Moving Out of the Family Home on the NDIS: A Guide for Parents

Last updated: 30 October 2026

If your adult son or daughter has a disability and lives with you, the question of moving out of home on the NDIS usually comes up slowly. Maybe they have started talking about it, or you have started to wonder what will happen as you get older. We’ve written this for parents in Western Sydney who are starting to think about that move: when it might be time, what the NDIS will and won’t pay for, and how to get your young person (and yourself) ready.

Contents

• Signs it might be time to plan the move
• Home and living options on the NDIS
• What the NDIS pays for and what it does not
• How to ask for home and living supports
• A realistic step-by-step timeline
• Preparing your young person
• Letting go as a parent
• Planning for when you get older
• Moving out of home with Skillwise in Western Sydney
• Frequently asked questions

Signs it might be time to plan the move

There is no right age. Your son or daughter has the same right as anyone to think about a home of their own. Some signs it may be time to start planning:

• Your young person says they want more privacy, their own space or to live with friends.
• They are finishing school, starting work or study, or their friends are moving out.
• Your own health, energy or work is making the current level of care hard to keep up.
• You are worried about what would happen if you suddenly could not provide care.

In our Rooty Hill team’s experience, families who start talking a year or two before a move tend to have more choice than those planning during a crisis.

Home and living options on the NDIS

The NDIA’s guide to home and living options lists several types of support. Some people have more than one in their plan. Here is a plain summary.

Assistance with daily life and renting

Many people who move out of the family home rent a place, alone or with others, and use assistance with daily life for drop-in help. The NDIA says this is often used when you only need targeted support or do not need support all the time. Our guide to assistance with daily life and drop-in support explains this in more detail.

Individualised living options (ILO)

ILO lets your young person design where and how they live. The NDIA describes two stages: first exploring and designing the arrangement with a provider (this usually takes 30 to 100 hours), then setting it up once a service proposal is approved. ILO does not pay for rent, the home itself or everyday costs like food and power.

Supported independent living (SIL)

SIL pays for support workers in the home, not the house. From 1 October 2026, the NDIA says SIL can only be delivered by providers that are registered or applied to register before that date. Read What Is SIL in the NDIS for a full explanation, and SIL vs SDA vs ILO to compare the three side by side.

Specialist disability accommodation (SDA)

SDA is the only NDIS funding that pays for the housing itself. It is for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Other than SDA, the NDIA does not fund housing, and it notes that most participants have a home by owning or renting it, or through social housing.

What the NDIS pays for and what it does not

This is the part that surprises many families. The NDIA states clearly that participants pay their own rent, bills and daily costs.

If your young person lives in SDA, they still pay a rent contribution and their bills. The NDIA says the rent an SDA provider charges must not exceed the maximum reasonable rent contribution set in the SDA pricing arrangements.

Centrelink Rent Assistance basics

Rent Assistance is an extra Centrelink payment for people who pay rent or certain accommodation costs. According to Services Australia, eligible payments include the Disability Support Pension (special rules apply if the person is 20 or younger), and eligible costs include rent, lodging, and board and lodging. You do not need to claim it separately. Services Australia checks when your young person claims an eligible payment or tells them their address or rent has changed. So make sure they update their details when they move.

How to ask for home and living supports

The NDIA sets out three steps for asking for home and living supports.

1. Think about what your young person needs. Make a list of their disability-related support needs, their goals (where they want to live and who with), and the informal help they already get from family, friends and community groups.
2. Talk to the my NDIS contact. They can explain the options, including state government and community supports, and help explore what fits.
3. Provide evidence. The NDIA needs recent evidence, usually from a treating health professional such as an occupational therapist. It should explain daily support needs (how often and when), what your young person can and cannot do because of their disability, and what other home and living options you have looked at and why they do not meet their needs.

Evidence can be sent through the NDIA’s service hub, by mail or in person. If supports are approved, the NDIA will invite you to a plan meeting. If they are not, the NDIA will explain why, and you can request a review of the decision.

If you are applying for SIL, our article How to Get SIL Funding explains the evidence and rosters in more depth.

A realistic step-by-step timeline

This is a general guide only, not an official NDIA timeframe.

