NDIS Supported Independent Living (SIL) funding is one of the most significant and most misunderstood home and living supports in the scheme. Many families confuse SIL with housing, underestimate what it covers, or don’t know they can hold both SIL and SDA in the same plan. This guide answers the most common question clearly: what does SIL funding actually pay for? It also covers who is eligible, the 2026-27 rates under the new claim code, what SIL cannot fund, and the registration changes that apply from July 2026.
Tenax Supports is a registered NDIS provider offering Supported Independent Living across Victoria.
What Is NDIS SIL and What Does It Fund?
Supported Independent Living is NDIS funding for support workers who assist a participant at home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. SIL is not housing. That is the single most important thing to understand about this funding. It does not pay rent, cover the cost of a home, or provide accommodation. What it funds is the disability support workforce that makes independent or semi-independent living possible for people with high support needs.
The distinction matters practically. A participant living in a shared house, a purpose-built SDA dwelling, or their own rented home can all receive SIL funding. The dwelling is separate from the support. SIL pays for the people who help inside it.
What Does SIL Funding Pay For?
SIL support workers can help participants with the following tasks inside their home:
- Personal care: showering, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, continence management, and medication management
- Building daily living skills: cooking, cleaning, household routines, and developing greater independence over time
- Behaviour support plan delivery: carrying out the strategies in a participant’s NDIS behaviour support plan
- Social skills development: supporting communication and interaction skills
- Supervision and personal safety: overnight supervision, safety monitoring, and assistance during night-time hours
- Medical appointments: assistance getting to and from appointments and managing health needs at home
- Household budgeting and bill paying: support with financial management tasks within the home
- Non-routine community access: attending therapy sessions, visiting family or friends, or completing personal tasks outside the home when this is not a regular, scheduled activity
What SIL Does NOT Pay For
SIL funding cannot be used for day-to-day living costs that are not related to disability support needs. These are the participant’s own expenses regardless of how much SIL funding is in their plan:
- Rent, board, or lodging costs
- Groceries and food
- Utilities: gas, electricity, water, telephone, or internet bills
- Vehicle costs and personal transport
- Expenses related to holidays, including travel costs
These living costs remain the participant’s responsibility. NDIS funding covers the disability supports that make living possible. It does not cover the ordinary costs of life that any person living independently would pay.
Who Is Eligible for NDIS SIL Funding?
SIL has a high eligibility threshold. It is not for everyone who needs some help at home. The NDIA applies two conditions that must both be met before SIL funding is considered.
First, the participant must need active disability support for more than 8 hours per day to complete daily activities. Second, the participant must need some level of support or supervision for all remaining hours of the day (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Both conditions must apply. Missing either one means SIL is not the right support. SIL is not appropriate for participants who only need a few hours of support per day or week. Those with lower support needs are better served by ILO (Individualised Living Options) or standard Core Support workers. For a full overview of support options, see our guide to For an overview of all NDIS support types, see our guide to NDIS disability support services.
Shared and Individual SIL Arrangements
SIL is usually claimed when a participant lives with other NDIS participants and shares support workers. For example, one disability support worker might assist two participants within the same home simultaneously. This shared arrangement is the most common SIL model and is what makes the funding economically viable for providers.
SIL can also be claimed for participants who live alone and need individual one-on-one support 24 hours a day. Individual SIL arrangements carry higher costs because support workers are not shared across multiple participants.
The Difference Between SIL and SDA: Why It Matters
SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) is one of the most common areas of confusion with SIL. Both relate to home and living, but they fund completely different things.
SDA funds the physical dwelling: a purpose-built or purpose-modified home with specific accessibility features for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. The four SDA design categories (Improved Liveability, Robust, Fully Accessible, and High Physical Support) each carry different construction requirements and NDIA price limits.
SIL funds the support workers inside the dwelling. SDA is the building. SIL is the support team within it.
A participant can hold both SDA and SIL in their NDIS plan at the same time. SDA pays for the home. SIL pays for the people who assist them daily. The two are assessed, funded, and managed separately. Having SDA does not automatically include SIL, and holding SIL does not mean the participant lives in SDA housing.
Irregular Support Days: What They Are and Why They Matter
SIL plans include a set number of irregular support days per year to cover unexpected or unplanned situations. Examples include a participant falling ill and staying home instead of attending a day program, or a community activity being cancelled at short notice.
The NDIA generally funds:
- 10 irregular support days per year for participants with standard support needs
- 15 irregular support days per year for participants with high intensity support needs
These days ensure SIL funding covers additional support hours when a participant’s routine changes unexpectedly. Without them, unplanned disruptions would leave gaps in care. Providers and participants should account for these days in the roster of care to ensure funding covers the full year’s likely support needs.
