Published on: Jan 28, 2021 at 22:23
We often get asked about how NDIS rent works with Supported independent Living (SIL), Medium Term Accommodation (MTA), Short term and respite accommodation (STA) and Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA).
It can be very confusing!
Are you paying for support, or for rent? What will the NDIS pay for? What’s “reasonable and necessary”? What if you have expensive care and medication needs, and your DSP (disability support pension) is stretched with those already?
Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA)
SDA funding covers changes to be made to the building you live in to make it accessible. Often these buildings are constructed from scratch to meet accessibility needs.
You do pay rent in SDA.
The amount of “reasonable rent contribution” you pay is calculated by looking at your income plus any money you get from the government. It can be up to 25% of your fortnightly income (capped at the DSP rate), plus 25% of any other pension supplement you get, plus all rental assistance you get.
What might that actually look like in dollars?
- Maximum DSP is $860.60 per fortnight; maximum pension supplements are $69.60 per fortnight; maximum rental assistance is $139.60per fortnight.
- That means total rent could be a maximum of $215.15 fortnightly DSP, $17.40 fortnightly of supplements, and $139.60 fortnightly of rental assistance.
- That’s $186.08 per week.
Summer Housing has a great NDIS SDA calculator for rent here.
Supported Independent Living (SIL)
SIL funding is for support that you receive in your home. Sometimes those supports are provided in the home you already live in, maybe with your family. Sometimes the supports are provided in a house that a provider owns, and rents to you.
You do pay rent in SIL arrangements.
If you’re living in a property that a provider rents to you, make sure you understand what rent they’re asking for from you, and how long for.
The company that rents the property to you should be a different one from the company that provides you with support. This can be confusing and annoying, but it is for your protection, so that if you have an argument with the person who provides your supports, you don’t risk losing your home.
Short term, respite and medium term accommodation (STA and MTA)
You don’t pay rent in STA and MTA.
Short term and respite accommodation is where the NDIS pays for you to stay away from your usual home for up to 14 days. It includes food, personal care, and accommodation, plus any activities you and the provider agree that will be included.
Medium term accommodation covers the cost of rent for up to 90 days. It does not include food, personal care or utilities like the internet or electricity.
Independent Living Options (ILO)
There are a few different types of independent living options. For example, you might be renting your own home, sharing with others, or living in a host family. Most of these options require you to pay rent separately to your NDIS funding.
We will write another blog all about ILO with the details of some of these arrangements.