Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) was introduced in December 2019 to support National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants who need somewhere to live while waiting for their long term housing solution.

MTA is typically funded for up to 90 days. However, during the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional flexibility around MTA was introduced as an emergency measure, including extending the timeframe. The MTA period was returned to the original policy of up to 90 days in June 2020. 

The Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS) funded the Australian Alliance for Social Enterprise, University of South Australia (UniSA) Business in conjunction with UniSA Justice and Society to undertake a project titled ‘Medium Term Accommodation for NDIS participants’ (the project). The aim of the project was to examine the operation of MTA and the development of the MTA market since its introduction in December 2019. The project was funded by the National Disability Research Special Account. 

The project presents its findings in two parts, an analysis of the MTA environment in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, and separately also consideration of the requirements for a best practice MTA market. The findings include the development of an MTA Framework, developing a promotional strategy and the development of a program to deliver MTA across regional areas and in rural centres. The findings are based on the data captured through UniSA’s research and are the views of UniSA, and consideration should be given to potential COVID-19 related impacts during the period under review.

This report is funded with assistance from a funding grant offered under the National Disability Research and Development Agenda, jointly implemented by representatives from Commonwealth, state and territory governments.