Fully Accessible (FA) is one of four Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) design categories funded by the NDIS.
If you use a wheelchair, the right home is one where every room, doorway and bench works for you without a fight. Fully Accessible SDA is the design category built for exactly that. This guide explains what Fully Accessible means, the features a home must include, who it suits, how it differs from High Physical Support, what it costs and how to apply.
Fully Accessible (FA) is an SDA design category that provides a high level of physical access throughout the home. It is designed mainly for people who use a wheelchair, along with people who have neurological conditions or mobility impairments who benefit from more space, step-free access and a safer environment to move around in.
“Fully accessible” means the whole dwelling is usable, not just one adapted room. Doorways, corridors, the kitchen, the bathroom and the outdoor areas are all designed so you can get in, move through and use every part of the home independently.
Like every SDA category, Fully Accessible is matched to what you need to do day to day, not to your diagnosis. The NDIS looks at your functional access needs when it decides your category. For the wider picture, start with the Design Categories hub.
The quickest way to understand Fully Accessible design is to walk through a home. Every Enliven listing shows the layout, the access features and what is nearby, so you can see how the home would work for you.
Every Fully Accessible home must meet the requirements set out in the NDIS SDA Design Standard. Typical features include:
“At Enliven Housing, many of our homes include Amazon Alexa technology. In an emergency, Alexa can notify up to 25 emergency contacts, helping you get support quickly when you need it most. While this isn’t required by the NDIS, we include it because it makes a meaningful difference to our tenants’ safety and independence.”
Funding for Fully Accessible SDA is available on both new builds and existing enrolled stock. At Enliven Housing, we build past the minimum of the SDA Design Standard, so every part of the home is as functional as possible.
SDA has four design categories, each with its own NDIS design standards. Improved Liveability supports people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment and adds features Fully Accessible does not require, such as task lighting and colour contrast. Robust supports people with autism, mental health conditions and other psychosocial disability, and requires sound insulation and materials that prevent injury, neighbourhood disturbance and frequent maintenance. High Physical Support shares many Fully Accessible requirements and adds features such as ceiling hoists.
| Requirement | Improved Liveability (IL) | Fully Accessible (FA) | High Physical Support (HPS) | Robust |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Sensory, cognitive or intellectual disability | Significant physical impairment | High physical support needs requiring assistive equipment | Behaviours of concern and environmental safety |
| Example disability types | Autism, sensory impairment, intellectual disability | Muscular dystrophy, MS, spinal injury, arthritis | Quadriplegia, ALS, progressive neuromuscular disorders | Autism with behaviours of concern, mental health conditions |
| Step-free throughout | Partial | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Minimum door opening | Standard | 90cm | 95cm | Standard |
| Wheelchair turning space | Limited | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Ceiling hoist provision | Not included | On request | Required | Not included |
| Emergency backup power | Not included | Not included | Required | Not included |
| Impact-resistant materials | Not included | Not included | Not included | Required |
| Visual contrast and illuminated switches | Included | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| Sound insulation | Not included | Not included | Not included | Required |
| Secure outdoor areas | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Advanced home automation | Not included | Not included | Included | Not included |
Indicative summary only. Enrolment requirements are set out in the NDIS SDA Design Standard.
Fully Accessible specifically supports people who rely on physical accessibility and safe, unobstructed mobility, without the clinical equipment needs of High Physical Support or the durability requirements of Robust.
They share most accessible design. High Physical Support adds ceiling hoists, emergency backup power and onsite overnight assistance for the highest support needs. Fully Accessible suits people who need full access but not that clinical equipment.
Fully Accessible is designed for people with significant physical impairment who need a high level of accessibility to live independently. It is most beneficial for mobility impairment, which can affect movement, balance and motor skills such as walking and lifting. Because it is matched to function rather than diagnosis, there is no fixed list of conditions. Impairments usually fall into three groups:
If you have a mobility impairment, you may rely on assistive equipment or mobility aids, part-time or full-time. Fully Accessible features improve mobility and remove obstacles, so everyday living is easier and you keep your independence.
If you are exploring housing for a specific condition, our housing by diagnosis guides go into more detail.
Being an NDIS participant does not automatically make you eligible for SDA. The NDIS funds Fully Accessible SDA when it is the best option for your access and support needs compared with other supports alone.
The NDIS is looking for situations where SDA is not just helpful but necessary for your health, safety and ability to take part in everyday life. If the evidence shows SDA is the best option for your needs, the NDIS may include it in your plan.
The NDIS needs evidence showing why you need a specialist home and why other housing options are not suitable. You may be asked to provide:
Yes. If your function changes, you can request a change of circumstances. See our SDA eligibility and funding guide for detail.
Our calculator points you in the right direction in under 60 seconds. No paperwork needed.
Your design category sets the price the NDIS will pay for the dwelling. Fully Accessible attracts a higher price than Improved Liveability and a lower price than High Physical Support. That funding is paid by the NDIS directly to your SDA provider, who owns the home and rents it to you much like a landlord. You still make a smaller rent contribution.
Allied health reports, a functional capacity assessment and a home and living supporting evidence form.
Submit your Change of Situation form and supporting evidence to the NDIA.
An NDIS representative walks you through the planning process.
You discuss your circumstances, daily needs, safety requirements and goals.
Your funded design category is confirmed. If Fully Accessible is approved, you can start looking at homes.
Enquire about open homes and register your interest.
This guide is for people who want to live in a Fully Accessible home. Fully Accessible properties can also be built by SDA investors, but Enliven focuses on tenancy, finding you the right home and supporting you in it. If you are ready to look, browse our Fully Accessible homes below.
The simplest way to hold it in your head: SDA pays for the building, SIL pays for the people. Fully Accessible is the home and its features. The personal support delivered inside it is usually funded separately through Supported Independent Living (SIL) or other NDIS supports.
At Enliven Housing we specialise only in housing and tenancy, not personal support. Separating the two is deliberate: you choose where you live and who supports you, independently of each other. Full detail in our SIL vs SDA guide.
Location matters as much as design. Our homes sit in well-connected suburbs close to transport, health services and the people you already know. Browse Fully Accessible and other homes by city.
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It means the whole home has a high level of physical access, designed mainly for people who use a wheelchair, so you can get in, move through and use every part of it independently.
Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, High Physical Support and Robust.
They share most accessible design. High Physical Support adds ceiling hoists, emergency backup power and onsite overnight assistance for the highest support needs. Fully Accessible suits people who need full access but not that clinical equipment.
People with significant physical or mobility impairment, most often wheelchair users. Eligibility is based on function, not diagnosis.
Your design category sets the price. Fully Accessible sits above Improved Liveability and below High Physical Support. The NDIS pays your provider directly and you make a capped reasonable rent contribution.
No. The NDIS is the funding scheme. SDA is one type of support the NDIS can fund, the specialist home itself, for people who meet the criteria.
It’s completely normal for housemates to have different National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plans, because your funding is based on
Shared living describes the setting you live in. Within that setting, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) funds the home, and Supported
Group homes and shared living both describe people with disability living together with support. The main difference is how much
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