If you have a disability and need support to live more independently, you may be eligible for SIL funding through the NDIS. If you’re thinking about moving out of the family home or getting more support to manage everyday life, you might wonder how to add SIL funding to your NDIS plan.
But knowing that you may need SIL and actually getting it added to your NDIS plan are two different things. The NDIS needs to understand what support you require, how your disability affects your everyday life and whether SIL is the right home and living option for you.
This can be especially confusing when you find different information online, particularly different forms, reports and outdated information about what you need to submit.
If you live in Adelaide or regional South Australia, the process is broadly the same. The key is to build a clear picture of your needs, explore your options, and provide the NDIS with the evidence it requires to make a decision.
What SIL Funding Covers and What It Doesn't
SIL is NDIS funding for support workers who help with personal care, cooking, household tasks, managing routines, developing daily living skills, and staying safe at home. It’s intended for people who require significant assistance or supervision throughout the day and, in many cases, seven days a week.
SIL funding is for the support you receive from workers. It does not cover living costs such as rent, groceries, utilities or other household expenses unrelated to your disability support needs. SIL is the support, not the house itself.
For further understanding, see our guide to What Is SIL and How Does It Work.
How to Get SIL Funding Added to Your NDIS Plan
There is no one-size-fits-all SIL application. Your request should reflect your goals, functional capacity, support needs, and preferred living arrangements.
These five steps can help you understand how the process typically works.
Step 1: Set a Home and Living Goal
Start by thinking about what you want to change about your current living situation.
Your goal might be to:
- Move out of your family home
- Live more independently in the community
- Develop the skills needed to manage your own home
- Move into a shared living arrangement
- Find a home where you can receive the level of support you need.
A clear goal helps the NDIS understand why you are exploring home and living supports. If your current plan doesn’t reflect your home and living goals, discuss this with your NDIS contact.
If your situation or disability-related needs have changed, the NDIS says you can ask it to consider changing your plan.
Step 2: Work With a Support Coordinator or LAC
You do not have to work through the SIL process alone. Your Support Coordinator can help you understand your options, organise assessments, find a qualified occupational therapist, connect with providers, and prepare evidence to get SIL, including what that provider can deliver within your plan funding. Anyone funded for SIL will also get funding for a support coordinator, so you can use them.
If you do not have a Support Coordinator, my NDIS contact can still help you understand the home and living options available to you. The NDIS recommends discussing your current and future needs and goals before providing your evidence.
A Local Area Coordinator (LAC) may also be involved depending on your circumstances and how your NDIS supports are being delivered.
At this stage, the aim is not to find a provider immediately or decide on a particular number of support hours. It is to make sure you have someone helping you understand the process and coordinate the next steps.
Step 3: Get an OT Functional Capacity Assessment
The NDIS needs evidence to understand what support you actually require at home.
A recent occupational therapist (OT) functional capacity assessment can help explain how your disability affects your everyday activities and your ability to live independently.
The NDIS says evidence should come from a relevant treating health professional, such as an occupational therapist. The report or assessment should explain your daily support and housing needs, including how often and when you need support, what you can and cannot do because of your disability, and why other home and living options you have explored may not meet your disability-related needs.
Depending on your circumstances, other evidence may also be relevant. This could include information from another treating professional, a behaviour support practitioner or a provider involved in your current supports.
A strong report should go beyond your diagnosis. It should help the NDIS understand what happens in your everyday life.
For example, rather than simply stating that you have an intellectual disability, the evidence might explain that you need regular prompting with personal care, supervision when preparing meals, assistance with household routines and support to manage safety risks.
This information helps the NDIS understand the type, frequency, and level of support you need.
Step 4: Explore SIL and Housing Options
SIL is not the only home and living option available through the NDIS, so it is worth exploring which type of living arrangement suits you best.
You might consider:
- A shared home with other NDIS participants
- Living on your own with appropriate support
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), if you meet the eligibility requirements
- Individualised Living Options (ILO)
- Other home and living supports that may better match your needs.
The NDIS recommends considering different options, including your preferred location, who you want to live with and what support you need to live safely and independently.
This is also when you can start looking at SIL providers in Adelaide or regional South Australia. Your Support Coordinator can help you compare providers and understand what support they can deliver within your plan.
You don’t have to choose a provider just because they have a vacancy. Consider whether the provider’s approach, staff, living arrangements, and support model fit your goals and needs.
If you are considering SDA as part of your living arrangement, remember that SDA and SIL are different. SDA relates to the specialised housing itself, while SIL funds the support workers who assist you in your home. Some participants may have both.
Step 5: Submit Your Request and Wait for the NDIS Decision
Once you have worked through your goals, support needs and living options, you can provide your information to the NDIS.
The current NDIS process involves discussing your needs with your NDIS contact, gathering relevant evidence, and submitting that information. You can submit evidence through the NDIS Service Hub, by mail, or in person.
If you are approaching a scheduled plan review, do not leave your request until the last minute.
