supported independent living everything you need to know

Supported Independent Living: Everything You Need To Know

supported independent living everything you need to know
NDIS Provider
Home Care Package Provider

Many people with disabilities or mental illnesses are not able to live by themselves or with their family, this is where Supported Independent Living comes in. Here, we’re going to break down everything you need to know about Supported Independent Living, and if it is suitable for you or your loved one.

What Is Supported Independent Living?

Supported Independent Living is one type of NDIS funding that supports people with disabilities. It is a type of support offered to those who are deemed eligible, including those that have physical or mental illnesses. Supported Independent Living is NDIS support where someone with a disability lives with others. As many people with disabilities are not able to live by themselves and require support to live their daily lives, Supported Independent Living is a way to receive 24/7 support while living in a shared home environment.

What’s the Difference Between Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?

It is important to note that they both sound very similar, but there are some very important differences. Supported Independent Living is the funding for support services. The specialist disability accommodation is the accommodation where the services are delivered. An SDA provider looks after the home, much like a landlord would look after a property. SDA is used when an individual has very high needs. SDA is used to make sure that people don’t pay more for their homes due to their disability. Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers manage the support of the individuals by themselves. A Supported Independent Living provider supplies the care staff to support the people that live in the home.

What Kind of Support Is Offered in Supported Independent Living?

If an individual has Supported Independent Living in their NDIS plan, this entitles them to 24/7 support for the following areas:

Every individual with a physical or mental disability has their own needs. There are different levels of support depending on the requirements of the individual, and are broken down into three different levels of support:

Lower Needs

These are classed as levels of support that are not accessible 24/7. This will include the supervision of the living arrangements.

Standard Needs

This is where 24/7 support is provided, and assistance and supervision of daily tasks are provided to the individuals so they can live comfortably and complete their tasks without any stress.

Higher Needs

This is where 24/7 support is provided on a more active basis, including overnight support and managing behaviours that may be considered challenging or require extra assistance.

Additionally, a Supported Independent Living provider also manages the staff that work in the property, and deals with any HR components, such as complaints about the support providers, and also stringently screens support workers for the property.

What Does Supported Independent Living Not Cover?

As a rule, it does not cover the following:

How Does Supported Independent Living Funding Work?

In comparison to most NDIS funding, Supported Independent Living funding works as per the following criteria:

The levels of funding are broken down into three categories depending on the level of support required as per the lower, standard, and higher needs listed above. The three levels of SIL funding are as follows:

Lower Need

The funding provided supervision of living arrangements, but not on a 24/7 basis.

Standard Need

This provides 24/7 support, also including supervision and/or active assistance of daily tasks and overnight duties, such as sleepovers.

Complex Need

This funding provides frequent assistance to the individual, while also managing challenging behaviours, continual active assistance with every daily task, as well as management of medical needs and overnight support.

How Do I Get Supported Independent Living Funding?

Like all of the other support systems provided by the NDIS, an individual needs to be eligible for the support. When the participants go for their planning meeting to get the Supported Independent Living funding, they will be asked certain questions by the NDIS to understand if they are eligible for the support. 

The NDIS system relies on advice from Allied Health professionals to determine if somebody is eligible for Supported Independent Living funding. When applying for funding with the NDIS, it is crucial to ascertain if Supported Independent Living funding is classed as reasonable and necessary by the NDIS planner. It’s important to explain to the planner why it is essential in the circumstances. You can further bolster your case by having a level of evidence as support for your case. The more you prepare, the higher the chances of receiving a funding package close to your needs. 

As the NDIS planner does not know the individual looking for funding, it is crucial to be clear in what you need. Explaining the support that the individual receives now and why further support is needed is important, while also planning the goals for the future and what support can help you achieve them.

What Are the Benefits of Supported Independent Living for People With a Disability?

Supported Independent Living funding is a way for people with a disability to have what is rightfully theirs: more choice and control in their lives. If an individual’s aim is to live independently, Supported Independent Living is a very useful way to bridge them between ongoing 24/7 care and an independent life. The Supported Independent Living setup means that the individual shares a home with other people, which means they will have a responsibility for their funding and have to pay rent and spend the funding on things to help them live their daily life. This is where a support worker can help the individual with a disability to make more informed choices so they can live the life that they deserve. 

How Do I Find a Supported Independent Living Home?

