NDIS supported accommodation
What is SIL and how does NDIS funding for it work?
SIL pays for support workers who help you at home around the clock. Here is what it covers, what it doesn't, and how the NDIA decides how much to fund.
Supported Independent Living (SIL) is NDIS funding for support workers to help or supervise you at home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is for adults with higher support needs who need help with daily tasks for a large part of the day and some level of support the rest of the time, including overnight. SIL pays for the support, not the house: rent, groceries and bills are yours to pay.
The rest of this guide covers what people usually ask next. We've linked the official NDIS SIL page throughout, because the NDIA's own wording is what counts.
What SIL pays for
SIL is a package of paid support delivered in your home. According to the NDIA's SIL guideline, it can include help with:
- Personal care, like showering and getting dressed
- Building skills in cooking, cleaning and keeping a routine
- Supervision, personal safety and security
- Taking your medication
- Getting to medical appointments
- Following a behaviour support plan, if you have one
- Developing social skills
- Household tasks around the home
The aim, in the NDIA's words, is to help you "live as independently as possible while building your skills". In practice that means a good SIL provider does things with you where it can, not just for you.
What SIL doesn't pay for
This is where most of the confusion sits. SIL does not cover day-to-day living costs. You pay these yourself, usually from the Disability Support Pension or other income:
- rent, board or lodging
- groceries
- electricity, gas, water, phone and internet
- vehicle costs
- holiday travel costs
SIL also doesn't cover nursing, medical or palliative care. If you need nursing care at home, such as wound care or catheter care, it is funded and arranged separately from SIL. Trailblazer is led by a registered nurse, and our NDIS community nursing page explains how that side works.
And SIL doesn't pay for the building itself. Outside of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), the NDIS does not fund housing. If you're unsure how SIL and SDA fit together, our guide on SIL vs ILO vs SDA sets out the difference.
Who SIL is for
SIL is meant for people who need a lot of help at home, every day. The NDIA's guideline says SIL may suit you if you need both of these:
- active disability support for more than 8 hours a day to complete daily activities
- some level of support for the remaining hours, so support is there 24/7, including overnight
It is generally only funded for people aged 18 or older. If you're 17 and thinking about moving out of home, the NDIA may fund support to explore your options first.
SIL usually isn't the right fit if you only need a few hours of help a day or week, or if you prefer to employ and roster your own support workers. In those cases, personal care supports or Individualised Living Options (ILO) may work better. The NDIA will also look at whether SIL is good value compared with other home and living options before it funds it.
How the NDIA works out SIL funding
SIL funding isn't a flat amount. The NDIA builds it up from your support needs in what it calls an "ordinary week". Here is what goes into that calculation.
Hours of support
The NDIA looks at evidence of when and how often you need help during the day and night. It also notes the times you're usually out, such as work, study, day programs or visiting family, because SIL mostly covers support while you're at home. Support for activities outside the home is often funded separately in your plan.
Your ratio of support
A ratio describes how many workers support how many people. For example, 1:3 means one support worker shared between three residents. Individual (1:1) SIL is only funded in limited situations, such as life-threatening health needs that require constant monitoring.
Intensity
There are two levels: standard and high intensity. Most people need standard. High intensity is usually funded when you need continual active support from workers with extra qualifications. Our high intensity and complex care page explains the kinds of support that fall into this group.
Overnight support
If you need up to two hours of awake help overnight, the NDIA funds a sleepover shift. If you regularly need more than two hours, it funds an active overnight, where the worker stays awake.
Irregular support
SIL also includes some funding for unplanned days at home, like being unwell for a few days. The guideline sets an initial maximum of 10 irregular support days a year for standard needs and 15 for high intensity needs.
The NDIA uses the NDIS pricing arrangements to turn all of this into a dollar amount. We don't publish prices here, because the right figure depends on your plan and the current pricing rules.
Talk to a registered nurse-led team
Call 1300 822 333 or send a referral. We reply to every enquiry within 12 to 24 hours.
Asking a question does not commit you to anything.
How to ask for SIL in your plan
The NDIA's page on how to ask for home and living supports sets out three steps.
Think about what you need
Make a list of your daily support needs, your housing goals, and the help you already get from family, friends and community.
Talk to your my NDIS contact
They can explain the different home and living supports and help you explore options before anything is decided.
Provide evidence
Recent reports from a treating health professional, such as an occupational therapist, explaining how often you need support, what you can and can't do, and what other living options you've looked at.
The NDIA then decides whether to include SIL or another home and living support. If it says no, you'll get written reasons, and you can ask for an internal review within 3 months of getting your plan.
One thing worth saying plainly: no provider can approve NDIS funding. Only the NDIA decides what goes in your plan. If a provider tells you they can get your funding approved, be careful.
Once SIL is in your plan
Your plan will show your approved SIL funding, along with the hours and ratios it's based on. From there:
- Choose a registered provider. From 1 October 2026, SIL can only be delivered by providers that are registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission or applied to register before that date (NDIA announcement). Trailblazer is a registered NDIS provider, registration number 4050133378.
- Sign a service agreement. It should set out your ratio, the intensity and amount of support, what happens if you go on holiday, and what happens if a housemate moves out and the room sits empty.
- Agree on the house rules. The SIL guideline says your provider must give you a written agreement about living in the home: who you live with, how you'll get support, and what to do if there's a problem.
- Ask for your roster of care. This describes the support you'll get across the week. You can ask your provider for it at any time.
If you'd like to see what SIL looks like in one of our homes, our SIL service page explains how we run it, and our guide to moving into a SIL home walks through the first few weeks. You can also check current rooms in Waterford West. We reply to every enquiry within 12 to 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Does SIL funding include rent?
No. SIL pays for support workers, not housing costs. You pay rent or board, groceries and utilities yourself, usually from your pension or other income. The only housing the NDIS funds is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), and that is only for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs who meet the SDA criteria.
How many hours of support do you need to get SIL?
The NDIA's guideline says SIL may suit you if you need active disability support for more than 8 hours a day, plus some level of support for the rest of the day and night. If you only need a few hours of help, other supports such as personal care or Individualised Living Options are more likely to be funded.
What does a 1:3 ratio mean in SIL?
It means one support worker is shared between three residents during those hours. Ratios can change across the day. For example, a house might have more staff in the busy morning period and fewer overnight. The ratio in your plan reflects your assessed needs, and most people in SIL share support with housemates.
Can I choose my SIL provider?
Yes. Once SIL is in your plan, you choose which provider delivers it. From 1 October 2026 that provider must be registered with the NDIS Commission or have applied to register before that date. You can check a provider's registration on the NDIS Commission website before you sign anything.
Does SIL cover support when I go out?
Mostly, SIL covers support while you're at home. You may be able to use some SIL funding for things like trips to the shops, if you agree this with your provider in your service agreement. Regular community activities, work or study support are usually funded separately in your plan.
Talk to a registered nurse-led team
Call 1300 822 333 or send a referral. We reply to every enquiry within 12 to 24 hours.
Asking a question does not commit you to anything.