Supported Independent Living (SIL) is NDIS funding for support workers who assist you with daily tasks in your home, around the clock. It funds the support, not the housing or rent. SIL suits participants with high, ongoing daily support needs who require assistance or supervision for most of the 24-hour period. Getting SIL requires four things: a home and living goal in your plan, an OT assessment, a Roster of Care from a provider, and NDIA approval. A Support Coordinator can help you through every step.
Supported Independent Living (SIL): Complete NDIS Guide for 2026
What Is Supported Independent Living (SIL)?
Supported Independent Living, commonly called SIL, is an NDIS funded support that provides paid assistance from support workers in your home. It is designed for people with disability who need ongoing, substantial help with daily living tasks throughout the day and night.
The NDIS describes SIL as funding for a support worker to help you for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Support workers help or supervise day-to-day tasks within the home. The core goal is to help you live as independently as possible while building the skills to manage more activities over time.
SIL is one of several home and living supports available through the NDIS. It is specifically for people who require a high, ongoing level of support, rather than occasional drop-in assistance. If you only need a few hours of support each day or week, SIL is likely not the right fit. Other options such as in-home supports or Individualised Living Options (ILO) may be more appropriate for lower support needs.
What SIL Covers and What It Does Not
What SIL Covers
SIL funds the cost of support workers providing daily assistance in your home. Support workers can help with:
- Personal care including showering, dressing, and grooming
- Meal preparation and cooking
- Household tasks such as cleaning and laundry
- Managing a daily routine and building life skills
- Medication management and health-related daily tasks
- Community access, appointments, and social activities
- Overnight supervision or active overnight support, if assessed as needed
- Behavioural support within the home, where this is part of the participant’s plan
What SIL Does Not Cover
SIL specifically does not fund:
- Rent or accommodation costs: participants pay their own rent from income or housing assistance
- Groceries, utilities, or household bills
- Personal expenses such as clothing, entertainment, or leisure activities
- The physical home or dwelling: that is covered by SDA if applicable
- Medical or clinical treatment: funded through health systems, not the NDIS
- Supports provided while in hospital
Common misunderstanding: SIL is often confused with SDA. SIL pays for the people who support you. SDA pays for the building you live in. You can have SIL without SDA. You can have SDA without SIL. Some participants qualify for both.
Who Is Eligible for SIL?
SIL is not available to all NDIS participants. Eligibility depends on the nature and intensity of your support needs, as assessed against the NDIS reasonable and necessary criteria.
The NDIA considers SIL appropriate when a participant:
- Requires active disability support for more than 8 hours per day to complete daily activities
- Needs some level of support or supervision for the remaining hours, making continuous 24-hour support necessary
- Has a clear goal to live in their own home or a shared home with support
- Has risks that require on-site support, such as falls, seizures, behaviours of concern, wandering, or mealtime safety
- Needs overnight support, whether as an active overnight role or a sleepover arrangement
SIL is primarily for adults aged 18 and over. Under-18 NDIS participants are typically supported through family-based arrangements or short-term disability accommodation rather than SIL. The NDIA assesses each application individually. Hours and configuration are tailored to assessed needs rather than a fixed entitlement.
An occupational therapist with NDIS experience can conduct a Functional Capacity Assessment if you are unsure whether your needs qualify for SIL. The assessment documents your daily living capacity and identifies what level of support is appropriate. This assessment is typically an essential first step in any SIL application.
SIL vs SDA vs ILO: Key Differences Explained
The three most commonly confused NDIS home and living supports are SIL, SDA, and ILO. They serve distinct purposes and suit different circumstances. Understanding the difference helps you and your planner identify which option best fits your needs.
| Feature | SIL | SDA | ILO |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it funds | Support workers in your home | The physical housing (the building) | A personalised support package and living arrangement design |
| Covers housing/rent | No | Yes (the dwelling) | No |
| Support level | High, often 24/7 | Building-only; supports arranged separately | Flexible, lower to moderate; tailored to participant |
| Living arrangement | Shared home or individual | Purpose-built specialist home | Own home, family, or chosen co-residents |
| Who it suits | High, regular daily support needs; 24/7 supervision | Very high support needs or extreme functional impairment requiring specialist housing design | Lower to moderate needs; maximum flexibility and choice |
| Registered provider required | Yes, from 1 July 2026 | Yes | Yes |
| Can be combined | With SDA (if eligible for both) | With SIL or ILO (for the support component) | With SDA (if eligible for specialist housing) |
When SIL Is the Right Fit
SIL suits participants who need help with daily and nightly tasks consistently, where lower-intensity options like drop-in support would not safely meet their needs. If daily support is the difference between managing at home and being at serious risk, SIL is designed for that situation.
