What Are Independent Living Options (ILO) Under the NDIS? A Perth Guide for 2026
Choosing where and how to live is one of the most personal decisions any adult makes, yet for many NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) participants the available housing models can feel rigid. Group homes, shared SIL (Supported Independent Living) arrangements, and purpose-built SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) properties each follow a fairly fixed template. Independent Living Options (ILO) exists precisely because not every participant fits that template.
If you have been told ILO might suit you, or you have simply heard the term from a planner or Support Coordinator, this guide explains exactly what ILO is, how it differs from SIL, and what an ILO arrangement can realistically look like for a Perth participant in 2026. This guide is written by Innovative Disability Services & Accommodation, a registered NDIS provider (Reg. No. 0405 016 4686) based in Cockburn Central, so every detail reflects how ILO actually works for participants across Perth’s southern corridor.
What Is Independent Living Options (ILO) Under the NDIS?
Independent Living Options (ILO) is an NDIS support category that helps participants design a living arrangement around their own goals, rather than placing them into a standard group home. In short, ILO is not a type of housing at all — it is a flexible approach to support that can apply to almost any living situation a participant chooses.
Specifically, ILO recognises that independence looks different for everyone. Some participants want to live entirely on their own with periodic check-ins. Others prefer a host arrangement, where they live alongside a matched person who provides informal support and company. A smaller group choose to live with one or two selected housemates, sharing costs and companionship without the formal structure of a SIL home.
Because ILO sits outside the traditional group home model, it is often described as the most individualised of the NDIS accommodation supports. For participants who value choice and control above all else, that flexibility is the entire point.
What Is the Difference Between ILO and SIL in the NDIS?
The core difference is what each support actually funds. SIL (Supported Independent Living) funds support workers who deliver structured daily assistance in a shared or individual home, usually following a fairly consistent roster. ILO, in contrast, funds a more individualised mix of supports built around whatever living arrangement — solo, host, or co-resident — the participant has chosen.
In practical terms, SIL tends to suit participants who need more predictable, rostered daily support, often in a shared home matched and managed by a provider. ILO tends to suit participants who want more say over who they live with and how their support is structured, even if that means a less conventional arrangement such as living with a host family.
Importantly, ILO and SIL are not mutually exclusive categories competing for the same participant. Some people move from SIL into ILO as their independence grows, while others combine elements of both depending on how their NDIS plan is structured. Because the right fit depends entirely on individual goals and support needs, this is a conversation worth having directly with a Support Coordinator or experienced provider before locking in either path. For a closer look at how SIL works on its own, see our Supported Independent Living (SIL) guide
How Is ILO Different From SDA and MTA?
Because ILO, SDA, and MTA are all NDIS accommodation-related supports, it is easy to blur the lines between them. However, each one answers a different question.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) funds the physical home itself for participants with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment — it is about the building, not the day-to-day support. Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) is a temporary, interim housing solution for participants waiting for their long-term home to become available, typically over a period of months rather than years.
ILO, by contrast, is not about the property and is not meant to be temporary. It is an ongoing, individualised support model that can apply to a participant’s permanent living situation, regardless of who owns or manages the property itself. If you are still working out which category applies to your situation, our Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) pages explain each option in more depth. Participants weighing up a short, supported break instead should look at our Respite and Short-Term Accommodation (STA) service.
What Does an ILO Arrangement Look Like in Perth?
For Perth participants, ILO arrangements generally fall into one of three models. A solo living arrangement involves the participant renting or owning their own home, with periodic support visits and check-ins. A host arrangement matches the participant with a carefully selected individual or family who provides informal support alongside their own household routine. A co-resident model involves the participant choosing to live with one or two specific housemates, rather than being placed into a managed shared home.
In every model, the support plan is built around the participant first and the property second. That is the opposite order to how SDA and much of SIL are typically structured, and it is exactly why ILO appeals to participants who value choice over convenience. For a broader view of how ILO fits alongside other accommodation pathways, our disability accommodation overview compares all the options side by side.
How Do I Get Started With ILO at Innovative Disability Services?
Getting started with ILO begins with a conversation, not a form. Our Independent Living Options (ILO) service team will review your current NDIS plan, talk through your goals and preferences, and help you understand whether ILO, SIL, or a combination of supports is the right starting point.
From there, we work directly with you — and your Support Coordinator, if you have one — to build an individualised living arrangement. That might mean exploring host matching, identifying potential co-residents, or simply structuring the right skill-building supports around your existing living situation. Throughout, our focus stays on person-centred and flexible support models, careful matching, and ongoing monitoring, so the arrangement keeps working as your goals change. We support self-managed, plan-managed, and NDIA-managed participants alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Choice over housemates, or whether to live with a host or entirely alone, is one of the defining features of ILO. This is one of the main differences between ILO and a standard shared SIL home.
ILO funding is based on your individual needs assessment, the same as other NDIS supports. There is no fixed ILO price — the right funding level depends on the complexity of support your arrangement requires.
Because ILO is built to be flexible, arrangements can be reviewed and adjusted. If a host or co-resident arrangement is not the right fit, our team works with you to explore alternative options rather than leaving you without support.
Timelines vary depending on whether you are exploring a solo, host, or co-resident model, and whether suitable matches are already available. Generally speaking, host and co-resident matching takes longer than a solo arrangement, since finding the right personal fit is the priority over speed.
Not necessarily, but a Support Coordinator can make the process considerably smoother, particularly when negotiating funding splits between Core Supports and Capacity Building during a plan review.