1. Early planning (12 to 24 months before): Talk as a family. Ask your young person what they want. Start building everyday skills at home.
2. Getting ready (6 to 12 months before): Add a goal about moving out to the NDIS plan if it is not there already. Ask an occupational therapist for a functional assessment. Try short stays away from home.
3. Request (when evidence is ready): Talk to the my NDIS contact and submit evidence. Wait for the NDIA to respond, and answer any requests for more information.
4. Finding a place and provider: Visit homes, meet housemates, check providers are registered, and read service agreements carefully. Our checklist for choosing a SIL provider in Western Sydney can help.
5. Transition: Plan a gradual move where possible, such as a few nights first, then longer stays.
6. Settling in (first 3 to 6 months): Keep in regular contact, check how things are going, and raise concerns early with the provider.

Preparing your young person

Build life skills at home first

Start small. Try letting your young person plan a meal, do their own washing, manage a small weekly budget, or catch a bus to a familiar place. The NDIS can fund capacity building to learn these skills. See our guide to NDIS life skills.

Try short stays

A weekend away with support, or a few nights in a supported setting, shows what living away from home feels like and which supports are really needed.

Talk about choices

Involve your young person in every decision they can be part of, such as which suburb and who they live with. Use pictures, visits and plain language.

Letting go as a parent

For many parents, the hardest part is handing over care you have given for decades. Feeling worried, guilty or sad is normal, even when the move is right.

• Share what you know. Write down routines, likes, dislikes, health needs and what helps when your young person is upset.
• Agree on how you will stay involved, such as regular visits, phone calls or shared outings.
• Expect a settling-in period. Some hard days early on do not mean the move has failed.

In our team’s experience, families often find time together becomes more relaxed once daily care is shared.

Planning for when you get older

Many parents start thinking about moving out because they are worried about the future. Some things to consider:

• Decision-making: In NSW, most people with disability do not need a guardian, and supported decision-making should be explored first. Where a guardian is needed, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal can appoint one, and this is usually a family member, close friend or unpaid carer. The NSW Public Guardian is the guardian of last resort.
• Financial matters: NCAT’s Guardianship Division can also appoint a financial manager for someone who is not capable of managing their affairs. Get independent legal advice about wills and estate planning.
• Support coordination: If your young person has support coordination in their plan, a coordinator can help connect them with providers and keep things on track.

Moving out of home with Skillwise in Western Sydney

Skillwise Disability Services is a registered NDIS provider based in Rooty Hill. Here is how we can and cannot help.

What we can help with

• Supported Independent Living: We run two SIL homes in the Mount Druitt and Rooty Hill area. See our Supported Independent Living service.
• Life skills before and after the move: Cooking, budgeting, travel and household routines through our daily living and life skills support.
• Life stage transitions: Practical support during big changes such as leaving the family home. See assistance with life stage transitions.
• Drop-in support for renters: Personal care, household tasks, and travel and transport, plus community participation and group programs.
• Language support: Our staff speak Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Arabic, Dari and Pashto.

What we do not provide

We are not an SDA provider, we do not provide ILO host or housemate arrangements, and we do not provide assessments from occupational therapists or other health professionals. We do not give legal or financial advice. If you need these, we are happy to point you in the right direction.

To talk about your family’s situation, contact our team on 0474 151 264 or at info@skillwisedisability.com.au, or make a referral.

Frequently asked questions

Does the NDIS pay rent when my child moves out of home?

No. The NDIS does not pay rent, groceries or bills. It funds disability-related supports, such as support workers, life skills training and home modifications. SDA is the only NDIS funding that pays for housing, and even then the participant pays a rent contribution.

How do we ask the NDIS for home and living supports?

Talk to your young person’s my NDIS contact about their needs and goals, then provide recent evidence from a treating health professional, such as an occupational therapist. The evidence should explain daily support needs and what other options you have explored.

What is the difference between SIL and drop-in support?

SIL funds support workers who help or supervise 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Drop-in support is funded through assistance with daily life and suits people who only need help at certain times of day.

Can my adult child get Rent Assistance?

Possibly. Rent Assistance is paid automatically to people on an eligible Centrelink payment, including the Disability Support Pension, who pay rent, lodging or board above a minimum amount. Special rules apply for some people aged 20 or younger. Update their address and rent details with Services Australia after the move.

Do I need to become my adult child’s guardian?

Not usually. In NSW, most people with disability do not need a guardian, and supported decision-making should be tried first. If a guardian is needed, NCAT can appoint one, often a family member.

How long does it take to move out of home on the NDIS?

It varies. Gathering evidence, getting an NDIA decision, finding a home and settling in can take many months, so start planning early.