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SIL in the NDIS: what it covers, who qualifies and how it is funded
Supported Independent Living (SIL) is NDIS funding for help and supervision with everyday tasks at home, for participants with higher support needs who need some help at home all the time. It pays for the support, not the house. This guide explains it in plain English for participants, families and support coordinators. It is written by Nurture N Revive, a registered NDIS provider delivering SIL in Cranbourne North and Beveridge.
Checked against official NDIS pages . The NDIA decides what is funded in each plan.
What SIL pays for, and what it does not
SIL pays for help and supervision with everyday tasks at home: personal care, cooking, cleaning, medication routines, getting ready for the day, and support overnight. It is the support, not the house.
Rent, groceries, utilities, phone and internet are everyday living costs the participant pays, usually from their own income. SIL funding cannot be used for them.
Who SIL is for
The NDIS describes SIL as being for participants with higher support needs who need some level of help at home all the time. Most people receiving SIL share a home with other participants, but SIL can also be funded for someone living alone. For some people, other home and living supports suit better.
SIL has to be in the participant’s plan as a reasonable and necessary support. The NDIA makes that decision.
How SIL gets into an NDIS plan
A participant, with family or a support coordinator, asks the NDIA to consider home and living supports and sends evidence about their support needs. Evidence often includes an occupational therapy functional assessment. The NDIA reviews it and asks for more information if it is not enough to decide.
Requests can be lodged through the NDIS service hub, by post, or in person. Expect the process to take time. A provider with a vacancy can explain how their home and rosters work while the request is in progress.
What a roster of care is
A roster of care is a weekly schedule showing how support is shared across everyone in a SIL household: the hours and the number of support workers each person has each day, in 30-minute blocks. The provider prepares it with the participant or their nominee.
The roster goes to the NDIA, either from the provider or through the support coordinator with the home and living request. The NDIA uses it as one input when deciding funding. It is not the only input. Since 2020, SIL is priced against NDIS price limits rather than a separate provider quote.
Vacancy costs are not funded. When a room is empty, providers must not raise prices or claim the cost from the other residents’ plans. That is worth knowing when you compare homes.
SIL, ILO and SDA compared
These three home and living supports are often confused. SIL and ILO fund support. SDA funds housing. A participant can have SDA and SIL together.
| Support | What it funds | Pays for housing? | Usually suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIL (Supported Independent Living) | Rostered help and supervision with daily tasks at home | No. Rent and living costs are paid separately | Higher support needs, help needed at home all the time; usually a shared home |
| ILO (Individualised Living Options) | Designing and then putting in place support to live in a home you choose, in two funded stages | No. It is about the support, not the building | People who want a more individual arrangement, such as living with a host or alone with tailored support |
| SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) | The specialised housing itself, for people whose plan includes it | Yes. SDA funds the dwelling, and support is separate (often SIL) | People with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment who need specialist-built housing |
Nurture N Revive is a SIL provider, not an SDA provider. For current SIL price limits, see our NDIS pricing guide. For what our homes and rosters look like, see our Supported Independent Living service. Comparing providers? Use our 10-question checklist.
SIL vacancies in Cranbourne North and Beveridge
We currently have a room in our Cranbourne North home (own bathroom and toilet, one female housemate) and two rooms in our Beveridge home. For help with transport, local services and everyday supports around the home, see NDIS support in Beveridge. Read about the 2026 SIL registration changes, or support coordinators can see how referrals work.
Common questions about SIL
Does SIL cover rent?
No. SIL funds support, not housing. Rent, groceries, utilities, phone and internet are everyday living costs the participant pays. If a participant’s plan includes Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), that funds the dwelling separately.
Source: NDIS: Housing and the NDISCan I get SIL if I live alone?
Yes, the NDIS can fund SIL for someone living alone, although it notes other home and living supports such as Individualised Living Options may suit some people better. A support coordinator can help compare the options.
Source: NDIS: Supported independent livingHow many hours of SIL will I get?
There is no fixed number. Hours come from the participant’s assessed needs, set out in a weekly roster of care, and the NDIA decides the funding. In a shared home some hours are shared between housemates and some are one-on-one.
Source: NDIS: SIL roster of care submissionsWhat is the difference between SIL and ILO?
Both fund support rather than housing. SIL is rostered support, usually in a shared home, for people who need help at home all the time. ILO funds designing and then setting up a more individual living arrangement, in two stages.
Source: NDIS Our Guidelines: Individualised living optionsDoes a SIL provider have to be registered?
Yes. SIL became a mandatory NDIS registration category on 1 July 2026, and providers that had not applied for registration had to stop delivering SIL from 1 October 2026. You can check any provider on the NDIS Commission’s provider register.
Exploring SIL for yourself or someone you support?
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