Capacity Building Supports budget: Improved Living Arrangements

Having a space you can live comfortably in is important for enjoying a good quality of life.

Improved Living Arrangements supports are designed to help you find, secure, and maintain housing that is suited to your needs if you aren’t able to do so on your own. The services provided can assist you to secure a rental property, and help you to meet your obligations as a tenant. 

The goal is to get you into a long-term living situation, where you are safe and have the support you need – both while you’re looking for your home and once you’re living there. Having the right home can build your functional capacity and independence, which helps you to do and achieve more in other areas.

What does NDIS Improved Living Arrangements include?

You can claim support services to find and keep appropriate accommodation. This support can help with items like:

1. Exploring housing options – working with a support worker or your support coordinator to find a place that’s right for you; whether that’s a rental property, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), or a shared residential option.
2. Your tenancy applications and paperwork, to make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities under these agreements.
3. Support while you transition into your new home, like having a support worker help set up utilities accounts for you.
4. Ongoing support to make sure you can maintain your residence; keeping up with your obligations as a tenant, or services to help with any tenancy issues arising over time.

Improved Living Arrangements can also be claimed to cover provider travel or non-face-to-face provision of support services, provided this is reasonable and necessary for your situation (and that any travel costs are within the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits guidelines).

Related: A Guide to the NDIS Travel Allowance for Support Workers

What isn’t covered by Improved Living Arrangements?

The NDIS will not pay for rent or for bond, because this is not ‘reasonable or necessary’ in regards to your specific disability needs. The scheme is not designed to cover costs or services that everyone must pay. This means general costs involved with moving into a new place won’t be eligible, such as:

• Rent or bonds
• Mortgage payments
• Home or land deposits
• Costs associated with purchasing or selling property (like stamp duty)
• General household expenses and everyday items like utilities, furniture, cleaning products or groceries

Related: Reasonable and Necessary Supports Under the NDIS

How is Improved Living Arrangements funded?

Improved Living Arrangements is categorised under Capacity Building supports. It allows you to have both support and input to ensure you can find a place that’s right. Your ideal arrangement could be on your own or with others, depending on your care needs and your preferences. 

You may also see Improved Living Arrangements referred to as part of Home and Living. This is not a support category, but in some NDIS resources ‘Home and Living’ offers a broad overview of various home-based supports across different categories.

Adding Improved Living Arrangements to your Plan

To add this category of funding, you’ll need to include relevant goals in your NDIS plan. You would need to be able to justify how a different living arrangement would help you build independence, or improve your quality of life. 

If you need this support after a change in your situation (if your current living arrangement has become unsuitable, or your care needs have changed), you can ask for a review of your Plan at any time. You will still need to discuss, provide evidence where needed, and have any changes approved by the NDIS before new supports are added to your Plan.

Types of Living Arrangements Explained

Improved Living Arrangements helps you secure housing from various options. Depending on what is best suited for you and your needs, there is a good amount of choice you can exercise in choosing your new arrangement. This might include looking at options like:

Shared Residences (family, house mates, or hosted arrangements)

Living with family, or in a house share situation, is preferable for some NDIS participants. This is a good option for those with strong informal support networks, as it allows you to live with loved ones who can help manage your current disability related needs – and allows you to be more social with your co-residents.

Private Rentals

Support finding a private rental can include having someone help you search and narrow down prospects for suitable housing, apply for different properties, and go over your tenancy agreement/s to make sure you have a full understanding of your responsibilities and rights.

Supported or Specialist Living Arrangements

If you require specialist disability care or would benefit from supported accommodation, you may be eligible for funding in order to help coordinate your transition from your current living situation.

You won’t be able to claim the costs of the community or residence itself from your Improved Living Arrangements NDIS budget. They have their own funding in other categories:

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)

SDA is for those with high support needs, and special housing requirements. SDA housing provides a higher level of support in an accessible environment, with on-site support staff and modified areas like bathrooms, kitchens and entryways. This is listed under Capital Supports.

Supported Independent Living (SIL)

This is for people who require daily support and live in a shared home, with support workers who assist them in their daily tasks. This is listed in Core Supports – Assistance with Daily Life.

What about Short & Medium Term Accommodation?

While ‘accommodation’ and ‘living arrangements’ might sound like the same thing in non-NDIS contexts, Short Term and Medium Term Accommodation are functionally different supports to Improved Living Arrangements (and funded differently, too).

Short Term Accommodation (STA)

This is a broad term for short-term care arrangements including respite care. STA as a support is designed to help give you and your carer (an informal support, such as a family member) a short break from your usual care arrangement.

‘Short term’ means up to 14 days at a time, and up to 28 days total per year. Longer arrangements would be classified as Supported Independent living or Medium Term Accommodation.

Related: NDIS Respite Care & Short Term Accommodation (STA) Explained

Medium Term Accommodation (MTA)

If you have a long-term living arrangement to go to but aren’t able to move in immediately, there are other NDIS supports you might be able to access in order to bridge the gap. This includes MTA.

MTA is for specific cases where you might need transitional accommodation while you’re waiting for your new home to be ready. For example: Participants might qualify for MTA if you are waiting for space in an SDA placement where someone else must first move out, or when moving into a more permanent home after being discharged from hospital or other short-term situation.

Unlike short term arrangements, you would be responsible for your own everyday living costs and food.

NDSP: Making NDIS funding less of a mystery

Not sure what your Plan covers, or what support items are covered by Improved Living Arrangements? NDSP’s expert Plan Management specialists can help demystify things for you.

If you’re an NDSP client, you can easily find out what funding you have – including a live view of your budgets. Visit our user-friendly Nappa portal any time day or night, or contact our friendly team on 1800 63 63 77 if you’d prefer to speak to someone in person.

Plan Management is a great compromise between the sole responsibility of self-management, and the hands-off approach of Agency management. Our team tracks your budgets, handles provider invoicing, and has the expertise to answer even the curliest questions about the NDIS. Why not get in touch today to learn more about how we can help you reach your goals.