Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Daily Living Support in Melbourne

Supported Independent Living is help with the everyday tasks of running a home and looking after yourself, delivered where you live. It is designed so that you can live as independently as possible, with support present at the level you actually need — not more.

What SIL covers

SIL funds the support workers, not the housing. Typical support includes:

• Personal care — showering, dressing, grooming, toileting
• Preparing meals and cleaning up afterwards
• Household tasks such as laundry, cleaning and shopping
• Prompting and supervision around routines and medication
• Support to get to appointments and community activities
• Help with budgeting, correspondence and day-to-day decisions
• Overnight support, either active or sleepover, where it is needed

What SIL does not cover

SIL does not pay your rent, board or utilities, and it does not pay for food, furniture or day-to-day living costs. Those come from your own income, as they would for anyone. If you need help with the housing itself, that is a separate NDIS conversation about Specialist Disability Accommodation or other housing supports.

Shared or individual

SIL is often delivered in a home shared with one or two other people, where support is shared across the household — this is usually how higher support levels become affordable within a plan. It can also be delivered in your own home. Which suits you depends on your support needs, your preferences about living with others, and what is available in your area.

The roster of care

SIL funding is built from a roster of care: a written breakdown of how many hours of support are needed, at what times, at what ratio of workers to residents, and whether overnight support is active or sleepover. Getting this right at plan reassessment is what determines whether your funding matches your actual life.

How it is funded

SIL sits in the Core Supports budget under Assistance with Daily Life. It is quoted rather than set at a standard rate, because it depends on the roster of care agreed for your household.

Common questions

Can I choose who I live with?
You should have genuine input. A shared arrangement only works when the people in it are compatible, and a good provider will take that seriously rather than filling a vacancy.

What happens if my needs increase?
The roster of care can be reviewed and a change of circumstances submitted to the NDIA. You do not have to wait for a scheduled reassessment if something significant has changed.

Can I get daily living support without SIL?
Yes. Many people receive help with personal care and household tasks in their own home without a SIL arrangement, funded from their Core budget as regular support hours.