Applying for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) funding can seem overwhelming, but with the right guidance and understanding, the process becomes much more manageable.
A strong SDA application helps the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) understand your housing needs and determine whether you are eligible for SDA funding.
If you’re applying for the first time or updating your information, being clear, detailed, and well-prepared can make a significant difference.
Here are some practical tips to help you strengthen your SDA application process and improve your chances of approval.
1. Understand What SDA Funding Covers (And What it Doesn’t)
Before you start your application, make sure you understand what SDA funding provides. SDA covers the capital cost of housing for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
It does not cover daily care, personal support, or Supported Independent Living (SIL) costs, but rather the physical home itself.
Funding is available for homes that are designed or modified to support independence and safety, classified into specific design categories:
- High Physical Support: This includes features such as structural provision for ceiling hoists, assistive technology, and emergency power backup. This category is suitable for participants with significant physical support needs.
- Improved Liveability: Improved physical access and features to assist with sensory or cognitive impairment.
- Fully Accessible: Designed for robust physical access, including level entries, wider doorways, and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms (a separate category, but often incorporated into High Physical Support).
- Robust: Highly durable construction and materials to minimise property damage and reduce the need for maintenance.
Understanding what SDA covers helps you focus your application on your housing needs, rather than your general support services.
2. Define Your Housing Goals Clearly
Your housing goals are central to the SDA application process. The NDIA wants to understand how SDA housing will improve your independence, safety, and wellbeing.
Take time to define your goals clearly. Ask yourself:
- What kind of home will help me live more independently?
- What challenges and restrictions do I face in my current housing?
- What level of support do I need from my SDA design category (for example, high physical support, fully accessible, or improved liveability)?
Your answers will guide your housing plan and help your support coordinator, allied health practitioners, and NDIA planner understand your needs.
3. Gather Strong Supporting Evidence
Supporting evidence is one of the most important components of your SDA application. The NDIA requires detailed reports from qualified professionals that explain your functional impairment, housing limitations, and support needs.
Your evidence should include:
- Occupational therapist (OT) report: Explains your physical access needs and how SDA housing will improve your independence.
- Allied health practitioner reports: May include physiotherapy, psychology, or nursing input that supports your ongoing needs.
- Supporting documents: These can include assessments, medical reports, and letters from your support coordinator or local area coordinator (LAC).
Make sure these reports are current, specific, and clearly linked to your housing goals. You can use the Supporting Evidence Form or Home and Living Supports Request Form from the NDIS website to gather and organise your information.
4. Involve Your Support Coordinator Early
An experienced support coordinator can have a significant influence on the outcome of your SDA application. They can help you:
- Identify the most suitable SDA design category
- Arrange assessments with your OT and other allied health professionals
- Complete your living supports request form correctly
- Communicate with your NDIS planner or local area coordinator
Your support coordinator can also connect you with SDA providers like Sana Living to explore available housing options before you submit your request. Knowing what homes are available helps you make realistic choices and strengthens your application.
5. Address the SDA Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for SDA funding, you must meet the SDA eligibility criteria set out in the SDA Rules 2020. The NDIA generally looks for participants who:
- Have extreme functional impairment or very high support needs
- Need a specialist housing solution to achieve their goals
- Would face serious risk or reduced quality of life without SDA
Your supporting evidence should demonstrate why SDA is essential for your independence and wellbeing. Use your reports and statements to link your needs directly to these criteria.
6. Work with an Experienced SDA Provider
Working with a registered SDA provider can help you understand the SDA process more clearly. Experienced providers understand the design standards and building types used in SDA housing and can match you with homes that meet your needs.
Sana Living collaborates with participants, support coordinators, and occupational therapists to ensure each home suits the level of support required. By talking with a provider early in the process, you can identify suitable homes and include these details in your application.
7. Review Your Application Before Submitting
Before you submit your application, review all forms and attachments carefully. Check that you have:
- Completed every section of the request form
- Attached up-to-date professional reports and evidence
- Clearly described your housing goals and outcomes
- Included all required signatures and approvals
A complete and organised application helps prevent delays and reduces the chance of follow-up requests from the NDIA.
8. Stay Involved During the Assessment
After you submit your SDA application, your NDIS planner or local area coordinator may contact you or your support team to discuss your evidence. Stay engaged in these discussions and respond promptly to any questions.
If your SDA funding is approved, you can begin working with your SDA provider to choose your new home and finalise the details.
If your request is not approved, you can ask for a review of the decision and discuss next steps with your support coordinator.
9. Plan Ahead for the Right Home
Finding the right SDA home takes time. While waiting for your outcome, start exploring SDA housing options in your preferred locations. Think about your access to supported independent living (SIL) services, family, and community facilities that will improve your lifestyle and wellbeing.
At Sana Living, we design luxury homes that combine comfort and thoughtful accessibility features, to help you live independently. Our range of SDA-approved villas, apartments, and houses are built to meet various design categories, including high physical support and improved liveability.