When ILO Might Be Better
ILO is designed for participants with lower to moderate support needs who want maximum flexibility and control over how they live. Rather than rostered support workers on fixed shifts, ILO can be built around a participant’s chosen relationships, community connections, and preferences. ILO is not 24/7 staffed support and is not appropriate for people who require consistent intensive daily assistance.
When SDA Is Relevant
SDA is available to a small proportion of NDIS participants. These are people with very high or extreme support needs who require a specially designed dwelling to live safely. SDA covers the physical home, not the support workers inside it. Most SDA residents also have SIL or another home and living support funded to cover their daily assistance needs.
The Roster of Care Explained
A Roster of Care (RoC) is a detailed schedule prepared by a SIL provider. This document covers all support hours, shift types, and staff ratios required to meet a participant’s daily living needs across a full week. A well-constructed RoC is one of the most important documents in any SIL funding request.
Day and evening shifts, overnight support type, worker-to-participant ratios at each time of day, and the tasks covered in each shift are all included. The document must reflect the participant’s assessed clinical needs, not a generic template.
The NDIA requires a RoC in two situations: a new SIL funding request, or a significant change in support needs requiring a review. A RoC does not determine the exact type or amount of support the participant receives. That is determined by the NDIA’s review of all submitted evidence, and any approved supports must be discussed and agreed with the participant before delivery.
What a Good Roster of Care Includes
- A breakdown of support hours by day of the week and time of day
- Staffing ratios at each point, such as one-to-one or one-to-two
- Shift types: active support, passive sleepover, active overnight
- A description of the tasks supported in each shift
- Notation of irregular supports if applicable, such as additional hours needed on certain days
- Reference to the functional evidence on which the rostering is based
Your Support Coordinator can help you work with a SIL provider to develop a RoC that accurately reflects your assessed needs and goals.
How to Request SIL Funding in Your NDIS Plan
Requesting SIL is a multi-step process that typically takes several months. Starting early, gathering the right evidence, and working with a Support Coordinator significantly improves your chances of a smooth approval.
- Establish a home and living goal in your NDIS plan. You need a clear, specific goal about where and how you want to live. An example: “I want to move into a shared home with on-site support so I can live safely and build my independence.” Goals must appear in your NDIS plan before SIL can be funded.
- Engage a Support Coordinator. If your plan includes Support Coordination funding, use it. A Support Coordinator helps you understand your options, coordinates your evidence gathering, and submits your request on your behalf. This is especially valuable for SIL, where the evidence requirements are detailed and the process has multiple steps.
- Obtain a Functional Capacity Assessment from an OT. An occupational therapist will assess your daily living capacity and document your support needs. The assessment must clearly establish why SIL is reasonable and necessary, and why lower-level supports would not safely meet your needs. Allied health reports from other clinicians such as psychologists or nurses may also strengthen your application depending on your disability-related needs.
- Identify a SIL provider and develop a Roster of Care. Work with your Support Coordinator to shortlist suitable registered SIL providers. A chosen provider will develop a Roster of Care based on your functional assessment, showing the support hours and configuration required to meet your needs and goals.
- Submit the Home and Living supporting evidence form to the NDIA. This form documents your housing goal, current circumstances, strengths, barriers, and ongoing requirements. It can be submitted within 100 days of your plan end date for consideration at your scheduled plan review, or through a Change of Situation or Change of Details form if your circumstances have changed outside of a review cycle.
- NDIA reviews your request. The NDIA assesses whether your request meets the reasonable and necessary criteria, whether the RoC reflects your assessed needs, and whether the proposed funding amount is appropriate. If approved, service bookings are created for your SIL provider. If not approved or approved at a different level than requested, you have the right to request an internal review of the decision.
- Transition into SIL placement. Once funding is confirmed, you and your Support Coordinator work with the provider to plan your move or transition. Allow enough time for property identification, provider intake, and personal preparation. The NDIA aims to make funding available within approximately two weeks of approval.
