What is SDA?

Also known as: Specialist Disability Accommodation

SDA is NDIS funding for the physical dwelling a participant with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs lives in. It pays the housing provider for accessible, purpose-built housing. SDA covers the building; SIL covers the support workers inside it, and the two are funded and claimed separately.

SDA is Capital Supports funding and is paid to the registered SDA provider, typically as a recurring payment tied to the dwelling’s design category, building type and location. Only a small proportion of participants are eligible.

Confusing SDA with SIL is the most common error in this area. A participant may have one, the other, both, or neither: SDA answers “what building”, SIL answers “what support”.

Related terms

SILSIL is NDIS funding for the support a participant needs to live in a shared or individual home — help with daily tasks, personal care and overnight assistance. It pays for the support workers, not the housing itself. SIL is quoted per participant based on an agreed roster of care for the household.Capital SupportsCapital Supports is the NDIS budget category funding one-off, higher-cost items: assistive technology, home and vehicle modifications, and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Funding is tied to specific approved items, usually requires a quote and often an allied health assessment, and cannot be spent on anything else.

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