2026-27 NDIS SIL Rates Under the New Claim Code
From 1 July 2026, SIL rates are published under the new NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27 and claimed under a new registration group: 0138 (Assistance with Supported Independent Living). The old code 0115 applies only to services delivered before 1 July 2026.
| Shift Type | Standard | High Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday daytime | $73.58/hr | ~$79.60/hr |
| Weekday evening | $81.07/hr | ~$87.70/hr |
| Weekday night | $82.57/hr | $89.32/hr |
| Saturday | $103.54/hr | $112.01/hr |
| Sunday | $133.50/hr | $144.42/hr |
| Public holiday | $163.46/hr | $176.84/hr |
| Sleepover (flat rate) | $311.79 | |
These are the NDIA’s recommended maximum prices from the NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026-27. Providers cannot charge above these rates for NDIA-managed participants. The high intensity rate applies where a participant needs support workers with additional qualifications and experience to meet complex or high-risk support needs.
Looking for NDIS Accommodation or Support in Victoria?
Tenax Supports provides person-centred Supported Independent Living, Support Coordination, and Community Access across Melbourne and regional VIC.
Make an NDIS Referral Or call 03 7018 8666The July 2026 SIL Registration Changes: What Participants Must Know
The July 2026 registration changes are the most significant structural change to SIL in years. Every participant receiving SIL should understand what changed and what action is required.
New Claim Code: 0138 Replaces 0115
For any SIL service delivered from 1 July 2026 onward, providers must use the new claim code 0138 (Assistance with Supported Independent Living). The old code 0115 (Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement) applies only to services delivered before 1 July 2026. Providers who continue using 0115 for post-July services are making incorrect claims.
Registration Deadline: 1 October 2026
All SIL providers must now be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission or in the process of applying. The registration deadline is 1 October 2026. Specifically:
- Unregistered SIL providers who were delivering SIL before 1 July 2026 must apply for registration under group 0138 by 1 October 2026 if they want to continue providing SIL
- Providers who have applied can continue claiming under 0138 while their application is assessed
- From 1 October 2026, plan managers must reject invoices from SIL providers who are not registered and have not applied to register
What This Means for Participants
Participants currently receiving SIL from an unregistered provider should confirm whether their provider intends to apply for registration before 1 October 2026. If the provider does not register, there will be no legal way for the plan manager to pay SIL invoices from October onward. Starting to explore alternative registered providers now avoids a potential disruption to support continuity.
Participant plans and NDIS funding amounts are not changed by this registration requirement. Only the provider’s ability to claim is affected if they fail to register.
The One-Support Rule: Why SIL Cannot Be Claimed During Community Hours
One of the most commonly misunderstood rules in SIL is the one-support rule. Only one NDIS support can be claimed across any given 24-hour period for the same participant.
When a participant leaves their home to attend a day program, therapy session, or other scheduled community activity, the relevant community support provider claims for those hours. The SIL provider cannot claim for those same hours. The rosters of care, service agreements, and billing arrangements between SIL providers, community access providers, and day program providers must be coordinated carefully to avoid overlapping claims.
This rule is particularly relevant for participants in shared homes who attend day programs on weekdays. The SIL claim covers only the hours the participant is at home and being supported by the SIL provider. A well-structured roster of care accounts for this from the start.
How to Get SIL Into an NDIS Plan
SIL is not automatically included in NDIS plans. Requesting and getting SIL approved requires specific steps and evidence.
Step 1: Raise It at a Planning Meeting
Contact the NDIA (1800 800 110), your Local Area Coordinator, or your support coordinator to raise a SIL request. The NDIA needs to know the participant requires 24/7 support due to their disability. Raise this as early as possible before the next planning meeting or plan review.
Step 2: Prepare the Roster of Care
A roster of care documents the participant’s typical weekly support needs: what support is required, when, how many hours, and at what intensity. SIL providers usually assist with developing the roster. The NDIA uses the roster to determine the SIL funding amount. A well-prepared roster leads to adequate funding. A poorly constructed one leads to under-funded plans that cannot sustain continuous support.
Step 3: Submit Supporting Evidence
Useful evidence for a SIL request includes a functional capacity assessment from an OT documenting how disability affects daily activities. Support worker reports that document current support and existing gaps carry significant weight. Medical or specialist reports confirming the nature and permanence of the disability should also be included. An occupational therapist can be engaged to provide an assessment specifically designed to document SIL-level support needs.
Step 4: Receive the Funding Decision
The NDIA notifies the participant in writing of the SIL funding decision. This notification states the annual funding value for regular SIL supports, the annual value for irregular support days, and the total SIL funding. A participant’s SIL funding is not linked to a specific provider or support model at this stage. Once approved, the participant chooses their SIL provider.
All participants with approved SIL funding automatically receive funding for a support coordinator. The support coordinator finds suitable SIL providers, coordinates delivery within the approved budget, and manages the ongoing relationship between the participant and their SIL provider.