SIL Living Arrangements
SIL can be delivered in a range of living arrangements. The type of arrangement depends on your individual goals, your support needs, and what is available in your area.
Shared SIL Arrangements
Most SIL placements are in shared homes where two to four NDIS participants live together with shared support workers. Shared arrangements allow providers to roster support workers across multiple participants, which is cost-effective for the NDIS. Support workers may be shared during daytime or lower-need periods, with individual support provided when your personal care or safety requires it. Shared homes can be standard rental properties, modified homes, or purpose-built SDA dwellings.
Individual SIL Arrangements
Individual SIL, sometimes called solo SIL, provides dedicated support workers in a home where only one participant lives. Individual arrangements are typically funded where a participant’s support needs are too high or too complex to be safely managed in a shared environment. The cost of individual SIL is higher than shared SIL because staff hours are not shared across participants.
SIL in SDA Housing
Participants who qualify for both SIL and SDA can live in specialist-designed accommodation while also having their daily support needs funded through SIL. SDA covers the dwelling; SIL covers the people who support them in it. These are two separate NDIS funding streams that must both be applied for and approved independently.
How to Find a SIL Provider
From 1 July 2026, all SIL providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. When choosing a provider, registration status is the first check.
The NDIS provider finder on the NDIS website (ndis.gov.au) allows you to search for registered providers by support type and location. Your Support Coordinator can also recommend providers with experience relevant to your disability, support needs, and preferred living area.
When shortlisting providers, consider:
- Registration status and any conditions on their registration
- Experience supporting people with your type of disability or support needs
- Available properties or vacancy status in your preferred location
- Staff-to-participant ratios and shift structures they can offer
- Culture of the home and whether it aligns with your goals and preferences
- Approach to participant choice, control, and rights
Visiting a potential SIL home before committing is strongly recommended. If possible, meet the current residents and support team. A trial period through Short-Term Accommodation (STA) or respite in a SIL home can also help you assess the fit before a full transition.
The July 2026 SIL Registration Changes: What Participants Need to Know
From 1 July 2026, all Supported Independent Living providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This is one of the most significant regulatory changes to SIL since the NDIS began.
Prior to July 2026, SIL could be delivered by unregistered providers. Multiple government reviews identified elevated risks to participant safety and quality of care in unregulated SIL settings. The mandatory registration requirement is a direct response to those findings.
Transition Arrangements
Providers delivering SIL before 1 July 2026 have until 1 October 2026 to apply for registration with the NDIS Commission. During the transition period, these providers can continue delivering SIL while their application is processed. Providers who have not applied to register by 1 October 2026 or who are not approved will not be able to continue delivering SIL.
New providers who were not already delivering SIL before 1 July 2026 cannot start providing SIL until their registration is approved. There is no grace period for new entrants.
New Practice Standards
New SIL-specific Practice Standards also took effect from 1 July 2026. These standards focus on participant-centred outcomes, human rights, privacy, appropriate worker training and assessment, and participant safety in shared accommodation settings. Registered SIL providers are assessed against both the Core Module of the NDIS Practice Standards and the new SIL supplementary module.
What This Means for Participants
If your current SIL provider is registered, no action is needed immediately. If your provider is unregistered, you should:
- Check their registration status via the NDIS Commission Provider Register (search for “Approved” status)
- Ask your provider directly about their registration timeline
- Speak with your Support Coordinator about continuity options if your provider decides not to register
- Review your service agreement for provisions about what happens if your provider exits the market
Important: Your SIL funding does not change because of the registration requirement. Mandatory registration affects providers, not participant plans or budgets. The NDIS Commission has confirmed it is working to maintain continuity of support for participants during the transition period.
How Support Coordination Helps with SIL
SIL is one of the most complex supports in the NDIS to access and manage. A Support Coordinator can make the difference between a successful application and one that stalls.
Support Coordinators help NDIS participants understand and use their plans. For participants pursuing SIL, a Support Coordinator can:
- Help you clarify and document a home and living goal in your plan
- Coordinate your Functional Capacity Assessment with an OT
- Identify and shortlist suitable, registered SIL providers
- Facilitate the development of a Roster of Care with your chosen provider
- Compile and submit the Home and Living supporting evidence form to the NDIA
- Advocate for your needs during the NDIA review process
- Manage the transition into your SIL placement and resolve any teething issues
- Support reviews, complaints, and plan changes where needed
Nhanya Foundation provides both Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination for NDIS participants. Specialist Support Coordination suits participants with complex SIL situations: first-time applications, provider transitions, or managing the July 2026 registration changes.
