You've decided your family member is ready for Supported Independent Living (SIL). Now comes the question families ask us most: how do you actually get SIL funding in an NDIS plan?

We're housing providers, not SIL providers, but families ask us about this constantly because SIL and SDA housing often work together. This guide walks you through how to access SIL funding in your NDIS plan, step by step. We'll be honest about timelines, evidence requirements, and the challenges you might face.

If you need background on what SIL actually is, start there. This guide focuses on the application process itself.

Before You Start: Understanding SIL Funding Eligibility

The first question: is your family member eligible for Supported Independent Living funding in their NDIS plan?

SIL eligibility requires more than just being an NDIS participant. Your family member must meet the "reasonable and necessary" test, which typically means needing significant daily support, usually 8 or more hours of active assistance each day. This might include help with personal care, meals, medication management, community access, or other daily living activities.

The NDIS official guidelines on Supported Independent Living outline eligibility criteria in detail, but in practical terms, it comes down to whether your family member needs ongoing daily support to live independently.

Timing matters. It's easier to request SIL funding during your initial NDIS planning meeting or at a scheduled plan review than to request an unscheduled review. If your family member's plan review is coming up, that's often the best time to raise SIL.

If you're unsure whether your family member is ready, our SIL readiness checklist can help you assess where they stand.

Step 1: Engage a Support Coordinator

This is the most important step in the entire process. A support coordinator is essential for navigating SIL funding applications. Technically, you can apply without one, but realistically, the process is complex enough that most families need professional help.

Support coordinators understand NDIS systems, know what evidence the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) looks for, and can guide you through documentation requirements. They'll help you gather the right assessments, prepare for planning meetings, and coordinate with SIL providers.

Finding a good support coordinator matters. Ask other families for recommendations, look for coordinators experienced with SIL applications, and choose someone who communicates clearly with you.

Support coordination is funded through your family member's NDIS plan under "Capacity Building Supports". If support coordination isn't currently in the plan, you can request it at the next plan review.

Our complete guide to support coordination explains how to find and work with a coordinator.

Step 2: Gather Professional Evidence and Assessments

The NDIA won't approve SIL funding without solid professional evidence. This is where many applications get delayed, so plan ahead.

The most important assessment is a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) from an Occupational Therapist (OT). This comprehensive assessment examines your family member's daily living abilities, support needs, and how many hours of assistance they require. The OT must clearly document why SIL is necessary and appropriate.

Other allied health reports can strengthen your application. Psychology assessments, speech pathology reports, or behaviour support plans can all provide evidence, depending on your family member's needs.

What these assessments must address: specific support needs, how many hours of daily support are required, why SIL is the most appropriate support model, and what goals SIL will help your family member achieve.

Timeline reality: comprehensive OT functional capacity assessments take time. Allow 4 to 8 weeks from booking to receiving the report. Many OTs have waiting lists, especially experienced ones familiar with NDIS SIL assessments.

Cost considerations: assessment costs can sometimes be claimed through your family member's existing NDIS plan under "Capacity Building" or "Core Supports", depending on what's available. Your support coordinator can advise on this.

Step 3: Attend Your NDIS Planning Meeting

When you request SIL funding during an NDIS planning meeting, preparation matters.

You can request SIL funding at your initial NDIS planning meeting, during a scheduled plan review, or through an unscheduled review if circumstances change. Scheduled reviews are typically easier because the NDIA expects to discuss all supports at that time.

How to prepare: your support coordinator should help you compile all professional reports, evidence of current support arrangements, and a clear explanation of why SIL is needed. Bring everything in writing.

Who should attend: the participant (if they can participate meaningfully), family members or guardians, the support coordinator, and potentially an advocate if needed. More voices supporting the request can help, but keep the meeting focused.

What happens during the meeting: the NDIA planner will discuss your family member's goals, current supports, and why SIL is being requested. Be prepared to explain how SIL will help achieve the goals in the plan. The planner may ask questions about alternative supports or clarify evidence.

Honest timeline: once you request a plan review, the planning meeting typically happens 2 to 8 weeks later. NDIA workloads affect this significantly.

Step 4: Select an SIL Provider and Develop Roster of Care

This step often happens concurrently with or immediately after your planning meeting. You'll need to select a SIL provider and work with them to create what's called a "roster of care".

The roster of care is a detailed document, usually a spreadsheet, that maps out your family member's support needs in 30-minute blocks across a typical week. It documents what type of support is needed, when it's needed, and how many staff hours are required.

This roster determines your SIL funding amount. The NDIA uses it to calculate how much funding goes into the plan for SIL supports. The NDIS provider guidance on SIL funding and budgets explains how this calculation works.

Your SIL provider creates the roster of care in collaboration with you and your support coordinator. They'll ask detailed questions about your family member's daily routines, support needs, and goals. Be as specific as possible because this determines the funded hours.

Choosing the right SIL provider matters. Our SIL provider selection checklist covers 30 questions to ask when evaluating providers.

Step 5: Submit SIL Funding Request and Supporting Documentation

Once all the pieces are in place, the formal SIL funding request gets submitted to the NDIA.

