SIL FAQs: Supported Independent Living Questions Answered

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is NDIS funding for the support workers who help you with everyday life at home. This can include assistance with personal care, meals, medication, household tasks, routines, community access, and the development of daily living skills. SIL does not pay for rent or groceries. It funds the support you need to live as independently and safely as possible.

SIL is generally for people with disability who need regular or ongoing support with daily living tasks. Some participants need support for only part of the day, while others require high levels of assistance, including overnight support. SIL may be suitable for people living with physical disability, psychosocial disability, acquired brain injury, intellectual disability, autism, or complex support needs. The right arrangement depends on your functional needs, goals, and the level of support you require.

SIL funds the support staff who assist you at home. SDA funds the physical building, specialised design features, or accessibility modifications. Some participants use SIL without SDA, some use SDA without SIL, and many use both. If you are unsure what your plan includes, your Support Coordinator, LAC, or Hilda Care can help you understand your funding. Read the full difference in our SIL vs SDA guide.

Usually, this involves a plan review supported by evidence showing why SIL is reasonable and necessary. This often includes an OT Functional Capacity Assessment, reports from treating professionals, and information about your daily support needs. We can help you understand the process and prepare supporting information at no cost.

Support needs do not stay static, and your supports should not either. Your Roster of Care is reviewed regularly and updated when your circumstances, goals, health, or functional needs change. If your support requirements increase significantly, We can assist with evidence gathering for a change-of-circumstances review with the NDIA. If needs reduce, supports can be adjusted accordingly.

Every worker holds a current NDIS Worker Screening Check, Working With Children Check, and First Aid certification, and completes the NDIS Worker Orientation Module. Ongoing training includes trauma-informed care, medication assistance, behaviour support, and disability-specific practice. Just as importantly, we look for workers who communicate clearly, respect participants’ choices, and can work consistently within participants’ routines and support needs.

A Roster of Care is a written schedule showing when support workers are present, what support is delivered, and how staffing aligns with your functional needs. It is developed with you, based on your goals, routines, risks, support requirements, and home environment, not written in isolation. You review and approve the roster before anything is submitted to the NDIA.

Yes. If your current living arrangement is not the right fit, you can choose to move. Our supports include transition planning to reduce disruption to routines, medication management, and funded supports. Timeframes vary based on housing availability and individual circumstances, but we work to make transitions as smooth and practical as possible.

Many families come to us after experiences involving poor communication, unclear charging, staff inconsistency, or feeling excluded from decisions. Hilda Care takes a more transparent approach: participants review and agree to their Roster of Care, costs and support arrangements are explained clearly, and concerns are addressed directly rather than deferred through layers of administration. We also assess fit honestly. If we do not believe we can safely or appropriately meet someone’s needs, we will say so rather than over-promise.

Readiness is usually a gradual process, not a single yes-or-no decision. We use a staged transition approach that may include introductions, daytime visits, short stays, and progressively longer periods of supported living before a full move. The participant sets the pace wherever possible, and families can remain involved throughout the process.

Yes. SIL should support a participant’s choices about everyday life, including routines, meals, activities, visitors, and how they spend their time. Support workers are there to assist with daily living, not to take over decision-making. Choice and control are core NDIS principles, and it matters just as much inside the home as outside it.

It can happen in some arrangements, particularly where housing ownership, tenancy, and support provision overlap. Hilda Care does not own the homes participants live in, so housing decisions are managed through separate tenancy arrangements. While no provider can guarantee that housing circumstances will never change, our focus is on reducing disruption: communicating early, supporting tenancy discussions, and helping participants plan and transition to suitable alternatives if a housing arrangement changes.

In most cases, there are no Hilda Care setup, transfer, or onboarding fees. Your SIL funding remains attached to your approved supports, not to your current provider. We help coordinate the transition process, including planning continuity of care and minimising gaps in support. Timing depends on your individual circumstances, current agreements, and housing arrangements.

Yes. Hilda Care supports participants with a range of complex presentations, including high physical support needs, acquired brain injury, psychosocial disability, and dual disability. For participants with behaviour support requirements, we work alongside Positive Behaviour Support practitioners and follow approved behaviour support plans. We are also clear about scope: if we do not believe we can safely meet someone’s needs, we will say so openly and, where possible, help identify more appropriate pathways.

Overnight support can significantly affect both lifestyle and funding levels in SIL. Active overnight support means a worker is awake and working through the night to provide regular monitoring or frequent assistance. Passive overnight support means a worker is available on-site and sleeping, but can respond if needed. The right model depends on factors such as health needs, mobility, behaviours of concern, seizure management, medication requirements, or safety risks. Our team helps participants understand which arrangement best matches their assessed needs and existing funding.