What is an Individualised Living Option?
An Individualised Living Option (ILO) is an NDIS home-and-living support that helps you live in your chosen home environment, in a way that suits you. It’s not the house itself—it’s the mix of paid and unpaid supports around you. ILO can look like living with housemates in your own place, or a host arrangement where you live in a host’s home.
ILO supports are designed and funded in two stages:
Stage 1 – Exploration & Design: work out where and how you want to live, who with, what supports you need, and who will provide them.
Stage 2 – Supports: put your arrangement in place, monitor it, and adjust as needs change.
ILO doesn’t cover activities outside the home (work/study, sport or social outings). Those supports can be included elsewhere in your plan (e.g., Core or Capacity Building) or via home modifications where needed.
What could ILO include?
Examples of supports in your ILO package:
Decision-making supports (where to live, who with, and how)
Personal care
Help to set up and manage your home (bills, routines, safety)
Skill-building for independence (cooking, cleaning, tenancy skills)
Maintaining connection with family, friends, and community
Help with day-to-day decisions, emotions and behaviour
Unpaid informal supports (neighbours, friends, family)
On-call or drop-in arrangements
Training for people who support you
Not covered by ILO: rent/mortgage, food and utilities, payments to informal supports, Supported Independent Living (SIL), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), home modifications, and supports outside the home (these may be funded separately).
Is ILO right for you?
ILO is typically suitable if you:
Are 18+ (or 17 and planning for after 18)
Need ≥ 6 hours of support at home each day (formal or informal)
Are ready to explore where/how you want to live and who supports you
ILO may not be right if you:
Need less than 6 hours support per day and little problem-solving
Need 24-hour rostered support or frequent overnight support
Have restrictive practices in place (SIL or other options may suit better)
If ILO isn’t the best fit, other NDIS home & living supports may be more appropriate.
How ILO is funded (two stages)
Stage 1 – Exploration & Design
Funding to co-design your living arrangement and complete a service proposal. You can do this with a provider, your support coordinator, and people important to you.
Typical funded hours (guide):
Up to 30 hours if you know what you need and decisions are straightforward
Up to 50 hours if you’re unsure or moving areas, or decisions involve more people
Up to 100 hours if your needs are complex, you’re moving to a very different area, or multiple decision-makers are involved
Outputs include: your goals, risks, roles of primary/supplementary supports, monitoring approach, and estimated costs.
Stage 2 – Supports
Funding to implement, monitor, and adjust your ILO.
Your Stage 2 package includes:
Primary supports (e.g., host or housemates providing daily support)
Supplementary supports (drop-ins, on-call, family respite, neighbors/mentors)
Monitoring & adjustments (check-ins, reviews, changes as needs evolve)
Indicative support levels (guide only):
Level 1 – up to $105,000/yr (companionship + casual direct support; light monitoring)
Level 2 – up to $150,000/yr (more regular direct support; redesign likely)
Level 3 – up to $230,000/yr (sustained support; significant monitoring; complex needs)
Actual funding is based on your individual needs, the NDIS funding criteria, and the NDIS Pricing Arrangements & Price Limits (formerly Price Guide).
Evidence & the NDIS funding criteria
All ILO supports must meet reasonable and necessary criteria. The NDIS considers whether supports are:
Related to your disability and help pursue home & living goals
Effective and beneficial (will they work for you?)
Legal & safe
Value for money compared to alternatives
Not the responsibility of informal/community supports or mainstream systems
You’ll usually provide:
The ILO service proposal (Stage 1 output)
Allied health or professional reports (as relevant)
Details of primary/supplementary supports and monitoring plan
Examples (updated names)
Case 1 – Hannah (host arrangement):
Hannah, 24, wants to move from her parents’ home into a quieter suburb. Stage 1 funding helps her design an ILO with a host who provides companionship, prompts with morning routines, and on-call support. Her Stage 2 package combines host (primary) with paid drop-ins (supplementary) and a simple monitoring schedule. After 6 months, Hannah prepares meals independently three nights per week.
Case 2 – Marcus (housemates):
Marcus, 32, shares a rental with two housemates. He needs help with tenancy tasks, personal care prompts, and staying safe in the kitchen. His ILO blends housemate support (primary), on-call evenings, and family respite as supplementary. Monitoring identifies weekend anxiety triggers; the plan is adjusted to add a Sunday check-in and skills coaching.
Managing ILO funding
You can manage ILO funding in three ways:
Self-managed
Plan-managed (via a registered Plan Manager)
NDIA-managed (agency-managed)
Want hassle-free invoice payments and budget tracking? Plan Management with Complete Money Management.
Key takeaways
ILO is about the supports, not the house
Funded in two stages: design first, then implement and monitor
Works best for people needing ≥ 6 hours/day at-home support
Uses a mix of primary & supplementary supports tailored to you
Must meet the NDIS funding criteria and be value for money
Helpful links
External: