If you are wondering how to apply for supported independent living under NDIS, there is no separate SIL-only application form. Supported Independent Living (SIL) is funding from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for the support you need to live in your own home. There’s no separate SIL form. You ask the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to include it in your plan. You talk through your goals with your NDIS contact and back the request with recent evidence of your daily support needs. The NDIA then decides whether SIL meets the funding criteria.
+ Key Takeaways
- Recent evidence matters. It needs to explain your daily support needs and why other home and living options wouldn’t meet them.
- If the NDIA needs more information, they may include funding for an assessment.
- A roster of care can support your request, but it doesn’t set your funding.
- You have 3 months from receiving a written decision to request an internal review.
- SIL pays for support, not rent or everyday living costs. Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is considered separately.
Moving out of the family home can be a big step towards independence, and for some people the support in their plan is what makes it possible. Others already live in shared housing and have reached the point where the current setup no longer works.
This article covers who SIL may suit, what evidence the NDIA looks for, how to make the request and what happens once a decision comes back. If you’re supporting a family member, keep their preferences and choices at the centre of every step.
Is There an Application Form for SIL?
No. There’s no SIL-only application form. You ask for SIL through the usual NDIS planning or plan change process, and you back the request with evidence of your home and living needs. If things have changed and you can’t wait until your next scheduled reassessment, you may need to request a plan change first.
Before you start, it’s worth reading what Supported Independent Living covers so you know what SIL includes and what it doesn’t. NDIS Core Supports explains where home and living supports fit within your plan.
Who May Be Eligible for SIL?
SIL is generally designed for people aged 18 and over who need significant support throughout the day, 7 days a week, including overnight.
The NDIA’s SIL operational guideline says it may suit people who need more than 8 hours of active daytime support, plus support during the remaining hours. That’s a guide to who SIL may suit. It isn’t an automatic eligibility threshold.
Most people who receive SIL live with other NDIS participants and share some supports. In some cases, the NDIA may also fund SIL if you live alone. If you live with people who aren’t NDIS participants, the NDIA generally looks at other options first, such as personal care or Individualised Living Options.
SIL may not be the right fit if you only need a few hours of help, or if you’d rather organise and roster your own workers. In that case, assistance with daily life supports may suit you better. If you’re 17, the NDIA may fund support to help you explore your future home and living options.
Like other NDIS supports, SIL has to meet the funding criteria. That means it must be reasonable and necessary and offer value for money. The NDIA will also look at whether another type of support could meet your needs.
What Evidence Does the NDIA Need?
The NDIA wants recent evidence that explains your daily support needs and why SIL is the right option for you. That usually means reports from relevant health professionals, such as an occupational therapist.
Your evidence should cover:
- Daily support needs: The help you need, how often and at what times, including overnight.
- Everyday abilities: What you can do independently and where you need disability-related support.
- Living preferences: Where you want to live and who you want to live with.
- Other options explored: What you’ve tried or considered and why those options wouldn’t meet your needs.
- Skills to build: How support could help you develop greater independence.
Show whoever’s writing your report this list. It’s much easier to cover everything the first time than to go back for more.
The NDIA also takes into account what you, your family and your carers tell them. If you already receive home and living supports and your needs have changed, make sure your evidence is dated after your last approved plan. Older reports can leave the NDIA guessing about what’s different now.
What Is a Functional Capacity Assessment?
A functional capacity assessment looks at how your disability affects everyday activities and what support you need as a result. An occupational therapist or another relevant professional may complete it.
If the NDIA needs more information, they may ask for one. Your plan may include funding for the appropriate assessment.
Before you arrange anything new, check whether your existing reports already cover what the NDIA needs. It’s also worth checking what assessment funding is available, so you don’t pay for something your plan could cover.
Why Do Home and Living Goals Matter?
The NDIA looks at whether SIL could help you work towards your goals, build independence and stay connected with your community. Your home and living goals describe where you want to live, who you want to live with and the everyday skills you want to develop.
