What is SIL?
SIL, short for Supported Independent Living, is NDIS funding for help with, or supervision of, everyday tasks in your home, so you can live as independently as possible. It's for people with higher support needs who need a lot of help every day, sometimes including overnight.
SIL pays for the support workers, not for the home or your rent. See how SIL funding and rosters of care work in 2026, or estimate costs with our SIL cost calculator.
The short answer
If you're looking at home and living options under the NDIS, three terms come up again and again. In one line each:
- SIL (Supported Independent Living) pays for help with, or supervision of, daily tasks in your home, so you can live as independently as possible. It pays for the support, not the home.
- SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) pays for the home itself: housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
- ILO (individualised living options) is a package of supports that helps you choose where and how you live, which can include living with a host or a housemate. It doesn't pay for a house.
They are separate supports. Some people have SIL and SDA together, some have only one, and some use ILO instead of SIL. More detail on our Supported Independent Living page.
Side by side
| SIL | SDA | ILO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it pays for | Help with, or supervision of, daily tasks at home | The home: specially designed housing | A package of supports for the way you choose to live |
| Pays for the home? | No | Yes | No |
| Who provides it | A provider registered for SIL | An SDA provider, in a home enrolled with the NDIA | Providers you choose, often with informal support such as a host or housemate |
| Who decides if it's in your plan | The NDIA | The NDIA, under the SDA Rules | The NDIA, usually after an exploration and design stage |
| What you still pay | Rent, board, groceries, utilities | A reasonable rent contribution and day-to-day costs | Your own living costs |
Sources for each row are listed at the end of this guide.
SIL: support in your home
SIL is for people with higher support needs who need a significant amount of help throughout the day, every day, which can include support overnight.
It covers things like personal care, cooking and meals, cleaning and keeping to a routine, and building skills so you can do more for yourself. It's often provided in a home shared with other people, but it doesn't have to be.
SIL does not pay for rent, board, groceries, utilities or vehicle costs. Since 1 July 2026, SIL providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission for SIL (existing providers could keep delivering SIL if they applied by 1 October 2026), so it's worth checking a provider's registration before you sign up.
SDA: the home itself
SDA funding pays for housing built or modified for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Each SDA home has a design category, such as Fully Accessible or High Physical Support, and a building type, such as an apartment, villa or house. Our guide to SDA design categories explains each one.
The NDIS rules say you're eligible for SDA if you have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs and you meet the SDA needs requirement. The NDIA decides, usually based on evidence about your needs and your housing. SDA does not pay for the support workers in the home; that's usually SIL or other supports in your plan.
ILO: support built around you
ILO is for people who want a living arrangement designed around them, rather than a shared supported home. It can include a host arrangement or living with a housemate who gives some informal support, alongside paid supports.
It usually starts with an exploration and design stage, where you work out the arrangement you want and the supports you need, before the supports themselves are added to your plan. ILO does not pay for a house, so you'd still rent or own your home.
Can I have more than one?
Yes, in some combinations. SIL and SDA often go together: SDA pays for the home and SIL pays for the support inside it. You can also have SIL without SDA, for example in a rented home or your family home.
ILO is generally an alternative to SIL for your support, rather than an extra on top of it. The NDIA decides what's in your plan.
Your choice when SIL and SDA come together
When you live in an SDA home with SIL, there are usually two separate agreements: one with the home's SDA provider and one with your SIL provider. Keeping them separate protects your choice and control.
A home should never depend on you using a particular support provider, and your support should never depend on you taking a particular home. In a shared home, changing SIL provider can affect your housemates' support, so ask how that would work before you move in.
Which one fits you?
- Start with your goals. Where do you want to live, and who with?
- Look at your support needs. Do you need help throughout the day and night (often SIL), or a mix of informal and paid support (perhaps ILO)?
- Look at your housing. Does your current home work for you? If you need a specially designed home, SDA may be the question to explore.
- Talk it through. Your support coordinator or local area coordinator can help you understand your plan and what evidence the NDIA needs.
If you already have SDA funding, you can ask us about SDA homes available across our areas.
Not sure which one fits you?
Talk it through with us, free and with no obligation. We have SIL vacancies and SDA homes available now.
The local picture in South East Queensland
The NDIA's own data for 30 June 2026 shows how many people use these supports in the four NDIA districts that cover Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan and the Gold Coast:
| NDIA district | Using SIL | Living in SDA | Eligible for SDA, not yet using it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | 1,257 | 531 | 367 |
| Ipswich | 603 | 224 | 159 |
| Beenleigh (Logan) | 858 | 353 | 168 |
| Robina (Gold Coast) | 781 | 317 | 188 |
| Total | 3,499 | 1,425 | 882 |
- NDIA data (30 June 2026) shows 3,499 people use SIL across these four districts.
- NDIA data (30 June 2026) shows 882 people across these four districts are eligible for SDA but not yet living in an SDA home.
More figures, by district and design category: SIL and SDA statistics for South East Queensland.
Common questions
Does SIL pay for rent?
No. SIL pays for help with, or supervision of, daily tasks in your home. Rent, board, groceries and utilities are paid in other ways, usually from your own income.
Can I have SIL and SDA at the same time?
Yes. SIL and SDA often go together: SDA pays for the home and SIL pays for the support inside it. You can also have SIL without SDA, for example in a rented home or your family home.
Is ILO the same as SIL?
No. ILO is a package of supports built around the way you choose to live, which can include a host or a housemate. It's generally an alternative to SIL for your support, and it doesn't pay for a house.
Who decides which one is in my plan?
The NDIA. For SDA it decides under the SDA Rules, and for ILO there is usually an exploration and design stage first. Your support coordinator or local area coordinator can help you gather the evidence.
Sources
- NDIS, What is supported independent living (SIL). www.ndis.gov.au (checked 7 Nov 2026)
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, Mandatory registration for supported independent living (SIL). www.ndiscommission.gov.au (checked 7 Nov 2026)
- NDIS, What is specialist disability accommodation (SDA). www.ndis.gov.au (checked 7 Nov 2026)
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Rules 2020, compilation No. 1 (F2025C00260): sections 11 to 14, Schedules 1 and 2. www.legislation.gov.au (full text read 7 Nov 2026)
- NDIS, What are individualised living options (ILO). www.ndis.gov.au (checked 7 Nov 2026)
- NDIA, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) data, 30 June 2026. dataresearch.ndis.gov.au (downloaded and analysed 7 Nov 2026)