What is supported independent living?
Supported independent living (SIL) is support for people with disability who need help at home.
SIL is funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for eligible participants. The NDIS may include SIL in a person’s NDIS plan if they meet specific eligibility criteria and need a high level of support at home.
Supported independent living can help with daily life. It can also help people build confidence, learn new skills and take part in the community.
For some people, SIL may mean help with morning and evening routines. For others, it may mean ongoing support through the day and overnight.
SIL supports can look different for each person. They are based on the person’s needs, goals, living arrangements and support requirements.
This support may be provided in shared accommodation, your own home or a different suitable living arrangement. You might share support workers with housemates. You might also have individual support workers, depending on what you need.
The goal is simple. SIL helps people live independently, with the right support around them.
What does SIL stand for?
SIL stands for supported independent living.
In the NDIS, supported independent living is funding for support services that help people with disability at home.
These supports may include help with:
- Personal care
- Personal hygiene
- Cooking meals
- Cleaning and laundry
- Daily tasks
- Building life skills
- Building social skills
- Medical appointments
- Community participation
- Community engagement
- Community access
SIL can give people a little backup with everyday routines. It can also help people feel more confident in their daily life.
Who is supported independent living for?
Supported independent living is for people with specific support needs.
A person may need help throughout the day. They may need support attending appointments or going on social outings. They may also need help with personal care, cleaning, cooking or other daily living tasks.
The NDIS may consider SIL for people who need a high level of person-to-person support at home.
This may include people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. It may also include people who need support to manage complex medical routines, daily tasks or community participation.
To access SIL, NDIS participants usually need to meet specific eligibility criteria.
The NDIS may look at:
- The person’s support needs
- The person’s goals
- The person’s current living arrangements
- Reports from occupational therapists or other professionals
- The level of support required each day
- Whether other supports or home and living options may be more suitable
A support coordinator, plan managers, family members or other trusted people may also help the person explore their options.
Afford can work closely with you, your support coordinator and your circle of support to understand what you need at home.
What can SIL supports include?
SIL supports can help with many parts of daily living.
The support provided will depend on the person. It should match their needs, goals and routine.
SIL supports may include:
- Help with personal care, such as showering, dressing and grooming
- Help with personal hygiene
- Support with cooking meals
- Support with daily tasks and household tasks
- Help with cleaning, laundry and keeping the home tidy
- Support to attend medical appointments
- Help to build life skills
- Help to build social skills
- Support with community access
- Support with community engagement
- Support with community participation
- Help to use assistive technology where this is part of the person’s support plan
- Ongoing support from trained support workers
For one person, SIL may mean help with making dinner and getting ready for the day. For someone else, SIL may include help to get involved in the local community, visit friends or attend regular appointments.
Good support should feel practical. It should help people do more of the things that matter to them.
What is not included in SIL funding?
SIL funding helps pay for support workers and support services.
It does not usually pay for everyday living costs.
SIL funding does not usually cover:
- Rent
- Board and lodging
- Groceries
- Utilities
- Personal spending
- Transport costs
- The cost of the home itself
- SDA funding
- Supports that are funded through other parts of an NDIS plan
This can be confusing at first. Many people think SIL pays for the whole home. It usually does not.
SIL funding is about the support a person receives in the home.
If you are unsure what your NDIS plan includes, it can help to speak with your support coordinator, plan manager or NDIS contact.
Afford’s friendly team can also help you understand what to ask next. Contact us today.
What is a SIL house?
A SIL house usually means a home where supported independent living supports are provided.
This may be a shared home with other participants. It may also be a home where a person receives support while living on their own.
A SIL house is often set up for people who need ongoing support with daily living. Some SIL homes may include accessible bathrooms or features that make the home easier to move around.
It is important to know that SIL funding is usually for support workers and support services. It does not usually pay for rent, board, lodging, groceries, utilities or everyday living costs.
This means the house and the support are not always the same thing.
