SIL and SDA: What’s the difference?
Getting to know the world of disability support, the names of the various services, and what they all mean, can be confusing!
One question we often hear is “what is the difference between SIL and SDA?” Both relate to support to live independently at home, but they’re actually two very different things. Let’s break it down.
What is SIL?
SIL stands for Supported Independent Living. SIL funding covers person-to-person supports, delivered in your home. That means support workers come to your home, around the clock on a roster basis, to provide disability care and support.
Quite often, people need some form of around-the-clock care to live independently, but they just don’t need intense one-on-one support, all of the time. This is why SIL supports are often delivered in a share-house setting. This means two or three disabled people can share a home as housemates, and support workers come to the home, to provide support to all the housemates at once. This way, the house mates share the costs from their NDIS plans.
SIL funding does not cover rent or regular living expenses: it exclusively covers the supports provided in your home. But to live in one of these share-house arrangements, you can be part of a Rooming Agreement, and your portion of the rent can be paid privately, including from your Disability Support Pension or Rent Assistance allowance.
Read more about Supported Independent Living
What is SDA?
SDA stands for Specialist Disability Accommodation. It is housing that has been specially built, or modified, to be accessible for people with high physical care needs or extreme functional impairment. It includes specifications to help you to live as independently as possible, and to allow your supports to be delivered safely. This could mean ramp access, accessible bathrooms, modified kitchens, hoists, robust construction, and more. This funding goes toward the “bricks and mortar” home for you to live in.
The funding is allocated to you, the participant, based on your needs. But, the NDIS pays the funding directly to the SDA provider of the home you live in, to cover the building and maintenance costs. You’ll still make a rent contribution, generally from your Rent Assistance allowance and a portion of your Disability Support Pension.
Could I be eligible for both SIL and SDA?
As you can see, these are two very different supports. Only around 6 per cent of NDIS participants are eligible for SDA funding, but yes – some are eligible for both SIL and SDA.
Our For Care team has a broad range of experience in the disability sector, and in customising SIL supports to your needs and goals. We work with you to understand your situation and create a solution that’s perfect for you.
We also know that starting out with a new service can be a big move, with lots of questions! If you want to know more about SIL, the opportunities available, or our supports in southern Queensland, contact us. We’d love to make a time to sit down for a chat with you, clarify anything you’re unsure about, and help you find your new home in supported disability accommodation.
