Individualised Living Options (ILO) Explained: How the NDIS Empowers Your Choices
Short answer: an Individualised Living Option (ILO) is an NDIS home and living support that funds the help you need to live in a home you choose, with people you choose. It pays for support, not for rent or the house itself. You still need to show the NDIA that it is reasonable and necessary for your goals.
This guide explains what ILO is, how it differs from SIL and SDA, how the process works, and how to prepare for your planning meeting.
What is an Individualised Living Option?
An ILO is built around you. Instead of fitting into a set housing model, you decide where you want to live and who, if anyone, you want to live with. The supports are then designed to suit that arrangement. ILO is typically delivered in two stages:
- Stage 1: Exploration and design: You work with a provider or support coordinator to work out what you want, test options, and put together a plan for the living arrangement and support.
- Stage 2: Ongoing ILO supports: Once the arrangement is agreed, funding covers the day-to-day support needed to make it work.
Common ILO arrangements include:
- Living on your own with support: your own home, with support workers helping where you need it.
- Living with family or friends: supports fitted around an existing household.
- Host arrangements: you live with a host who provides support at home.
- Co-residency: you share a home with others you have chosen, with supports designed around the group.
ILO vs SIL, SDA and MTA
These supports solve different problems, and people sometimes confuse them. You may use more than one over time, but they are funded separately.
| Support | What it funds | Key features | Who it is best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ILO (Individualised Living Options) | Support to live in a home you choose | Designed around your choices; highly flexible | People who want to shape their own living arrangement |
| SIL (Supported Independent Living) | Rostered support in a shared home | More fixed support schedule | People with high support needs who need help with daily tasks, often around the clock |
| SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) | The cost of a specially designed home | Funds the building, not the support | People with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment |
| MTA (Medium Term Accommodation) | Short-term accommodation | Time-limited transitional support | People in transition, for example waiting for a suitable permanent home |
For a deeper comparison, read our guides on how ILO works and ILO vs traditional supported living.
Who can get ILO?
First, you must be an NDIS participant. That means meeting the NDIS access requirements, including having a permanent and significant disability, being an Australian citizen, permanent resident or Protected Special Category Visa holder, and being under 65 when you first apply.
Being a participant does not mean ILO is automatically funded. The NDIA decides whether ILO is reasonable and necessary for you, based on your goals, your support needs, the evidence you provide, and whether other options would meet your needs.
Benefits of ILO
- Choice about where and with whom you live: Your preferences shape the arrangement.
- Supports that match your needs: They can change as your needs change.
- Community connection: You live in a setting you choose, close to the people and places that matter to you.
- Greater independence: Support is designed to build your skills as well as meet your needs.
- Assistive technology and home modifications: These may be funded separately where they are reasonable and necessary and assessed by a therapist.
ILO is not suitable for everyone, and it is not always the right fit for people who need constant, high-intensity support. A support coordinator or therapist can help you compare options honestly.
How to get ILO into your NDIS plan: 5 steps
- Think about your ideal living situation: Where do you want to live? Who with? What help do you need each day, and what would you like to do for yourself?
- Speak to a support coordinator or ILO provider: They can guide you through exploration and design. Access Foundation offers support coordination and accommodation support in Perth.
- Gather evidence: Reports from an occupational therapist or other allied health professional can explain your needs and why ILO is more suitable than other options. See our therapy services.
- Prepare a clear proposal: This should describe the living arrangement you want, the support needed, and a budget. Your coordinator or provider can help.
- Explain it at your planning meeting or review: Use your evidence and proposal to show how ILO connects to your goals. Keep copies of all documents.
Tip: Use specific goal wording, such as “live in my own unit with daily support so I can cook and manage my own routine”, rather than “get an ILO”.
What ILO does not fund
- Rent, mortgage payments and everyday living costs such as groceries and utilities.
- The cost of the dwelling itself. That is the role of SDA, where eligible.
- Support you do not need or that is not linked to your goals.
If you manage your own budget or want help tracking spending, our plan management service can help.
ILO FAQs
What is an Individualised Living Option (ILO)?
An NDIS home and living support that funds the help you need to live in a home you choose, with people you choose. It funds support, not the house.
Does ILO funding pay for rent or a mortgage?
No. ILO funds the support you need to live in your chosen home. Rent, mortgage and everyday living costs are your own responsibility.
Who can get ILO?
You must be an NDIS participant, and the NDIA must agree that ILO is reasonable and necessary for your goals and needs. Access to the NDIS does not guarantee ILO funding.
What is the difference between ILO and SIL?
SIL funds a roster of support workers in a shared home and is usually a more set arrangement. ILO is designed around your own choices about where and with whom you live.
How do I find an ILO provider?
Ask your support coordinator, check the NDIS provider finder, and ask providers whether they offer ILO exploration and design as well as ongoing support.
Next steps
If you or someone you support is thinking about ILO in Perth, Access Foundation can help you explore your options, gather evidence and prepare for your plan meeting. Learn more about our NDIS services and assistance with daily living.
Talk to our team about ILO or call (08) 6243 9569 / 0405 158 234, or email info@accessfoundation.com.au.
This guide is general information, not individual advice. NDIS home and living rules change, so confirm details with the NDIS or your planner.