Fully Accessible SDA Homes
SDA homes designed for wheelchair users who need barrier-free access and the space to move independently through their home.
What is Fully Accessible Homes
Fully Accessible (FA) is an SDA category for participants who use wheelchairs or mobility aids full-time and need barrier-free access throughout their home.
FA homes remove physical barriers. Step-free entry, wide doorways, accessible bathrooms and kitchens, and proper circulation space mean you can move through your home independently or with minimal assistance.
This is about giving you accessible independence, not just wheelchair access.
Who FA Housing suits
You might need FA if:
- You use a wheelchair or walker full-time
- You can transfer independently or with minimal assistance (you don’t need ceiling hoists)
- Steps, narrow doorways and tight bathrooms make your current home exhausting or impossible to navigate
- You want to cook, shower and move around your home independently
- You need accessible design but not the higher support features of HPS
- Standard housing modifications aren’t enough to give you real independence
FA is for participants who need genuine wheelchair access, not token compliance. It’s designed so you can actually use your whole home, not just access parts of it.
FA home features
FA homes include specific design features required by the NDIS SDA Design Standard. Here’s what matters most:
Step-free access everywhere
No steps inside the home or at entry points. Accessible paths from parking to your front door. You can access every room independently.
Wide doorways and corridors
Doorways are wide enough for wheelchairs to pass through comfortably. Corridors have space to turn without precision manoeuvring. This is about usable width, not minimum compliance.
Accessible bathrooms
Roll-in showers with grab rails and space to transfer. Bathroom layout gives you room to move and turn. Fixtures positioned for wheelchair users, not standing users.
Accessible bedroom
Space for your bed, wheelchair and equipment. Room to transfer independently or with minimal help. Storage you can reach from your wheelchair.
Accessible kitchen
Built-in generator ensures critical equipment like hoists, ventilators or communication devices keep working during power outages.
Proper turning circles
Built-in space to turn your wheelchair in bedrooms, bathrooms and living areas. Not tight squeezes or furniture-dependent turns.
Reinforced walls:
Ready for grab rails and support equipment wherever you need them. Not just in bathrooms, but anywhere that helps your independence.
FA Vs High Physical Support Housing
Both FA and HPS homes are designed for wheelchair users, but they’re designed for different levels of independence and support needs.
Fully Accessible suits you if:
You use a wheelchair full-time but you can transfer independently or with minimal help. You don’t need ceiling hoists. You want a home that supports your independence, not constant care.
High Physical Support suits you if:
You need ceiling hoists for safe transfers, or may do in the future. You require hands-on help from support workers for most physical tasks. You need emergency backup power for equipment. You need space for multiple support workers to assist you at once.
The practical difference:
FA is designed for accessible independence. HPS is designed for accessible support. It’s about how much physical help you need throughout the day, not just whether you use a wheelchair.
If you’re not sure which category fits your needs, your Occupational Therapist can assess this. Your NDIS plan will state which category you’re funded for.
Are You Eligible for FA Housing
The NDIA decides SDA eligibility and category, not providers.
FA eligibility typically requires:
- You’re an NDIS participant under 65 years old
- You use a wheelchair or mobility aid full-time
- You need barrier-free access to move independently through your home
- Standard housing (even with modifications) creates significant physical barriers
- SDA housing would improve your independence, safety or functional capacity
Your Occupational Therapist typically provides evidence about your mobility needs, current housing barriers, and why FA-level design is necessary for your independence.
Your Support Coordinator can help you understand whether FA is the right category to explore with your NDIA planner.
We can’t write evidence or apply to NDIA on your behalf. What we can do is help you understand what FA homes look like in practice and whether our homes might suit your needs when they become available.
For families and support coordinators
For families:
We know you want to see your loved one gain or maintain as much independence as possible. FA design can make a significant difference to daily autonomy.
When FA homes become available, you’re welcome to attend inspections and ask detailed questions about how the design supports independent living.
For Support Coordinators:
We provide detailed accessibility specs, floor plans showing turning circles and circulation space, and can connect you with assessors or builders for technical verification.
We understand you need solid information to support your participant’s housing decisions.