Individualised Living Options (ILO)
ILO’s are a package of supports that developed with your support needs and preferences in mind. If you have moderate to high support needs, ILO’s might be for you. An ILO can take many forms and have a high degree of flexibility built in. These models of support are designed to consider people’s unique circumstances and promote an ordinary life in the community.
A common example of an ILO is what we call a Housemate arrangement. Housemate arrangements are typically where a person who does not have a disability lives with a person or people who has a disability and an NDIS plan funded with ILO. The Housemate provides an agreed upon level of guidance, prompting, companionship and support to the participant(s) and in return the NDIS will provide what we call a sustainability payment (rent stipend) to cover some or all of their rental costs. Alongside the Housemate will be a budget for direct support workers, and funding for facilitation of the arrangement to ensure consistency and quality.
ILO’s are broken down into two stages:
Stage One – Exploration and Design.
An NDIS Participant can ask for this funding in their NDIS plan by submitting a Supporting Evidence – Home and Living form to the NDIA. Once this funding is in a persons NDIS plan, they can work with an ILO provider to explore their options and to develop what is called a “Service Proposal”. This proposal will include important detail about the proposed arrangement and will contain evidence from allied health providers about why the arrangement is reasonable and necessary.
Stage Two – ILO Supports.
If the Service Proposal is considered Reasonable and Necessary by the NDIA, they will fund ILO Supports in your NDIS plan. Please note, this is defined as a “decision” by the NDIS and will generate a new NDIS plan. This funding should mirror the funding set out in the Service Proposal developed in stage one. You can use this funding to work with an ILO provider to deliver the supports set out in the Service Proposal – including Support Workers, facilitation of the arrangement and supplementary supports.
See more about ILO’s here.