What gets submitted: the roster of care from your chosen SIL provider, all professional assessments (especially the OT functional capacity assessment), a quote from the SIL provider showing costs, and any additional supporting documentation.

Who submits it: usually your support coordinator submits the request on your family member's behalf through the NDIS portal or during the planning meeting itself.

What the NDIA reviews: they assess whether the request meets the "reasonable and necessary" criteria, whether the roster of care aligns with assessed needs, and whether the funding amount is appropriate for the level of support required.

Additional information requests: the NDIA may come back asking for clarification or additional evidence. This is common, not a rejection. Your support coordinator will help provide whatever's needed.

Be prepared for this step to involve some back-and-forth communication. It's rarely a single submission followed by immediate approval.

Step 6: NDIS Review and Funding Decision

After submission, the NDIA SIL team reviews all documentation and makes a funding decision.

Realistic timeline: the NDIA typically reviews SIL requests within 2 to 4 weeks of submission. Complex cases or high workload periods can extend this to 4 to 8 weeks. We know the wait is frustrating, especially when you're ready to move forward.

Possible outcomes: the NDIA can approve the request as submitted, approve it with modifications (usually fewer funded hours than requested), or deny it.

If approved as requested, the NDIA sends a service booking to your chosen SIL provider. Funding becomes available in the NDIS plan within about 2 weeks of approval.

If approved with modifications, you'll need to decide whether the reduced funding still makes SIL viable. Your support coordinator can help you understand the implications.

What happens if denied: you have review rights. You can request an internal review where the NDIA reconsiders the decision, potentially with additional evidence. If that's unsuccessful, external appeal options exist through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. This is difficult and time-consuming, but it's an option. Your support coordinator or an NDIS advocate can guide you through this process.

Step 7: Service Agreement and Funding Commencement

Once SIL funding is approved and in the plan, the final step is signing a service agreement with your SIL provider.

The service agreement is a formal contract outlining exactly what services will be provided, costs, expectations, cancellation terms, and your rights as a participant. Read it carefully. Your support coordinator should review it with you before you sign.

Funding flow: the NDIA pays your SIL provider directly based on the approved roster of care. You don't handle the money, it's claim-based funding. The provider delivers supports, then claims the funding from the NDIS.

Support commencement: once the agreement is signed, SIL supports typically begin within 2 to 4 weeks. This depends on provider capacity and staffing availability.

Ongoing reviews: SIL funding isn't set in stone. If your family member's support needs change, you can request adjustments at plan reviews. The roster of care can be updated to reflect changing needs.

Realistic Timelines: What to Expect

Let's be honest about how long this actually takes.

From the decision to pursue SIL through to funded supports commencing, most families experience a timeline of 3 to 6 months. Some get through faster, some take longer.

What affects the timeline: OT assessment availability (2 to 8 weeks), NDIA planning meeting scheduling (2 to 8 weeks after review request), NDIA decision timeframes (2 to 8 weeks), and provider service commencement (2 to 4 weeks).

What you can control: how quickly you engage a support coordinator, how organised your evidence is, how promptly you respond to NDIA information requests, and how prepared you are for planning meetings.

What you can't control: NDIA workloads and processing times, OT availability, or broader NDIS system delays.

Timing your application strategically helps. Requesting SIL funding at a scheduled plan review rather than an unscheduled review typically moves faster because the planning meeting is already scheduled.

Common Challenges and How to Navigate Them

The SIL funding application process isn't simple. Here are challenges families commonly face.

Finding available OTs for functional capacity assessments: Many experienced OTs have waiting lists. Ask your support coordinator for recommendations, book early, and be prepared to travel if needed for faster access.

NDIA requests for additional evidence: If the NDIA asks for more information, don't panic. It's common. Work with your support coordinator to provide exactly what they're requesting, clearly and completely.

Provider availability in preferred locations: SIL providers don't operate everywhere. You might need to expand your location preferences or wait for availability. This is where the intersection with SDA housing becomes relevant, because SIL and SDA work together for participants who need both.

Funding approved for fewer hours than requested: The NDIA sometimes approves SIL funding but at a lower level than the roster of care requested. You can accept the lower funding and adjust supports, request an internal review, or provide additional evidence supporting the original request.

Coordinating timing between assessments, planning meetings, and provider selection: Everything needs to align. This is why having an experienced support coordinator matters so much. They coordinate these moving parts.

Conclusion

How to access SIL funding in your NDIS plan comes down to seven key steps: understand eligibility, engage a support coordinator, gather professional evidence, attend your planning meeting prepared, work with a SIL provider to create a roster of care, submit the complete request, and wait for NDIA review and approval.

The process is genuinely complex. Most families find it confusing, and the timeline of 3 to 6 months feels long when you're ready for change. A good support coordinator makes all the difference.

We're housing providers, not SIL providers, so we don't have a business interest in encouraging or discouraging SIL applications. What we can tell you is that many participants need both SIL supports and SDA housing to live the life they want.

Got questions about how SIL and SDA housing work together? Call us on (03) 9999 7418 or email admin@paramounthomes.com.au. We're happy to talk through your situation.