Key points
- Since 1 July 2026, only providers registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission can deliver SIL. Check the Provider Register first.
- Compare the home and housemates as carefully as the support: visits and trial stays help you decide.
- Ask to see the roster of care, service agreement and tenancy agreement before you commit.
- The NDIA doesn't fund vacancies, and a provider can't charge you extra to cover an empty room.
- You can change SIL provider. Ask up front what that would mean for your home.
Why the provider matters
Supported Independent Living (SIL) is help and supervision in your home every day, including overnight. Your SIL provider employs the people who support you, writes your roster, and often has a say in who you live with. Choosing well makes a bigger difference than almost any other decision in your plan.
The NDIA decides whether SIL is funded and how much. Within that funding, providers differ a lot in how they match housemates, keep staff consistent, oversee health needs and respond when things change.
Start with the essentials
Before you compare anything else, make sure a provider meets these basics:
Infographic
SIL provider essentials
Registration
- Registered with the NDIS Commission (required for SIL since 1 July 2026)
- Registered for 'Assistance with supported independent living'
- No banning orders or compliance actions on the Commission's website
People
- Workers have NDIS worker screening clearances
- Training for your specific needs, such as manual handling or PEG feeding
- Registered nurse oversight if you have complex health needs
Safeguards
- A clear complaints process, in writing
- Incident reporting to the NDIS Commission
- A behaviour support practitioner involved if you have a behaviour support plan
Choice
- You can visit homes and meet housemates first
- You can ask for a different worker
- You can change provider, with a notice period you agree to
The home and your housemates
Most SIL is shared, so the people you live with shape your day as much as the support does. Ask each provider:
- Where are the homes, and how close are they to your family, work, school and community?
- How do you match housemates, and can I meet them before I decide?
- Can I do visits, shared meals or a trial stay before I move in?
- Who owns or rents the home? Is it Specialist Disability Accommodation, a private rental or provider-owned?
- What would happen to my home if I wanted to change SIL provider later?
How your support will be delivered
The NDIA works out SIL funding from your support needs in an ordinary week: the hours you need, how many people share support, whether you need standard or high intensity support, and what overnight support you need. A good provider explains how they'll turn that into a roster.
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Good signs and warning signs
Roster of care
- Good sign
- Shows hours, ratios, intensity and overnight support (sleepover or active) clearly
- Warning sign
- Vague about who is on shift and when
Staff
- Good sign
- A small, consistent team who know your routine
- Warning sign
- Mostly agency staff you haven't met
Health needs
- Good sign
- A nurse or clinician who writes and reviews care plans
- Warning sign
- No clear clinical oversight for complex needs
Changes
- Good sign
- Adjusts the roster within your funding and tells you
- Warning sign
- Says nothing can change until your plan is reassessed
Costs
- Good sign
- Prices in writing, at or below the NDIS price limits
- Warning sign
- Asks you to pay extra to cover an empty room
| Question | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Roster of care | Shows hours, ratios, intensity and overnight support (sleepover or active) clearly | Vague about who is on shift and when |
| Staff | A small, consistent team who know your routine | Mostly agency staff you haven't met |
| Health needs | A nurse or clinician who writes and reviews care plans | No clear clinical oversight for complex needs |
| Changes | Adjusts the roster within your funding and tells you | Says nothing can change until your plan is reassessed |
| Costs | Prices in writing, at or below the NDIS price limits | Asks you to pay extra to cover an empty room |
The NDIA doesn't fund vacancies in shared homes, and providers can't charge you extra to cover them. If a provider asks you to, you can raise it with the NDIS Commission.
The agreements you should receive
Before you move in or support starts, ask for these in writing, and take time to read them with family or your support coordinator:
- A service agreement: the supports you'll receive, your ratio and intensity, prices, cancellation terms and how disagreements are resolved.
- A tenancy or accommodation agreement: the home, rent and living costs, house rules, and how problems are handled.
- A roster of care: hours, support ratios, intensity, overnight support type and irregular support.
If it isn't working
You can choose and change your SIL provider. Start by talking to the provider about what isn't working. If that doesn't fix it, use their complaints process, and you can contact the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544 at any time. If you decide to move to another provider, check the notice period in your service agreement and talk to your support coordinator about timing.
Next steps
These pages help you take the next step.
- How to get SIL funding in your NDIS planEvidence, steps and how the amount is worked out
- SIL in WyndhamOur SIL near Point Cook
- Current SIL and SDA vacanciesHomes with rooms available now
- Make a referralWe aim to respond within 24 hours
Common questions
Do all SIL providers have to be registered?
Yes. Since 1 July 2026, only providers registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission can deliver Supported Independent Living. You can check a provider on the NDIS Provider Register.
Can I change SIL provider without moving house?
Sometimes. It depends on whether your home and your support come from the same organisation. If your home is SDA or a rental arranged separately from your SIL provider, you may be able to stay and change providers. Check your tenancy and service agreements, and ask before you sign.
Who decides how many hours of support I get?
The NDIA decides how much SIL funding you receive, based on evidence of your support needs in an ordinary week. Your provider then works out a roster of care within that funding, and can make minor changes without going back to the NDIA.
Should I visit before choosing a provider?
Yes. Visiting the home, sharing a meal with housemates or doing a trial stay is the best way to know whether a home and provider will suit you. A good provider will encourage it.
Sources
We checked this article against these official sources. Dates show when each page was last updated. Links open in a new tab.
- Our Guideline: Supported independent living · NDIS (ndis.gov.au) · 7 July 2026
- Mandatory registration and transition pathways for supported independent living (SIL) · NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- What is supported independent living (SIL) · NDIS (ndis.gov.au) · 17 August 2026
- Find a registered provider · NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- Report an issue or make a complaint about a provider or worker · NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- 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.