If you are somebody you are caring for has stated that they would like to live independently, this has to be raised in the NDIS planning meetings. Once a plan has been approved with Supported Independent Living in the package, you or the Support Coordinator can contact support service providers to find any Supported Independent Living vacancies in your local area. It is something that may depend on a variety of situations, and the individual applying for Supported Independent Living may need to work towards this goal by fulfilling a certain set of criteria.

Can You Use Your Supported Independent Living Funding in Your Own Home or Rental Property?

Yes, it is possible to use your Supported Independent Living funding in a variety of places, including:

Who Can Help Me With Supported Independent Living?

To make sure you get Supported Independent Living, the most important thing to do is to approach a Support Coordinator. A Support Coordinator is paid by the NDIS to help individuals with mental or physical disabilities navigate the Supported Independent Living process. They work with you to get the best support for your needs. They work with Allied Health and service providers to ensure that every need is met.

Supported Independent Living is an approach to ensure that the individual has more choice and control in their life. Everybody deserves a chance at living their best life, and Supported Independent Living is the perfect way to bridge the gap between 24/7 care and living and independent existence. 

If living independently is one of your goals, it can provide a significant number of benefits. If you are looking after someone, and you feel they are ready to take the next step to independence, Supported Independent Living is an ideal way to give you peace of mind. You want to know that the person you care about is being looked after. But also, you want to give them the tools to make sure they know how to start living a life that they have complete control over. This is why Supported Independent Living could be the key to helping so many Australians with physical or mental disabilities live a fuller and independent life.

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The Albanese Labor Government has introduced a landmark Aged Care Bill, marking a once-in-a-generation reform to prioritise the rights, safety and dignity of older Australians. 

From 1 July 2025, the new Aged Care Act will bring significant changes, including:

-Tougher regulatory standards to ensure higher 
  accountability

-Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards for improved 
  care delivery

-A dedicated Statement of Rights for older Australians

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These reforms align with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, focusing on better complaint handling, greater participant choice, improved funding and enhanced fairness and quality across the sector.

If you’d like to learn more about how these changes impact you or your loved ones, Home Caring can guide you through the details. Please call us on 1300 875 377 for personalised support and assistance.

Read more 📱- health.gov.au/aged-care-act

#AgedCareReforms #SupportingOlderAustralians #australianhealthandagedcare #AHAC

The Albanese Labor Government has introduced a landmark Aged Care Bill, marking a once-in-a-generation reform to prioritise the rights, safety and dignity of older Australians.

From 1 July 2025, the new Aged Care Act will bring significant changes, including:

-Tougher regulatory standards to ensure higher
accountability

-Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards for improved
care delivery

-A dedicated Statement of Rights for older Australians

-A $4.3 billion Support at Home program to help seniors live independently at home for longer

These reforms align with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, focusing on better complaint handling, greater participant choice, improved funding and enhanced fairness and quality across the sector.

If you’d like to learn more about how these changes impact you or your loved ones, Home Caring can guide you through the details. Please call us on 1300 875 377 for personalised support and assistance.

Read more 📱- health.gov.au/aged-care-act

#AgedCareReforms #SupportingOlderAustralians #australianhealthandagedcare #AHAC
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The expo was an amazing opportunity for our teams to connect with the local community, meet new faces and raise awareness about the vital work we do. From sharing insights into our services to forming meaningful connections all of our Melbourne teams went above and beyond to make the event a resounding success. It’s clear that when you’re passionate about your work, it never feels like a job – and this passion was on full display throughout the weekend. A big thank you to everyone involved for representing Home Caring with such heart and dedication! 🩵
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These sessions are such a valuable part of what we do as they foster connection, build efficiency and empower us to deliver the best care to our clients. As we all know being a support worker can sometimes feel isolating but moments like these remind us of the incredible community we’re all a part of.

Let’s all carry that energy into the weekend—it’s going to be a hot one, so stay cool and take care! 🩵

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These sessions are such a valuable part of what we do as they foster connection, build efficiency and empower us to deliver the best care to our clients. As we all know being a support worker can sometimes feel isolating but moments like these remind us of the incredible community we’re all a part of.

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#happysunday #welovewecare

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Our sponsorship reflects Home Caring’s core value of giving without expecting anything in return. We’re thrilled to have contributed to initiatives like installing a sprinkler system to nurture their community garden, where fresh produce is grown for those living in crisis. Supporting Hope City Mission means investing in kindness, growth and care and we couldn’t be prouder to play a part in their incredible journey. Here’s to creating positive change together! 🩵

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