Guide
How clinical governance works in our homes
The checks behind every roster, from nurse-led plans and behaviour support to restrictive practices and incident reporting.
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Supported Independent Living · Guide
What SIL funds, and what it does not
A plain list of what Supported Independent Living pays for, what it does not, and a recent change to rosters of care.
Supported Independent Living is one of the most misunderstood lines in an NDIS plan. Families often assume it covers the house. It does not. Others assume it stops at the front door. It does not do that either. Getting this clear early saves a great deal of confusion later, especially when a plan is being built or reviewed. So here it is plainly, along with one recent change worth knowing about.
What SIL pays for
SIL is the support, not the house. It funds the help a person needs to live in their home and take part in their life, day and night. That includes:
- Personal care
- Help with cooking, cleaning and daily routines
- Support to build independent living skills
- Supervision, safety and security
- Help taking medication
- Support to get to medical appointments
- Putting your behaviour support plan into practice
- Household budgeting and bill paying activities
- Support to get out into the community
What SIL does not pay for
These sit in other budgets, or in other systems altogether:
- Your rent, board or lodging
- Your groceries
- Your electricity, gas, water, phone or internet
- Your holidays
- The building itself, which is Specialist Disability Accommodation, a separate budget line
- Day programs, employment or study supports
- Health, nursing and palliative care, which sit in other budgets or other systems
That last one matters. SIL is not confined to the house. Support to get out, to the shops, a class, a job or a friend's place, is part of what it is for.
If you have Specialist Disability Accommodation or your own tenancy, SIL can be provided there. You do not have to use a provider's housing to use their support.
The roster of care
One thing worth knowing: a roster of care is not something you or your provider are required to submit to the NDIA.
It remains a useful planning tool. We build one, and we will walk you through it, because it is the clearest way to show how a week of support actually fits together: who is there, when, and what they are there to do. But it does not decide what goes in your plan.
If you are trying to work out whether something belongs in SIL or somewhere else, ask us. It is a five minute conversation that can save a plan review. Call 02 9556 9500 or get in touch.
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Steven Lowrie, Governance and Case Management Lead. Rules and funding can change. If something here does not match your situation, ask us.
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