Usually, Applying for Supported Independent Living (SIL) can feel daunting. Even so , with a tidy set of reports and the right evidence, you can make a clear, confident case to the NDIA. Therefore, This guide (written in Australian English) walks you through how to package everything so your request lands well, what to gather, who should write it, hand what SIL is, . Consequently, We’ll keep the language plain, the steps practical, and the focus on outcomes that matter to you.
First things first: what SIL is (and isn’t)
SIL funds the support worker assistance you need at home to live more independently—things like personal care, mealtime support, prompting with medication, community access routines, overnight support, and help to build daily living skills. It’s part of the Home and Living pathway under the NDIS. Crucially, the NDIA will only include home and living supports in your plan when your evidence shows your daily support needs, your functional capacity, and why other options don’t meet your disability-related needs.
Meanwhile, SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) is different: it’s the housing itself for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. You can have SIL without SDA, and vice versa; some participants need both. Get details about NDIS Provider in Newcastle.
The short version: your SIL application roadmap
- Set your goal: Make sure your plan (or pre-review notes) clearly states a Home and Living goal that aligns with SIL-type supports.
- Collect evidence: Gather recent, relevant allied health reports that spell out daily support needs and functional capacity in the home.
- Roster of Care (ROC): If you’re seeking SIL for the first time or your needs have changed, ask your provider to complete a SIL Roster of Care with you; it describes hours, overnight needs, and shared vs 1:1 supports.
- Provider quote / costings: Attach a SIL quote using the NDIA’s templates/guidance where applicable.
- Submit the pack: Your support coordinator or LAC lodges your Home and Living request with all evidence; the NDIA considers everything against the reasonable and necessary criteria.
What evidence the NDIA actually looks for
The NDIA’s own guidance explains the essentials your evidence must cover. In plain terms, make sure your pack includes:
- housing needs & Daily support : What help you need, when you need it (overnight, evenings, mornings, ), and why. Include intensity and frequency .
- Functional capacity: Mainly, What you can and can’t do because of your disability—safety risks, behaviours of concern, communication, cognition, self-care, and mobility in the home.
- Alternatives you’ve tried: Apparently, Show which Living and Home options you explored (e.g., drop-in supports or ILO) and why they didn’t meet your needs. (ndis.gov.au)
Tip: The NDIA prefers recent evidence from relevant treating professionals (for example, an OT who assessed you at home). Get details on NDIS SIL House Vacancies in Newcastle.
The reports that carry real weight
In order to , avoid a round of follow-up questions, include these staples:
- Occupational Therapy (OT) Functional Capacity Assessment: Link daily tasks (medication, meal prep, transfers, showering, ) to specific support hours and risk mitigation.
- Behaviour Support or psychology summary (if relevant): Explain supervision required, staffing skill mix, positive behaviour strategies, and triggers,.
- Nursing report (if relevant): Outline clinical tasks (e.g., PEG, diabetes care), training needs for staff, and overnight monitoring.
- Risk & incidents summary: Falls, elopement, choking risk, or other safety notes—paired with the supports that reduce those risks.
- Daily support logs/trials: Short trial periods with documented outcomes can show why SIL (rather than “drop-in”) is reasonable and necessary.
- Environment & home setup: Where you live now, any SDA status, or environmental constraints that affect staffing and hours.
The Roster of Care (ROC): why it matters
The ROC is a detailed schedule of the supports you’ll receive in shared living (or your specific arrangement). It lists daily and weekly hours, 1:1 vs shared supports, sleepover type (active or passive), and any high-intensity supports. For first-time SIL or a significant change in needs, the NDIA requires a ROC alongside your other evidence. Providers must complete it with you and include enough detail for the NDIA to decide your supports.
SIL quote and pricing basics
Alongside your ROC, include a SIL quote that aligns with the NDIA’s templates/guidance. The quote should reflect the ROC hours, clearly distinguish shared and 1:1 time, and match current pricing arrangements and limits. Consistency between your ROC, quote and reports avoids delays.
Step-by-step: how to assemble a strong SIL request
Step 1: Lock in your Home & Living goal
Make sure your current plan—or your pre-review notes—express a goal about living more independently with the right in-home supports.
Step 2: Line up your allied health
Additionally, Ask your OT (and other clinicians) for home-based assessments, not clinic-only reports. Furthermore,ask them to connect each support to a clear outcome (safety,independence,skill building, ).
Step 3: Gather real-world data
You can normally gather night-time observations, mealtime/medication prompts, incident notes, Daily logs, —these show intensity and frequency of support, which the NDIA expects to see.
Step 4: Work with your provider on the ROC
Co-design the Roster of Care so it reflects your actual routine: mornings, evenings, community times, and whether overnights are active or sleepover.
Step 5: Prepare the SIL quote
Use the NDIA’s guidance. Check maths, shared ratios, and that the quote mirrors the ROC and your reports.
Step 6: Submit via your support coordinator
Your coordinator (or LAC) submits the full Home and Living request and books the planning meeting. Bring copies of crucial pages and be ready to walk through your day. Looking for a NDIS SIL Vacancies in Hunter?
Common questions we hear (and straight answers)
“Do I need the old Home & Living Supporting Evidence form?”
Sector updates in October 2025 noted this form was retired. Either way, the NDIA still assesses the content of your evidence against their current “Requesting home and living supports” guidance—so focus on strong allied health reports, a clean ROC, and a consistent quote.
“Is SIL the same as SDA?”
No. SIL funds the support workers you need in the home; SDA is the specialist housing itself for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Some people receive both.
“Who writes what?”
Your OT usually leads the functional assessment; psychology or behaviour support clinicians cover behaviours of concern; nursing covers clinical supports; your provider helps complete the ROC and quote; your support coordinator submits the lot.
“How specific should our evidence be?”
Very. The NDIA wants detail about how often you need help, when during the day, whether it’s 1:1 or shared, and why other options didn’t work. Recent, relevant evidence is best.
“What if my needs change after approval?”
If your needs escalate or reduce and can’t be met inside your current funding, you can seek a reassessment. A fresh ROC may be required for a change in circumstances. (ndis.gov.au)
Evidence checklist (save this)
- Home & Living goal in your plan or review notes.
- Recent OT functional assessment (home-based).
- Psychology/behaviour support and/or nursing report (if relevant).
- Daily logs (mornings/evenings/overnights) and any risk/incident summaries.
- Co-designed SIL Roster of Care.
- SIL quote consistent with the ROC and current pricing guidance.
- Notes showing other options tried (e.g., drop-in or ILO) and why they weren’t enough.
Related Articles:
» NDIS SIL Vacancies in Hunter
» NDIS Provider in Cameron Park
How Advanced Integrity Care (NSW) can help
At Advanced Integrity Care, we work with you (and your support coordinator) to map supports to outcomes: safer mornings, calmer mealtimes, reliable overnight coverage, and genuine skill building. We co-design your ROC, prepare a transparent quote, and liaise with your allied health team so your evidence speaks clearly to reasonable and necessary. Then, we support you through the planning meeting—because a good submission is only useful if everyone in the room understands it.
Call 0249511530 for SIL Homes Near You
A strong SIL application is simply good storytelling with evidence: your goals, the supports you need across the day (and night), and clear reports that explain why. When your ROC, quote and allied health assessments line up, the NDIA has what it needs to make a timely, fair decision. If you’d like a hand, Advanced Integrity Care (NSW) can help you gather the right evidence, build a practical roster, and present a neat, persuasive pack.