Having these goals in your plan doesn’t guarantee SIL funding. They do help explain the living arrangement you prefer and the support you need to make it work
How to Apply for Supported Independent Living Under NDIS Step by Step
In practice, it comes down to five steps:
1. Write down your needs and goals.
Include your disability-related support needs, the living arrangement you prefer and any help family or friends currently provide.
2. Talk to your NDIS contact.
Discuss home and living options and whether you need to request a change to your current plan.
3. Gather recent evidence.
Collect relevant reports and assessments. The optional home and living evidence form can help you organise what you’ve got.
4. Submit your request and evidence.
Make it clear the information supports a request for home and living supports.
5. Provide any extra information.
The NDIA may need further evidence before they can decide.
You can submit your request through the NDIA service hub or email [email protected]. The NDIA’s how to ask for home and living supports page has current submission instructions.
What Happens After the Decision?
The NDIA will tell you whether SIL has been approved and explain the support they’ve funded. If your request is declined, they should give you written reasons.
| Approved | Not Approved, Wholly or Partly |
What you receive | Your approved plan, with an explanation of SIL funding, hours and support ratios. | Written reasons explaining the decision. |
Next step | Review the approved support and find a provider that suits your needs. | Consider the reasons and whether to request an internal review. |
If you disagree with the decision, including the amount or type of support approved, you can request an internal review. The deadline is 3 months from receiving the written decision.
A support ratio describes how many workers provide support and how many participants share it. The ratio can vary at different times of day depending on your needs. SIL funding has to be used for the SIL supports described in your plan. Our supported independent living funding page explains how funding works in more detail.
Where Does a Roster of Care Fit?
A roster of care describes the support proposed for a typical week. That includes hours, support ratios, intensity and overnight arrangements. It can be useful evidence for a first SIL request or when support needs have changed.
The roster doesn’t determine your funding, and the NDIA doesn’t approve or endorse it. Once funding is approved, you and your provider agree on how support will be delivered within your budget.
Finding SIL Providers with Care Decisions
Once SIL is approved, the next job is finding a provider that suits your support needs and the way you want to live.
You don’t have to work through a directory and make the phone calls one by one. Care Decisions looks at your needs, location and preferences, then sends you an Options Report with up to 5 matched providers per support category. The report goes to you and the matched providers at the same time, and they then contact you or your carer to talk through what they offer. It’s your call which one, if any, feels right.
The service is free for participants and families. Providers pay a referral fee, so you never pay to receive your Options Report. We don’t replace your support coordinator and we’re not the NDIA. Matching can sit alongside the support you already have.
SIL approved? Request your free Options Report.
What to Do Next
- Review your home and living goals.
- Discuss your support needs with your NDIS contact.
- Gather recent reports and supporting evidence.
- Submit your request through an accepted NDIA channel.
- Review the funding, hours and ratios after the decision.
- Once SIL is approved, request a free Care Decisions Options Report to find matched providers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does a SIL Decision Take?
There isn’t one SIL-specific timeframe that applies to every request. Timing depends on the type of plan decision and whether the NDIA needs more evidence.
Your NDIS contact can provide an update on your request.
Can You Request SIL and SDA Together?
Yes. The NDIA can consider both as part of your home and living needs, but Specialist Disability Accommodation has separate eligibility criteria. Our SIL vs SDA article explains the difference between daily support and specialist housing.
Approval for one does not guarantee approval for the other.
Do You Need a Support Coordinator?
No. You can discuss your request directly with your NDIS contact.
If your plan includes support coordination, your coordinator can help prepare your request and explore your options
Can You Change SIL Providers?
Yes. Your service agreement sets out the notice requirements, and your new provider must be registered or covered by the transitional arrangements.
If your current provider also supplies your housing, changing support providers may have separate tenancy implications.
What If Your Needs Change?
Significant changes in your circumstances or support needs may mean your plan needs reassessment.
Tell the NDIA about the changes and provide current evidence explaining what has changed since your last approved plan.
Will New Planning Arrangements Change Things?
New framework planning is expected to begin gradually from 1 April 2027.
You will keep using your current plan until you transition. Current NDIA guidance will explain the process that applies when you make your request.