Nhanya’s Accommodation Support service helps participants explore housing options in Melbourne and navigate the practical steps of moving into or transitioning between SIL arrangements. For participants with disability who are also facing homelessness or housing crisis, see our guide to emergency housing in Australia and our social housing guide.
Need Help Navigating SIL, NDIS Housing, or Support Coordination?
Nhanya Foundation provides Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination for NDIS participants in Melbourne. We help participants understand their plans, access the right supports, and navigate complex transitions.
How Nhanya Foundation Supports NDIS Participants
Nhanya Foundation is a Melbourne-based community organisation working with women, children, and young people facing disability, homelessness, family violence, and complex life circumstances. Our NDIS-related services directly support participants navigating home and living supports including SIL.
- Support Coordination: Helping you understand and use your NDIS plan, including accessing home and living supports, finding suitable SIL providers, and managing transitions.
- Specialist Support Coordination: For participants with complex SIL situations, multiple providers, or challenges that require higher-level coordination expertise.
- Accommodation Support: Practical help exploring housing options, understanding NDIS pathways including SIL and SDA, and managing tenancy transitions.
- Disability Support Services: A broader suite of supports for NDIS participants building independence and community connection.
- Advocacy and Service Navigation: Case-by-case help navigating systems, understanding rights, and following through on NDIS applications and reviews.
- Skills for Life and Independence Program: Building everyday living skills and confidence for participants working toward greater independence.
- Foster Care guide: For young people leaving care with disability who are exploring SIL as a post-care housing pathway.
Contact Nhanya Foundation at nhanya.org.au/contact or call 03 8595 9012. Referrals can be submitted at nhanya.org.au/referral.
Frequently Asked Questions About SIL and the NDIS
What is Supported Independent Living (SIL) under the NDIS?
SIL is NDIS funding for support workers who help you with daily tasks in your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It funds the support, not the housing or rent. SIL is for participants with high, ongoing daily support needs who require consistent assistance or supervision throughout the day and night. It can be delivered in shared housing with other NDIS participants or in individual arrangements.
Who is eligible for SIL under the NDIS?
SIL eligibility is based on the NDIS reasonable and necessary criteria. The NDIA typically looks for participants who need more than 8 hours of active daily support, require supervision or assistance throughout the 24-hour period, and whose needs cannot be adequately met by lower-level options. Evidence from a Functional Capacity Assessment by an OT is usually required. SIL is primarily for adults aged 18 and over.
What is the difference between SIL and SDA?
SIL funds the support workers who help you with daily living tasks inside your home. SDA funds the physical housing itself, specifically purpose-built dwellings for people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. SIL covers the people who support you; SDA covers the building you live in. They are separate NDIS funding streams and can be held together if you qualify for both.
What is a Roster of Care (RoC) in the NDIS?
A Roster of Care is a weekly schedule from a SIL provider showing support hours, shift types, and staffing ratios needed to meet the participant’s assessed needs. It covers day, evening, and overnight shifts. The NDIA uses it to set the SIL budget. A RoC must reflect the participant’s individual needs and is submitted as part of a SIL funding request.
What changed for SIL providers in July 2026?
From 1 July 2026, all SIL providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Providers delivering SIL before that date have until 1 October 2026 to apply for registration. New SIL-specific Practice Standards also took effect on 1 July 2026. Participant funding is unaffected by these changes, but participants whose providers are unregistered should check their provider’s status and speak with their Support Coordinator.
How do I request SIL funding in my NDIS plan?
To request SIL, you need four things. First, a home and living goal in your plan. Second, a Functional Capacity Assessment from an OT. Third, a Roster of Care from a registered SIL provider. Fourth, a Home and Living supporting evidence form submitted to the NDIA. The form can be submitted within 100 days of your plan end date or via a Change of Situation request. A Support Coordinator can assist with all of these steps. The process can take several months, so starting early is important.
Does SIL cover rent or day-to-day living costs?
No. SIL funds support workers and the assistance they provide. It does not cover rent, groceries, utilities, or household expenses. Participants in SIL pay their own living costs from income, Centrelink payments, or housing subsidies. SDA is the separate NDIS funding stream that covers the physical housing for eligible participants.