SIL is the support. The home is the place where support happens.
What is SIL housing?
SIL housing is not a formal funding type. It is a common way people describe homes where SIL supports are provided.
These homes may include:
- Shared accommodation with housemates
- A home where trained support workers provide support
- Accommodation options close to shops, transport or community activities
- Homes that help people take part in daily life
- Living options that match a person’s needs and goals
At Afford, supported independent living is about more than a house. It is about finding the right home, the right support and a daily routine that feels comfortable.
You can explore Afford’s current SIL homes online, or reach out to our friendly team for more information.
SIL vs SDA: What is the difference?
SIL and SDA are not the same thing.
SIL is supported independent living. It is the support a person receives at home.
SDA is specialist disability accommodation. It is housing that is specifically designed for people with very high support needs or extreme functional impairment.
A simple way to understand it is this:
- SIL is the support.
- SDA is the home.
Specialist disability accommodation (SDA) may include design features that make daily life easier. This may include accessible bathrooms, wider spaces or other features that support mobility and independence.
A person may have SIL funding without SDA funding.
A person may also have both SIL and SDA funding if both supports are included in their NDIS plan.
How SIL funding works in an NDIS plan
SIL must be specifically included in a person’s NDIS plan, unless the person is paying privately.
SIL is usually funded within the Home and Living support category of the NDIS plan. It may also be funded through Core Supports, depending on the circumstances.
The NDIS looks at whether SIL is reasonable and necessary for the person’s support needs.
This means SIL funding will depend on the person. It is not the same for everyone.
The NDIS may consider:
- How much support the person needs each day
- Whether the person needs support overnight
- What daily living tasks the person needs help with
- What other supports are already in place
- Whether the person could build skills with support
- Whether other home and living options may be suitable
- Reports from occupational therapists or other professionals
A support coordinator can help NDIS participants understand their options. They can also help compare providers, ask questions and connect with the right support services.
Plan managers can help with paying providers if the participant’s plan is plan managed.
Afford also offers NDIS support coordination. Contact us online or call us on the phone at 1800 233 673 to learn more.
How to choose a SIL provider
Choosing a SIL provider is an important decision.
The right provider should take time to understand the person, not just the funding.
When choosing a SIL provider, it can help to ask:
- Does the provider understand my goals?
- Can the provider explain what support is included?
- Can I meet the support workers?
- Will trained support workers help with my daily life?
- Can the provider support my living arrangements?
- Can I meet possible housemates?
- Does the home feel comfortable?
- Can the provider work closely with my support coordinator?
- How does the provider support community access?
- How does the provider encourage independence?
- What happens if my support needs change?
A good SIL provider should provide support that feels respectful, practical and personal.
They should also communicate clearly. You should feel able to ask questions and understand each step.
How Afford can help with supported independent living
Afford has been supporting people with disability for over 75 years. Afford supports people with disability to find homes and daily support that fit their lives.
Afford’s team can help you explore SIL homes, understand support options and take the next step confidently.
Afford can help with:
- Exploring SIL homes
- Understanding your support needs
- Talking through your goals
- Planning daily support
- Matching support to your routine
- Building life skills
- Supporting community access
- Helping you settle into daily life
- Working with your support coordinator
- Supporting your living arrangements
Your SIL program is built around your needs. The team takes time to understand what matters to you, from daily routines to hobbies, housemates and community life.
Our friendly team can help you live with support that makes sense for you.
You can contact our team online or call us on 1800 233 673.
Other home and living options to know about
Supported independent living is one home and living option. It is not the only one.
Some people may need different accommodation options or other supports.
These may include:
Afford offers different disability accommodation and living options across Australia.
Take the next step with Afford
Supported independent living can help people with disability build confidence, learn new skills and enjoy more independence at home.
It can also help with the everyday things that make life run well, from personal care and cooking meals to community access and household tasks.
If you are ready to explore SIL homes, Afford is here to help.
View current supported independent living vacancies online today.
