plain-language definitions
NDIS Housing Glossary
Plain-language definitions for the NDIS and disability housing terms you'll hear most.
- SDA — Specialist Disability Accommodation
- NDIS-funded housing designed and built for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. SDA funding pays for the home itself, not the support inside it.
- SIL — Supported Independent Living
- NDIS-funded day-to-day support delivered inside the home — help with tasks like cooking, personal care and community access. Delivered by a support provider you choose, separate from your SDA provider.
- ILO — Individualised Living Options
- A flexible, person-centred alternative to standard SIL, where support is built around how and with whom a participant wants to live — for example, living with a host family or a small group of friends.
- STA — Short Term Accommodation
- Short stays away from a participant’s usual home, often used for respite, to give regular carers a break, or to trial a living arrangement before committing long-term.
- RRC — Reasonable Rent Contribution
- The standard NDIS formula tenants pay toward rent — generally 25% of the participant’s Disability Support Pension (or equivalent income) plus 100% of any Commonwealth Rent Assistance received.
- SDA Price
- The amount the NDIS pays an SDA provider for the home, set according to the dwelling’s design category, building type and location. Paid separately from a tenant’s RRC.
- NDIS Plan
- The individualised funding plan the NDIS approves for a participant, setting out which supports (including SDA and/or SIL) are funded and for how long.
- LAC — Local Area Coordinator
- A person or organisation that helps NDIS participants understand and access their plan, connect with services, and navigate the broader community and mainstream supports.
- Support Coordinator
- A funded NDIS support role that helps a participant implement their plan — connecting them with providers, including SDA and SIL providers, and helping coordinate multiple supports.
- OOA — On-site Overnight Assistance
- A SIL support model where a worker stays overnight at the property (rather than on-call remotely) to provide assistance if needed during the night.
- Reasonable and Necessary
- The NDIS test applied to every support funded in a plan — it must be related to the participant’s disability, represent value for money, and be likely to be effective.
- Vacancy
- An SDA or SIL home that currently has, or will soon have, a room or dwelling available for a new resident.