An Individualised Living Option, or ILO, is an NDIS home and living support that funds a tailored mix of paid and informal support around how and with whom a person wants to live — for example living alone with drop-in support, or with a host. Unlike SIL it funds the design and coordination of an arrangement rather than a standard roster in a shared home.
Your home, your model
Unlike traditional Supported Independent Living, ILO starts with how you want to live. We work alongside participants to design a living arrangement that is safe, sustainable and tailored to their circumstances. This may include:
- Living alone with drop-in supports
- Living with a host or housemate
- A support model built around family and informal supports
Support through every stage
Our team supports participants through each stage of the ILO process — exploring options, designing supports, implementation and ongoing review. ILO focuses on increasing choice, control, independence and community participation.
We provide ILO services across Newcastle and the wider Hunter region.
Designing an arrangement around one person
ILO is the most individual of the home and living supports, and the design stage is where most of the value sits. It starts with what a good week actually looks like for the person — who is around, what they do themselves, where help is genuinely needed — and only then works out what mix of paid support, host arrangements and informal help delivers it.
That means the exploration and design phase is not paperwork to get past. It is the part that determines whether the arrangement holds together in a year. We will tell you plainly if we think what is being proposed will not be sustainable with the funding and people available, because discovering that after someone has moved is far more disruptive than hearing it early.
Common questions
What is the difference between ILO and SIL?
SIL funds a roster of support in a home, usually shared with one or two others, and is built for people who need significant help throughout the day. ILO starts from the other end - how you want to live - and then builds a support model around it, which might mean living alone with drop-in support, with a host, or with family. Our guide comparing [SIL, ILO and STA](/resources/sil-vs-ilo-vs-sta-ndis-home-and-living) walks through the differences properly.
Do I have to live on my own to use ILO?
No. ILO covers a range of arrangements - living alone with drop-in support, living with a host, or a model built around family and informal supports. The arrangement is designed around your circumstances rather than chosen from a fixed list.
How does ILO funding usually work?
ILO is normally funded in two parts: first the exploration and design stage, where the arrangement is worked out with you, and then the ongoing supports once it is in place. Your planner or support coordinator will confirm what is in your plan, and we can help you think through what to ask for.
What if the arrangement is not working?
It gets reviewed and changed. We support participants through every stage - exploring, designing, implementing and reviewing - and an ILO that no longer fits is a normal thing to revisit, not a failure.
Which areas do you provide ILO in?
Newcastle and the wider Hunter region. Because ILO depends on the people and the housing around you rather than a building we own, it is worth talking to us early about whether we can build something that works where you are.