Recommendation 7.42 – Improve access to alternative housing options

What has been achieved to date

All governments remain committed to progressing work on this recommendation, and will consider implementation alongside relevant NDIS Review recommendations.

What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) should work with the Australian Government, and state and territory governments, to expand alternative housing options and support for people with disability to access and transition to these options through a proactive market enablement strategy. 

This should include:

a) an increase in innovative housing options, such as by –

• expanding the NDIA Home and Living Demonstration Projects with additional rounds from 2024. These rounds should –
  • focus on exploring diverse market mechanisms for sustainable housing models
  • include ongoing extensive and independent evaluation and dissemination of emerging best practice to help bring new models to scale
• establishing a policy unit to co-design, guide and influence the development and implementation of more contemporary accommodation models
• conducting comprehensive market research to assess market demand and understand National Disability Insurance Scheme participants’ housing preferences to inform state and local governments, housing authorities and developers, and drive innovation.

b) reform of NDIS participant funding models, including Supported Independent Living, Specialist Disability Accommodation and Individualised Living Options to provide greater flexibility. In particular, this flexibility should ensure that administrative and pricing mechanisms do not favour group home living over other models of inclusive housing.

c) development of clear and supportive transition pathways that provide access to advice, advocacy and support for people with disability to understand and explore their housing options, make decisions about transitioning to the housing of their choice, and receive support for that transition. This should include –

• an individualised assessment of a person’s housing needs and preferences, with the option for this to be regularly updated
• an update of a person’s NDIS plan to include specific support, including capacity building to support the decision to transition to more independent living
• where a person is interested in changing housing, the development of an individual transition plan that identifies current available and emerging alternative housing options, beyond the offerings of their current provider
• access to independent advocacy and an independent support coordinator to provide support for and facilitate the transition.

d) prioritisation of the implementation of the NDIA Home and Living Framework, including –

• establishing explicit timeframes for its implementation that recognise the urgency of these reforms, in relation to realising the rights of people with disability under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• continuing work with the disability community to identify key outcomes and measures, and developing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan to measure and report on progress
• ensuring the chosen approaches address the key elements set out above in this recommendation, including
  • providing a dedicated pathway for participants with a current or anticipated high need for home and living supports
  • ensuring participants taking this pathway have appropriate and timely support to explore and design individualised home and living solutions that work for them.

Joint Government response July 2024

The Australian Government and state and territory governments support the development of a diverse range of inclusive housing options for people with disability.

All governments are committed to continuing to work together to further consider options to expand the availability of more inclusive and alternative models of housing for people with disability.

Approaches to specific reform and implementation to address the intent of this recommendation will be considered alongside relevant NDIS Review recommendations and actions.

More recommendations

View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.