NDIS provider guidance says participants with a new home and living goal or changed circumstances are encouraged to provide supporting evidence within 100 days of their plan end date for consideration during a scheduled plan review. Other pathways may apply when circumstances change or when you request a review of a decision.
Once you submit your information, the NDIS reviews the evidence and decides whether to include home and living supports in your plan. It may ask for more information if there is not enough evidence to make a decision.
How Does the NDIS Decide if SIL Is Reasonable and Necessary?
The key question is not simply whether you need help at home. The NDIS needs to determine whether SIL is a reasonable and necessary support for your circumstances.
In practical terms, the evidence should help show:
- what support you need because of your disability
- how that support helps you pursue your goals
- whether the support is effective and appropriate
- whether it represents value for money
- whether another home and living option would better meet your needs.
The NDIS also considers the information in your reports and assessments, your individual circumstances, your goals and preferences, your functional capacity and other options that could help you live as independently as possible.
Do You Need a Roster of Care for SIL Funding?
This is one area where older SIL information can be misleading. You can work with your SIL provider to create a Roster of Care if you choose to. It can show your weekly support needs and how those supports will be provided throughout the week.
A Roster of Care is not required, and you do not need to submit it to the NDIS. It is simply a planning tool that can help you and your provider understand what support will be provided in the home and when.
You and your provider should agree on the roster and how the funding in your plan will be used to deliver those supports. So, if you are preparing a SIL funding request, you do not need to wait until a Roster of Care has been prepared before submitting your request.
What Happens After SIL Funding Is Approved?
If you have SIL funding, your Support Coordinator can help you find a suitable provider. You can discuss what each provider can deliver within your plan funding and consider which option fits your needs.
Once you connect with a SIL provider, you should have a service agreement that explains the supports the provider will deliver and what you have agreed to. If your living arrangement involves a tenancy, the tenancy agreement is separate from the SIL support arrangement.
From 1 July 2026, providers delivering SIL must be registered with the NDIS, although they have until 1 October 2026 to apply for registration under the current transition arrangements.
If you are moving into a new home, your Support Coordinator and SIL provider can help you prepare for the move. They can work with you to plan your daily support, living arrangements and what you will need once you move in.
Get Help With Your SIL Funding Request in South Australia
Getting SIL funding may involve more than simply asking the NDIS for support. You may need to explain your home and living goals, collect evidence, understand your support needs, and prepare information for the NDIS.
EasAbility can assist participants in Adelaide and across South Australia with support coordination, including understanding their home and living options and preparing for the SIL funding process.
We can help you understand your current plan, work through your support needs, coordinate with relevant professionals and explore suitable SIL options. We can also help you prepare for discussions with the NDIS so your goals and support needs are clearly explained.
If you are unsure where to start with your SIL funding request, support coordination can help you understand the next steps and guide you through the process.
FAQs
How do I get SIL funding added to my NDIS plan?
Start by identifying your home and living goals, discussing your needs with your NDIS contact or Support Coordinator, gathering relevant evidence and submitting your information to the NDIS for consideration.
What evidence do I need for SIL funding?
The NDIS asks for recent evidence from relevant treating professionals. This may include an OT assessment explaining your daily support and housing needs, what you can and cannot do because of your disability and why other home and living options may not meet your needs.
Do I need an OT report for SIL?
An OT report or assessment can provide important evidence about your functional capacity and support needs. The NDIS says evidence may also come from other relevant professionals or providers involved in your support.
Is a Roster of Care mandatory for SIL funding?
No. Current NDIS guidance says a Roster of Care is optional and doesn’t need to be submitted. You and your SIL provider can use one to map weekly support needs and how supports will be delivered.
Can a Support Coordinator help with a SIL application?
Yes. A Support Coordinator can help you understand your options, find suitable providers and coordinate the information needed for your support arrangements. The NDIS says participants receiving home and living funding, including SIL, will typically have funding for a Support Coordinator.
Can I get SIL funding during an NDIS plan review?
Yes. Home and living supports can be considered as part of the NDIS planning process. If your needs or circumstances have changed, you can also ask the NDIS to consider changing your plan.
How long does SIL funding take to get approved?
There is no single timeframe that applies to every SIL request. The NDIS may ask for more information if it does not have enough evidence to make a decision, which can affect how long the process takes.
What does reasonable and necessary mean for SIL?
It means the NDIS considers whether the requested support is appropriate for your disability-related needs and circumstances. It considers factors including your goals, functional capacity, effectiveness, value for money, and other home and living options.
What happens if my SIL funding is declined?
The NDIS should explain why it has not funded some or all of the home and living supports you requested. If you disagree with the decision, you can request a review.
Can I get SIL funding in regional South Australia?
SIL is not limited to Adelaide. Participants across South Australia can explore home and living supports, although the availability of suitable providers and living arrangements may differ between metropolitan and regional areas.
Does SIL funding cover rent?
No. SIL funding covers disability-related support from support workers. It does not cover ordinary costs such as rent, groceries, utilities or other day-to-day living expenses.
