Supported independent living in Western Sydney
What SIL actually is, what it funds, and what it does not, before you look at a single house.
SIL pays for the support in a shared home. It does not pay for the home. Almost every misunderstanding about supported independent living comes back to that one sentence.
Once it is clear, the rest follows: you rent like anyone else, you pay for your own food and power, and the NDIS funds the workers who make living there possible.
What SIL funds
| Funded by SIL | Paid by you |
|---|---|
| Support workers, day and night | Rent |
| Help with personal care and daily tasks | Food and groceries |
| Medication support and clinical oversight | Electricity, gas, water and internet |
| Support with cooking, cleaning and laundry | Your own furniture and belongings |
| Overnight support, active or sleepover | Personal spending and outings |
| Support to get out into the community | Contents insurance |
How the quote works
The part that surprises people: SIL is quoted for the household, not for you.
A provider builds a roster of care covering everyone in the house, hour by hour across a week, including overnight. The NDIA assesses it against the support needs of the residents and funds each person's share.
The practical consequence is that who else lives in the house affects your funding and your daily life. It is also why a good provider is careful about who moves in. Filling a room with the wrong person is bad for the household and eventually bad for the provider too.
We build the quote with you and your support coordinator, and we show you the roster.
What living in our home is like
An ordinary house on an ordinary street, with support in it.
Bedrooms are private and they are yours: your furniture, your things, your door. The kitchen, living room and garden are shared, the way they are in any share house.
There is no set bedtime, no visiting hours and no communal activity roster. People get up when they get up. Some residents work, some go to a day program, some do neither. Support is there for what you need it for, and out of the way otherwise.
What we do insist on is that it works for everyone living there. That is why we introduce people properly before anyone commits.
Questions
What is supported independent living?
SIL is funding for the support delivered in a shared home, usually with two to five residents. It pays for workers, not for the house. It covers help with daily tasks, personal care, medication, cooking, cleaning and getting out, and it can include overnight support.
How is SIL funded?
It sits in the Core supports part of a plan and is quoted on a roster of care for the whole household rather than per person per hour. The NDIA assesses the quote against the support needs of everyone in the house, which is why the mix of residents affects it.
Do I pay rent as well?
Yes. SIL funds support, not accommodation. Rent, food, utilities and everyday living costs are paid from your own income, exactly as they would be anywhere else. A reasonable rule of thumb is that you contribute what living anywhere would cost you.
Is SIL the same as a group home?
Not quite. SIL is the funding that usually pays for one, but the term has moved on. A SIL arrangement can be two people in a townhouse or four in a house. The point is that it is a home with support in it rather than a facility.
What if I do not want to share?
Then SIL may be the wrong shape and Individualised Living Options may suit better. ILO funds an arrangement built around one person. We set out the difference on the ILO page.
How do I get SIL in my plan?
It needs evidence that you require support in a shared living arrangement, usually from an occupational therapist or support coordinator, and it is decided at a plan review. A provider cannot add it to your plan.
More detail in what SIL is and how the funding works, SIL compared with SDA and changing SIL providers.
Make a referral or ask about a placement
Tell us the supports the plan funds and when they need to start. We respond the same business day.