When you need one
If you want to change where or how you live, and the support can't be met through your current plan, mainstream, community or informal supports, the NDIA needs evidence of your home and living needs. A home and living assessment is usually that evidence. People often get one when:
- Asking for Supported Independent Living (SIL), where you share or have round the clock support in your home
- Exploring an Individualised Living Option (ILO), such as living with a host or a housemate who provides some support
- Testing eligibility for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
- Moving out of the family home, out of hospital or out of residential aged care
- Your support needs at home have changed significantly
Who writes it
Most home and living assessments are written by occupational therapists, because they assess daily living and the home environment. Other allied health reports can add to it, such as a behaviour support plan, a speech pathology report on mealtime safety or a nursing care plan. The NDIA says good evidence is recent and comes from a relevant treating professional.
What the assessment covers
- Your goals for where and how you want to live, and who with
- A typical day and night, hour by hour, and the help you need with each task
- Overnight needs, and whether a worker needs to be awake or can sleep over
- Whether support could be shared with housemates or needs to be one to one
- Your functional capacity, health needs, risks and any behaviours of concern
- The informal support family can sustainably provide
- Housing features you need, and whether SDA might be required
- Recommended options, with reasons, including lower cost ones considered
How it fits with the Home and Living Supporting Evidence Form
The NDIA's Home and Living Supporting Evidence Form tells the agency about your current situation, housing history, strengths, barriers and the supports you are asking for. You, a family member, guardian or support coordinator can fill it in. It works best as a summary, completed after the allied health reports are ready, and pointing to them.
Cost and funding
Assessments are charged by the hour, including report writing, up to the NDIS price limit. For occupational therapy that is $193.99 an hour in 2026/27 in most of Australia. A detailed home and living assessment can take many hours, so ask for a written quote first.
Assessment time usually comes from your Capacity Building budget, typically improved daily living skills. That budget is reduced by 10% when your plan is created, reassessed or renewed under the October 2026 support determination, so check what is left before you book.
SIL and the 2026 changes
Since 1 July 2026 SIL providers must be registered with the NDIS Commission under registration group 0138. If you are moving into SIL, ask the provider for their registration details.
If you receive 24 hour disability support and your plan is affected by the October 2026 funding reset, there is a separate high support needs plan variation pathway. You or your nominee must apply within 90 days of the reset being applied, and an up to date home and living assessment can help show the hours and ratios you need.
For OTs writing these reports
Be specific about time and ratios. A planner needs to see when support is needed, for how long and at what ratio, and why less would be unsafe. Describe hard days and nights, link each recommendation to a goal and a functional need, and explain the options you ruled out.