Why Choose Tenax Supports for SIL and Disability Support in Melbourne
Getting SIL into a plan requires persistence. Building the right roster, finding a suitable provider, and sustaining quality support through the July 2026 registration changes all require someone who knows the system. Tenax Supports is a Victoria-based registered NDIS provider, and we bring that persistence to every participant’s home and living support journey.
Our In-Home Support Services deliver in-home and community support for NDIS participants in Victoria. Workers are trained, hold current NDIS Worker Screening Clearances, and are matched to participants based on disability type, cultural background, language, schedule, and individual goals.
Our Support Coordination service helps participants prepare for SIL planning meetings, develop rosters of care, gather supporting evidence from allied health professionals, and identify suitable SIL providers in Melbourne. All participants with SIL funding have an automatic entitlement to support coordination. A support coordinator who understands the SIL system, the July 2026 registration changes, and the roster of care process makes a significant difference to funding outcomes.
Complex SIL situations also benefit from experienced support coordination. These include participants transitioning from hospital who need SIL for the first time, those whose provider has not confirmed registration intentions ahead of October 2026, and participants with complex needs across SIL, behaviour support, and other funded supports. Our Support Coordination team understands how to coordinate across providers and systems to ensure continuity of support.
Participants whose SIL funding requests have been declined or who have received inadequate SIL budgets can also raise this with their support coordinator ahead of a plan review. Independent advocacy at plan review regularly changes SIL funding outcomes.
For related reading, see our guides to NDIS Australia, NDIS disability support services, NDIS behaviour support, and NDIS respite care.
For current information on Tenax Supports’ NDIS registration, search the NDIS Commission Provider Register at ndiscommission.gov.au.
Contact Tenax Supports at tenaxsupports.com.au/contact or call 03 7018 8666. Referrals can be submitted at tenaxsupports.com.au/referrals.
Frequently Asked Questions About NDIS SIL Funding
What does NDIS SIL funding pay for?
SIL funds support workers to assist participants at home 24/7. It covers personal care, building daily living skills, behaviour support plan delivery, social skills development, supervision and personal safety, medical appointments, household budgeting, and non-routine community access (e.g. attending therapy or visiting family). SIL does not pay for rent, groceries, utilities, vehicle costs, or holidays. Those remain the participant’s own expenses.
Two conditions must both be met: active disability support for more than 8 hours per day, AND support or supervision for all remaining hours (24/7). SIL is not for people needing a few hours of help per day or week. Those with lower support needs are better suited to ILO or standard Core Support workers. SIL participants typically live in shared homes with other NDIS participants, though individual SIL arrangements also exist.
What is the difference between SIL and SDA?
SIL funds the support workers inside the home. SDA funds the accessible dwelling itself. They are separate NDIS funding streams with separate eligibility criteria. A participant can hold both in the same plan. SDA covers the cost of living in a purpose-built accessible home. SIL covers the cost of the support workers who assist them inside it. Having SDA does not automatically include SIL, and vice versa.
What are the NDIS SIL rates for 2026-27?
Under new code 0138 from 1 July 2026: standard weekday daytime $73.58/hr; weekday evening $81.07/hr; weekday night $82.57/hr; Saturday $103.54/hr; Sunday $133.50/hr; public holiday $163.46/hr; sleepover flat rate $311.79. High intensity: Saturday $112.01/hr; Sunday $144.42/hr; public holiday $176.84/hr; weekday night $89.32/hr. These are NDIA recommended maximum prices from the 2026-27 NDIS Pricing Schedule.
What changed with NDIS SIL registration from July 2026?
From 1 July 2026, new claim code 0138 replaces 0115 for SIL services. All SIL providers must be registered or applying. Unregistered providers who were delivering SIL before 1 July 2026 have until 1 October 2026 to apply for registration. From 1 October 2026, plan managers must reject invoices from unregistered providers who have not applied. Participant plans and funding amounts are not affected by this change.
How do I get SIL funding included in my NDIS plan?
Raise the request at a planning meeting or plan review. A support coordinator can help prepare a roster of care (documenting weekly support hours) and gather evidence including an OT functional capacity assessment. The NDIA notifies the participant in writing with the approved SIL funding amount. All participants with SIL funding automatically receive support coordinator funding. The support coordinator then helps find a suitable provider and coordinate delivery within the approved budget.
Can NDIS SIL be claimed when a participant is in the community?
No. Only one NDIS support can be claimed per participant for any 24-hour period. When a participant is at a day program or community activity, that provider claims those hours under community supports. The SIL provider cannot claim for those same hours. Rosters of care and service agreements between SIL providers and community access providers must be coordinated carefully to avoid overlapping claims, which are a compliance risk for providers.