Living Alone for the First Time: A Transition Guide for NDIS Participants

Key information

• NDIS funding can support eligible participants to live more independently, but it won't cover rent, groceries, or everyday household bills.
• Living supports include Supported Independent Living (SIL), Individualised Living Options (ILO), and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). Not all of these align with living on your own.
• Capacity building supports can help you develop the skills to live on your own and manage tenancy obligations.
• Core supports can fund day-to-day help at home, like personal care, meal prep, and household tasks.

Moving into your own space for the first time is a big step. It's exciting, but sometimes daunting too! For National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants, living alone could be one of your long-term plan goals – and you may be able to use approved, NDIS funded supports to help.

NDIS Funding for Living Arrangements

For eligible participants, the NDIS may provide funding for living arrangements like:

Supported Independent Living (SIL)

This is where you live in a shared home, with support workers onsite. SIL is designed for people who want to live independently, within a shared or group home which allows them to share the supports onsite. The funding covers the cost of staff (support workers) in these arrangements, not the cost of the home.

Individualised Living Options (ILO)

This can include host arrangements, housemates, or drop-in support. ILOs are personalised and flexible support packages that allow you to explore and design different options for how you want to live, including who you want to live with – such as family, friends, a partner, or on your own. You can structure your ILO using both formal and informal supports.

Related: Core Supports Budget: NDIS Home and Living 101

What about Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?

SDA funding is different, because it focuses on the accommodation itself. SDA housing has been designed to be accessible for participants living with significant disabilities, to better accommodate high level or complex support needs. SDA funding covers the cost of this housing itself, not rent or other disability support costs.

You can live alone in Specialist Disability Accommodation if your support needs and funding justify this, but this is not always the best solution – and it's not the most common one, either.

How the NDIS can help you transition to your new living arrangement

If you're looking to live on your own, there are a few ways your NDIS plan may be able to help you get there.

Building your capacity to live independently

Your capacity building supports budget helps you become more independent over time. If one of your plan goals is to live on your own, then you may be able to access supports to build the skills that make this easier, safer and more comfortable for you.

For example:

• Improved Living Arrangements can help you find housing options that are right for you, apply to them, support you to set up utilities and other regular household bills, and provide ongoing support to make sure you can keep up with your obligations as a tenant – or help you with any tenancy issues that arise over time.
• Improved Daily Living is designed to help you live more independently, by increasing your capacity and skill with everyday tasks over time. This may include things like approved NDIS therapy supports to help you handle tasks and overcome disability-related barriers to activities (like occupational therapy).

Daily life support once you're in your home

If you have funding for Core Supports – Assistance with Daily Life, you can purchase support for help with the things that make living alone more difficult for you. This can include things like:

• Personal care and getting ready for your day, like showering, washing your hair, and getting dressed.
• Helping you with everyday household chores like cleaning and laundry.
• Helping you prepare and make meals.
• Getting you to appointments and other everyday activities.

Your core supports are designed to help you at your current capacity, so you can live a more full and independent life – whatever that looks like to you.

Will the NDIS pay rent?

No – you can't use NDIS funding to pay rent, mortgage, or any regular household expenses like groceries, internet or utilities. This is because NDIS funding must be used for reasonable and necessary supports that are in line with your plan as written.

Your plan funds may be able to help with other disability-specific costs that can support your independence and safety at home, but not everyday costs that everyone must reasonably pay.

Related: Reasonable and Necessary Supports Under The NDIS

How to get the right supports in your NDIS plan

The best way to get these supports is to make sure they align with your plan goals, and that you have any evidence necessary to support your need for specific funded supports, like therapy supports. This could include reports from recent functional capacity assessments (FCAs), key information about your treatment journey, and any other relevant and recent information from your treating professionals.

Before you start gathering evidence, it's best to have a chat with your support coordinator or local area coordinator (LAC) to see what might be needed. Checking first can save you time and stress later!

You can request a review of your NDIS plan at any time, or you can talk about this goal at your next NDIS planning meeting.

Note: When the new I-CAN assessments start rolling out from 01 April 2027, you won't need to be as reliant on self-funded reports as supplementary evidence. Instead of focusing on your disability itself, the new system will focus on what you can do with the right support.

Related: 8 Tips to Make Your NDIS Evidence More Effective

How plan management fits in

You might be using a range of different supports (and providers) as you transition into living on your own, which can get complex fast. Working with a trusted plan manager can make things easier.

NDSP Plan Managers handles paying your providers, tracking budgets, and other financial admin to keep your plan running smoothly. We take care of the financial aspects of your NDIS plan, so you can focus on moving into your new place and getting the support you need to thrive there. As an NDIS-registered plan management provider, NDSP empowers participants across Australia with our accessible national network and team-based approach.

If you're new to the NDIS, or looking to change providers, why not contact NDSP today to learn more about our approach to plan management – and how we can help you on your NDIS journey.