Supported Independent Living (SIL) Explained: How Daily Support Works
Having a say in your daily routine is part of feeling at home. That might mean choosing what to cook and getting the right help to prepare it.
For people with higher disability-related support needs, Supported Independent Living (SIL) can provide an organised package of assistance across the day and night. Here’s what that can look like.
What is SIL?
SIL is NDIS funding for support workers to help or supervise you with everyday tasks at home.
It is generally intended for people who need support available 24 hours a day, including overnight. Workers may support several people in a shared arrangement, while individual support can be funded where the NDIA assesses it is needed.
The aim is to help you live as independently as possible while building everyday skills.
What might support include?
Depending on your assessed needs and funded arrangements, SIL can include:
Personal care: Assistance with showering, dressing and other daily personal tasks.
Meals: Help with cooking, eating and developing meal preparation skills.
Household routines: Support with cleaning, laundry and organising day-to-day tasks.
Building skills: Practising activities you want to manage more confidently.
Overnight support: Assistance or supervision arranged around your assessed overnight needs.
For example, you might choose a dinner recipe and prepare the parts you can manage, while a worker helps with the rest. Later, you may receive support with your evening routine.
The amount and type of help should reflect your needs and preferences. Discuss how overnight support is staffed and how you can ask for help when you need it.
Does SIL pay for a house?
SIL funds the support you receive at home. Housing arrangements and everyday living expenses are separate.
Two terms worth understanding are:
Support | What it relates to |
SIL | Support workers who assist or supervise daily life at home. |
SDA | Specialist Disability Accommodation: funding for specially designed housing for eligible people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. |
Some participants have both SIL and SDA funding. You do not need SDA funding simply because you receive SIL.
SIL funding does not pay your rent, groceries or ordinary household bills. Ask for housing costs and support charges to be explained separately.
How does shared support work?
In shared arrangements, a worker may assist more than one person. For example, housemates might receive support together while preparing a meal, with individual assistance for personal care where funded.
Discuss how the roster will meet your needs, including times when several people want help. Shared support should still respect your privacy and personal routines.
Individual arrangements may be funded in limited circumstances, depending on disability-related needs.
How do you explore SIL funding?
Start by speaking with your my NDIS contact about your home and living goals.
The NDIA considers evidence about your daily support needs, including information from relevant treating professionals. It also considers other home and living options before deciding what to fund.
You can prepare by noting which tasks you need help with, when that help is needed and what your current arrangements cannot meet. A provider can explain its services, but the NDIA decides funding.
What should you ask a provider?
Before agreeing to support, ask:
How will my routine and preferences shape the support?
When will help be shared, and when will it be individual?
What happens overnight or when a worker is unavailable?
What are the fees, notice requirements and review arrangements?
Can you confirm you meet current SIL registration requirements?
Read the service agreement carefully and ask for an accessible explanation if needed. Make sure any separate housing or tenancy arrangements are also clear.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to live with other people?
SIL often involves shared support. The NDIA may fund individual support in limited situations. Your needs and plan determine the arrangements that can be funded.
What if I only need a few support visits?
Other home and living options, such as Assistance with Daily Life, may be more suitable. Your my NDIS contact can help you explore them.
Explore daily living support with Care Cube
If you are exploring SIL or other home and living supports in Ballarat and other areas in Victoria, contact Care Cube to discuss your needs and available services.
Tell us what you want daily life at home to look like, so we can discuss suitable options with you.
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