What is supported independent living? Support and housing

What is Supported Independent Living?

By Open Minds · Originally published 8 May 2019

A person holding a broom like a guitar in a living room

How participants can compare a SIL arrangement before agreeing

Ask how your preferences, communication and daily assistance will be supported, including overnight needs and changes of worker. Clarify which support is individual or shared, how concerns are handled and what happens if another resident’s needs change.

Get the support costs and housing costs explained separately. SIL does not pay rent or groceries. Ask the provider to explain its current registration and any applicable registration transition pathway rather than relying on a historical provider description.

Original article and dated context

Specialists in Supported Independent Living, Open Minds is a registered NDIS provider offering a range of support services to people in QLD and NSW with mental illness and disabilities.

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is when people with mental illnesses and disabilities share a home together, usually with 24/7 support available to help each person live as independently as possible.

[Clickability update, October 2026: SIL is not defined solely by sharing a house. It funds substantial daily assistance and supervision; individual arrangements depend on assessed support needs. Read current SIL guidance.]

Many people with mental illness or disabilities are unable to live on their own or with their family, and therefore group or shared accommodation allows people to receive day-to-day support whilst living in a suitable home.

It’s important for everyone in the household to get along, so like-minded housemates can be matched based on compatibility and shared hobbies and interests.

Under the NDIS, SIL specialists such as Enhanced Lifestyles offer homes for various participants, each person with their own private bedroom.

What support is available in a SIL home?

Support is usually available 24/7 and can include:

Help to manage money and household budgeting
Assistance with cooking
Assistance with cleaning and laundry
Help to catch public transport to visit friends and family
Personal care such as showering and dressing
Support with grocery shopping
Assistance with daily skills training
Promote participation in household and community activities

What levels of support does SIL provide?

Everyone with mental illness and disabilities is unique and has therefore has different support requirements. The NDIS has outlined three levels of support that SIL is funded under:

[Clickability update, October 2026: These are historical labels, not a current universal three-level classification. Use current guidance and the person’s assessed needs rather than matching them to the old list.]

Lower needs – not usually 24/7. Includes supervision of living arrangements.
Standard needs – 24/7 support. Includes assistance and supervision of most daily tasks, and Support Worker overnight sleepovers.
Higher needs – 24/7 active support, including overnight. Includes frequent with managing challenging behaviours that require positive behaviour support, assistance with daily tasks.

How do I find a SIL home?

If you or someone you care for has indicated that living independently is a personal goal to work towards, then this should be raised in your NDIS planning meetings.

Once you have an approved plan with SIL in your package, you or your Support Coordinator can contact support service providers to find out where there are SIL vacancies.

Bear in mind that preparing to live independently after living at home for a long time can be a long process, and it may be something that you work towards gradually.

What are the benefits of SIL?

The NDIS is all about having more choice and control in your life. If living independently is one of your goals then SIL has clear benefits for you.

Sharing a home can mean that you are sharing the cost of rent, and therefore have more funds to put towards other things you want.

It’s also possible that you can share supports, so for example in a home shared by three people, a Support Worker staying overnight would have this cost split between three people rather than paying for this solely out of your own package.

Clickability editorial update: October 2026

Check the support arrangement as carefully as the property

With permission, help compare staffing, continuity and the participant’s preferred routines. An attractive property or a friendly tour does not establish that the support will meet the person’s needs. Ask how the participant can change providers, raise concerns and retain choice over who assists them.

To compare assistance with the home and other living arrangements, read SDA, SIL and ILO side by side.

Questions readers ask

Does SIL funding pay for rent?

No. SIL support and housing costs are separate. Official guidance

Is SDA the same support as SIL?

No. SDA is specialist housing; SIL funds support within a living arrangement. Official guidance

Find home and living providers for your support needs

Describe the housing and daily assistance you are looking for through Clickability. Compare profiles and reviews, then confirm eligibility, current registration and the proposed arrangement directly.

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