Can SDA Tenants Live With Their Family? Appendix H Explained

For most of us, home isn’t just a building. It’s the people in it: the partner who knows how you take your coffee, the parent who’s been in your corner for years, the mate who makes the place feel like yours. 

For a long time, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) made that complicated. If you wanted an SDA home, the usual options were living alone or sharing with other SDA-funded participants. Choosing the right home often meant choosing between accessible housing and the people you wanted to share it with. 

Appendix H was introduced to change that. 

What is Appendix H? 

Appendix H is part of the NDIS SDA Pricing Arrangements. It allows an SDA participant to live with family members, a partner or friends who aren’t SDA-funded or eligible, with the funding for the home adjusted to suit. It’s about choice and control, and about letting people build a household around their own lives. 

Who might it be for? 

Appendix H may be worth exploring if: 

• you already live with family who don’t have SDA funding, and want an SDA home that works for all of you 

• you’d like to live with a partner, relative or friend who isn’t eligible for SDA 

• your family plays an important part in your day-to-day life, and moving somewhere new shouldn’t change that 

What to know before you start 

Every household is different, so each Appendix H request is considered individually. You’ll usually need to show why living with your loved ones matters for your wellbeing, and your NDIS planner or Support Coordinator can help you shape that. A few practical things are worth understanding early: 

• Rent contributions. People living with you who aren’t NDIS participants generally contribute to the cost of the home, and this is worked out with your provider. The Guardian Living team can provide more information about rental arrangements if Appendix H is something you are considering. 

• The tenancy is yours. The tenancy sits with the SDA participant, so the household lives there for as long as the participant chooses to. 

• Timing. When your needs are more specific, finding the right home can take a little longer. Starting the conversation early helps. 

Where to begin 

Start by talking about your living goals with your planner or Support Coordinator. It helps to be upfront about who you want to live with and why. From there, a provider can explore homes that suit you and the people you share your life with. 

At Guardian Living, we believe your home should reflect your life, not the other way around. If you’re wondering whether Appendix H could be part of your story, our team is happy to have a no-pressure chat about what’s possible across Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. 

Not sure where you stand yet? Our Eligibility Tool is a good first step. It’s a quick way to get a sense of whether SDA funding could be right for you, before you talk with your planner or Support Coordinator. There’s no pressure and no commitment, just a clearer starting point for what comes next.