What is Supported Independent Living (SIL) under the NDIS?

A practical, source-backed guide to SIL under the NDIS, what it can include, what it does not cover, and what Brisbane families should ask before choosing a provider.

Participant, family member and support worker planning Supported Independent Living routines in a Brisbane home

Supported Independent Living, usually shortened to SIL, is one of the most misunderstood home and living supports in the NDIS. It can sound like a housing product, but SIL is mainly about support workers and daily living support inside a person's home. The property, rent, groceries, utilities and ordinary household costs are separate.

Quick answer: SIL is NDIS-funded support for people who need significant help or supervision at home, often across the whole day and week. It can include support with personal care, meals, household routines, skill building and safer independent living. SIL is not the same thing as rent, groceries, bills or Specialist Disability Accommodation.

Who SIL is usually for

The NDIS describes SIL as support for people with higher support needs who need help from a support worker at home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some participants share support workers with other NDIS participants. Others may need individual support, depending on their disability support needs and what is included in their plan.

SIL is not the first or only home and living option. Some people are better supported through assistance with daily life, personal care, individualised living options, home modifications, community supports or a different home and living pathway. A support coordinator, my NDIS contact, planner or relevant health professional can help compare options before a provider conversation becomes too narrow.

What SIL can include

A good SIL arrangement should be practical, respectful and centred on independence. The support is not just about having staff nearby. Depending on the participant's plan and agreed support model, SIL may include help with:

personal care, showering, dressing and getting ready for the day
meal planning, cooking, eating and building kitchen routines
household tasks such as cleaning, laundry and keeping routines steady
developing independence skills at home and in the community
active support, prompting, supervision or overnight support where these are part of the funded arrangement
working with families, guardians, support coordinators and other providers so the support plan is consistent

Daily support
Help with personal tasks, meals and household routines.

Skill building
Support that helps the person practise independence, not just have tasks done for them.

Shared or individual support
The model depends on the participant's support needs, household setting and plan.

Provider choice
When SIL is included in a plan, the participant can choose a suitable provider to deliver the support.

What SIL does not cover

This is where many families and referrers get stuck. SIL does not pay for ordinary living expenses. Rent, groceries, utilities, internet, personal spending and general household items are usually separate from NDIS-funded supports.

SIL is also not the physical property. A person may live in a shared home, their own home or a property connected with another housing pathway, but SIL funds support workers and support delivery. If the person also has Specialist Disability Accommodation funding, that is a separate housing support with separate rules.

SIL vs SDA: the simple difference

Question	SIL	SDA
What is it?	Support workers and daily living support in the home.	Specialist housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
Does it pay rent?	No. SIL is not rent or ordinary living costs.	No. SDA funding relates to eligible specialist housing. Residents still contribute rent and living costs.
Can someone have both?	Yes, some participants have SIL and SDA where both are approved and suitable.	Yes, SDA can sit alongside in-home supports such as SIL.
Who delivers it?	A SIL provider delivers support workers and agreed supports.	A registered SDA provider enrols and provides the specialist dwelling.

Questions to ask before choosing a SIL provider in Brisbane

For Brisbane, Banyo and North Brisbane participants, the best SIL conversation is specific. A useful provider discussion should cover the person's support needs, home preferences, routines, communication needs, cultural needs and what a safe transition would look like.

What support is actually included? Ask how personal care, meals, household routines, overnight support and community access are handled.
How is choice and control protected? SIL should support the person's goals and decisions, including who they live with where that choice is available.
How do you match housemates and workers? Compatibility, routines, communication style and risk needs matter in shared living.
How do you handle concerns? Providers and workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, including acting with respect, protecting privacy, delivering supports safely and acting promptly on quality or safety concerns.
What happens before move-in? A careful transition should involve the participant, family or guardian, support coordinator and any important allied health or behaviour support information.

Brisbane planning tip: If you are comparing SIL providers, bring the participant's goals, current routines, support needs, communication preferences, risk notes and any relevant home and living evidence to the first conversation. That helps the provider discuss fit without making assumptions.

What to prepare before a SIL conversation

A provider cannot confirm whether SIL is the right fit from a keyword or a suburb alone. The better starting point is a clear picture of what the person needs at home and what they want life to feel like day to day.

Goals: note the person's home and living goals, including independence skills they want to build.
Support pattern: describe when support is needed, including mornings, evenings, overnight, meals, medication prompts, community access and times when the person may need supervision.
Communication and choice: explain how the person makes decisions, communicates preferences and raises concerns.
Household preferences: record routines, food preferences, privacy needs, sensory needs, cultural needs and housemate compatibility factors.
Current evidence: bring relevant allied health reports, behaviour support information, risk notes, current roster details and support coordinator context where available.

This preparation does not guarantee funding, suitability or a vacancy. It helps the conversation stay realistic, respectful and centred on the participant rather than on a generic SIL checklist.

How Tibii can help

Tibii supports SIL enquiries across Queensland, with the first local SEO focus on Brisbane, Banyo and North Brisbane. Start with Tibii's Supported Independent Living service page for the main service overview, then review SIL provider Brisbane and SIL providers North Brisbane for local pathways.

If the person is also exploring specialist housing, compare SIL with Specialist Disability Accommodation and browse Tibii's housing pathways. If you are a participant, family member, guardian or support coordinator, you can contact Tibii to discuss goals, support needs and suitable next steps.

Sources

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