What is ILO?

Individualised Living Options (ILO) is a flexible type of funding offered by the NDIS to support participants inside their home. ILO is an alternative to the highly structured Supported Independent Living (SIL) funding model.

There are four typical types of ILO models (but it is not limited to these): 

• A participant can choose to live alone where their existing core support is supplemented by on-call or drop-in support.
•  ILO could be utilised in a current living arrangement. For example, the participant has an established relationship with a family member or friend who is not compensated for the informal support. 
• Participants can live under a host arrangement where they can receive assistance with tasks of daily living, emotional support or assistance with household support from the host, in exchange for an agreed level of reimbursement from the participant's NDIS plan. 
• The participant can live with a co-resident, one or more people who receive an agreed level subsidised rent or compensation in exchange for personal care, emotional support or household assistance that is not taken out of the participant's plan. 

ILO is designed to support participants in a way that suits their individual needs, giving them greater autonomy over how their support can be delivered. ILO funding also aims to reduce costs over time by emphasising the acquisition of life skills. Additionally, ILO is customisable and can be designed so that participants can utilise both informal and formal support networks. These networks allow participants to share their home with family, friends, partners, or a housemate. 

ILO is suitable for a participant who:

• Are over 18 
• Requires between 6 to 24 hours of support
• Has strong social and community connections

ILO is particularly suitable for those who live in communities that the participant is familiar with, in an environment that ensures the participant's safety while maximising their independence.

There are two stages in the ILO funding process: 

• Stage 1: Exploration and Design

This is where the ILO journey begins for most people. In stage 1, a provider will work with the person and their informal supports to get an understanding of their dreams, preferences, support need and existing supports. 

The purpose is to explore and design an ILO which is right for the individual person - considering where they want to live, who they want to live with, and what they want their supports to look like.

Based on this, a service proposal will be developed to request funding for stage 2. 

• Stage 2: ILO Supports

Between stage 1 and stage 2, the NDIA will consider the information provided in the submitted service proposal from stage 1 and decide which ILO supports to approve as part of stage 2. 

Stage 2 ILO Supports have 3 parts: 

1. primary supports
2. supplementary supports 
3. monitoring & adjustment. 

There are pre-defined levels of funding for each stage.

Artwork by Melissa Pym.