Supported Independent Living (SIL) is NDIS funding for support workers who help or supervise participants at home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Support may be shared with other participants in a home or provided individually, depending on the person’s disability support needs.
Individualised Living Options (ILO) is designed around where you want to live, who you want to live with and how you want to be supported. It can combine primary and supplementary supports with help from family, friends and other people in your community.
Neither SIL nor ILO pays your rent or ordinary household living costs.
People often ask which option they should explore when discussing home and living supports with the NDIS. Although SIL and ILO can both support people to live more independently, they are designed differently and the right option depends on the person’s support needs, goals and preferred living arrangement.
What is SIL?
SIL is NDIS funding for support workers who help you in your home.SIL may be suitable for participants who need a support worker to stay with them 24 hours a day, including overnight, with assistance or supervision throughout the day. SIL is often delivered in shared living arrangements where participants share support workers, although individual support can also be funded in some circumstances.
Support usually covers personal care, meals, household tasks and building daily living skills. The NDIS explains that SIL can’t be used for rent or groceries. If you also need a purpose-built home, that is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). SDA relates to the specialised housing itself, while SIL funds support workers who assist participants within their home. Some participants have both SDA and SIL in their plans.
Christian Care’s SIL service covers what this looks like day to day.
What is ILO?
ILO helps you decide where you live, who you live with and how you are supported. That might mean sharing a home with a housemate you choose, or living with a host.
It runs in two stages. Stage 1 is exploration and design, where you and a provider work out the arrangement. Stage 2 is the Supports stage, where the approved ILO arrangement and supports are put in place. The NDIS ILO guide describes a mix of primary supports (people who live with you and aren’t related to you), supplementary supports, and regular check-ins to see whether the arrangement still works.
Two limits matter. ILO doesn’t fund activities outside the home, like work or study, and it doesn’t fund home modifications. Because payments received through an ILO may be assessable for tax purposes, the NDIS recommends seeking independent financial advice before agreeing to an ILO arrangement.
ILO vs SIL at a glance
| SIL | ILO | |
| Best suited to | Needs support all or most of the day | Wants control, often needs less round-the-clock support |
| Typical setting | Shared home with other participants | Host home, chosen housemate, or your own arrangement |
| How support is built | Rostered paid support shared in the house | Custom package of paid and informal support |
| Flexibility | Changes may mean a plan review or a move | Support mix can be adjusted at check-ins |
| Pays for rent? | No | No |
| First step | Support coordinator finds a suitable home | Stage 1 design work with a provider |
How to choose
When exploring home and living options, consider:
- How much support do you need at home? Think about whether you need support or supervision throughout the day and overnight.
- What type of living arrangement do you want? You may prefer a shared home with planned support, or you may want to explore a more individualised arrangement.
- Who could be part of your support network? Depending on the arrangement, family, friends, a host, housemate or paid support workers may have different roles.
These questions can help you explain your preferences and support needs to the NDIS. They do not determine eligibility on their own. The NDIS considers your individual circumstances, support needs and proposed home and living arrangement when deciding what supports may be funded.
For ILO, the NDIS also considers whether you need formal or informal support at home for at least 6 hours each day and whether you are ready to explore and invest time in developing your living arrangement.
Before you ask for funding
The NDIS funds what is reasonable and necessary, so bring evidence. Relevant supporting evidence may include occupational therapy assessments, reports from treating professionals, information from support workers and support coordinators, and other evidence that explains your disability-related support needs
