Having a safe place to call home changes everything. When you are living with a disability, finding a home, holding onto it, and keeping up with everything that comes with it can feel like a bigger ask than it should be. NDIS housing and tenancy support is there to help with exactly that. If you are in the Illawarra and not sure whether this kind of support is available to you, this post explains what it is, what it includes, and how it works in real life.

What is NDIS housing and tenancy support?

NDIS housing and tenancy support is hands-on help for people with disability who need a bit of assistance to find, apply for, or hold onto a home. It is not about the NDIS paying your rent. It is about having someone who can help you with the parts that feel overwhelming or hard to do on your own.

That might mean help filling out rental applications, getting your head around your rights as a tenant, staying on top of bills, or sorting out a problem with a landlord. This support sits within your NDIS plan under either your core or capacity building budget, depending on your individual situation.

Who is this support for?

This support is for NDIS participants who need help, because of their disability, to find or stay in a suitable home. You might be a younger person ready to move out of the family home for the first time. You might be in a rental that is not working for you anymore and need help finding something better. Or you might be finding the day-to-day side of renting harder than it used to be.

To access NDIS support, you generally need to be under 65, an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and living with a permanent and significant disability. If you are not sure whether this funding is already in your plan, a local provider can go through it with you. If it is not there yet, they can help you get ready for a plan review to request it.

What does this support look like week to week?

In practice, a support worker might help you search for rental properties right here in the Illawarra. They can help you put together a strong application, pull together references, write a cover letter, and fill out the forms correctly so nothing gets missed.

Once you are settled in a home, the support continues. Your worker can help you understand what your lease actually says, how to report a repair, how to set up payments for rent and utilities, and how to talk to your landlord if a problem comes up. If things get tricky, you do not have to work through it alone. Our housing and tenancy assistance team is here to help you work through it step by step.

What if your current home is no longer working for you?

Your needs change over time and that is okay. A home that suited you a couple of years ago might not feel right anymore. Your health may have shifted, your support needs may have grown, or you might simply want to be closer to family or the services you rely on.

If your housing situation needs to change, we can sit down with you and talk through what your options look like. If needed, we can help you prepare for a plan review with the NDIA to update your funding. It is also worth taking a look at our supported independent living page if you want to understand what living with on-site support could look like for you.

Can you get this support if you are already in a home?

Yes, and a lot of people do not realise this. Housing and tenancy support is not only for people searching for somewhere to live. If you are already renting and finding it hard to stay on top of things, there is support for that too.

Help with budgeting for rent and bills, learning how to manage your home with more confidence, and understanding your rights as a tenant are all things a support worker can work through with you. Our household assistance service can also support you with the practical side of keeping your home in good shape. The goal is for you to feel settled and in control of where you live, because a stable home makes everything else in life a little easier.

Sorting out your housing is not something you should have to figure out by yourself. You deserve a home that fits your life, in a part of the Illawarra that feels right for you, with the confidence that you can hold onto it. That is what this support is here for.