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What does SIL funding cover? What's included and what isn't

What SIL funding covers in supported independent living: the support it pays for, the everyday costs it doesn't, how overnight and shared support work, and what you pay yourself.

By S. M. Sam · Published 2 October 2026 · 6 min read

Fact-checked against official NDIS sources. Our editorial policy

Key points

  • SIL funding pays for support workers to help or supervise you in your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • It covers personal care, cooking, cleaning, medication, behaviour support, safety and help to attend appointments.
  • SIL funding doesn't cover rent, board, groceries, utilities, phone or internet, vehicle costs or holidays. You pay those from your own income.
  • Regular community activities, nursing and health care, and support while you're in hospital are funded in other ways.
  • The NDIA funds SIL based on your support needs, not on empty rooms in the home.

What SIL funding is

Supported independent living (SIL) is NDIS funding for support workers to help or supervise you in your home. It's for people with higher support needs who need a significant amount of help every day, including overnight. You might share support workers with housemates, or have support just for you, depending on your needs.

The NDIS says SIL may suit you if you need a support worker with you 24 hours a day, active help with daily activities for at least 8 of those hours, and some level of help or supervision for the rest of the time. Knowing exactly what SIL funding covers, and what it doesn't, helps you plan your budget and compare SIL homes fairly.

Infographic

SIL at a glance

  • 24/7

    support or supervision in your home, every day of the year

  • 8+ hours

    of active help with daily activities each day, as a guide

  • 2 hours

    awake overnight is the most a sleepover shift usually covers

Source: NDIS, What is supported independent living (SIL), and Our Guideline: Supported independent living.

What SIL funding covers

SIL funding pays for the support workers who help you at home. The NDIS guideline lists the kinds of help SIL can include:

  • Personal care, such as showering, dressing, toileting and eating
  • Meal preparation and cooking, cleaning, and developing a routine
  • Giving you your medication
  • Putting any behaviour support plan you have into practice
  • Developing your social and independent living skills
  • Supervision, personal safety and security, day and night
  • Help to attend medical appointments
  • Community access that isn't routine or regular, and transport to and from those activities

SIL is meant to help you live as independently as possible and build your skills, so good SIL support does things with you, not just for you.

What SIL funding doesn't cover

SIL funding can't be used for day-to-day living costs that everyone has, whether or not they have a disability. It also doesn't pay for supports that another service system is responsible for. This table shows the most common costs and who usually pays.

Infographic

Costs SIL funding doesn't cover, and who usually pays

Rent, board or lodging

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
You, from your own income. If you're eligible for SDA, the NDIS funds the SDA home and you pay a capped rent contribution.

Groceries

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
You, often through a shared household budget with housemates

Gas, electricity, water, phone and internet

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
You, usually split between housemates

Vehicle costs

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
You. Disability-related transport may be funded in other parts of your plan.

Holidays and travel costs

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
You

Regular community activities, work or study

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
Other Core or Capacity Building supports in your plan, such as social and community participation

Nursing, medical and palliative care

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
The health system, unless a disability-related health support is funded in your plan

Support while you're in hospital or custody

Covered by SIL?
No
Who usually pays
The hospital or justice system
Based on the NDIS Supported independent living guideline, 7 July 2026. Your plan and agreements may differ.

How overnight support is funded

Overnight support is often the biggest part of SIL funding, so it's worth understanding how the NDIA works it out. It depends on how much help you usually need while you're sleeping.

Infographic

Overnight support in SIL

  1. Sleepover support

    A worker sleeps at the home and is woken if you need help, for up to about 2 hours a night.

  2. Occasional extra hours

    If you sometimes need more than 2 hours of help overnight, the extra time is funded as additional support.

  3. Active overnight support

    If you regularly need more than 2 hours of help, a worker stays awake all night.

The NDIA also generally funds an initial maximum of 10 irregular support days a year for people with standard support needs, and 15 for people with high intensity needs. These cover days when you'd usually be out, for example at work or a day program, but need to stay home because you're unwell.

Shared support or support just for you

Most SIL is shared. A support ratio describes how many workers support how many people in the home, for example one worker supporting three housemates during the day. The NDIA may fund individual support when you have disability-related health needs that are life-threatening or need constant monitoring, frequent behaviours of concern that can't otherwise be managed, or a condition that is changing quickly.

SIL is also standard intensity or high intensity. High intensity funding applies when you need support workers with extra qualifications and experience, for example for complex health-related disability supports.

What you'll pay in a SIL home

Because SIL funding doesn't cover living costs, you'll pay for rent or board, food and household bills yourself, usually from the Disability Support Pension and any Commonwealth Rent Assistance you receive. In shared homes, housemates usually pay into a household budget for groceries and bills.

Ask any SIL provider for a written breakdown of these costs before you move in. A good provider will explain what the rent covers, how the household budget works, how often it's reviewed, and how you'll see what your money is spent on.

  • What is the weekly rent or board, and what does it include?
  • How much goes into the household budget for food and bills?
  • Who manages the household budget, and how do I see receipts?
  • What happens to costs if a housemate moves out?

Common misunderstandings about SIL funding

These come up often when families first look at SIL:

  • "SIL pays the rent." It doesn't. Only SDA funding pays for housing, and you still pay a rent contribution.
  • "SIL covers all my outings." Regular activities, such as a weekly class or day program, are funded from other parts of your plan.
  • "The provider sets my SIL budget." The NDIA decides how much SIL funding to include, using your evidence, your needs and the NDIS pricing rules.
  • "Any provider can deliver SIL." Since 1 July 2026, SIL must be delivered by a provider registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Next steps

We provide supported independent living in Wyndham, including Point Cook, Werribee and Tarneit, across Melbourne's west and in every state and territory. We'll walk you through what SIL would cover for you, and what you'd pay, before you decide.

Common questions

Does SIL funding pay for rent?

No. SIL funding pays for support workers. Rent, board and other living costs are paid by you. If you're eligible for specialist disability accommodation, the NDIS funds the SDA home and you pay a capped reasonable rent contribution.

Does SIL cover food?

No. Groceries are a day-to-day living cost. In shared homes, housemates usually contribute to a household budget for food and bills.

Can I use SIL funding for outings?

SIL can include community access that isn't routine or regular. Regular activities, such as a weekly sport or day program, are funded from other supports in your plan.

Who decides how much SIL funding I get?

The NDIA decides, based on your evidence, your support needs, value for money compared with other home and living supports, and the NDIS pricing rules.

Sources

We checked this article against these official sources. Dates show when each page was last updated. Links open in a new tab.

  1. What is supported independent living (SIL) · NDIS (ndis.gov.au) · 17 August 2026
  2. Our Guideline: Supported independent living · NDIS (ndis.gov.au) · 7 July 2026
  3. What are NDIS supports · NDIS (ndis.gov.au) · 24 August 2026
  4. Mandatory registration and transition pathways for supported independent living (SIL) · NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
  5. What is specialist disability accommodation (SDA) · NDIS (ndis.gov.au) · 1 July 2026

This is general information, not advice about your situation. NDIS rules are changing in stages until 2028, so check ndis.gov.au or talk to our team before making decisions.