In-Home Support vs Supported Independent Living (SIL): What’s the Difference Under the NDIS?

Two people can both receive disability support at home and still have very different NDIS arrangements. One may need a few hours around personal care, meals or household routines. Another may need support or supervision throughout the day and night. That difference is where in-home support and Supported Independent Living, or SIL, separate.

The terms are sometimes used loosely, which makes the choice sound more complicated than it is. In-home support is a broad, practical way to describe support delivered where you already live. SIL is a specific NDIS home and living support for people with high support needs who require support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This guide explains in-home support vs SIL under current NDIS guidance: what each may involve, how living arrangements differ, what SIL does not pay for and what to check before changing support. It also uses SARI Healthcare’s current public service information in Adelaide without promising funding or availability.

In-Home Support vs SIL: The Quick Answer

The most useful distinction is support intensity. Current NDIS guidance says it is not SIL if you only need a few hours of support a day or week. In those situations, other home and living supports, including Assistance with Daily Life, may be more appropriate to explore.

First, What Does “In-Home Support” Mean?

‘In-home support’ is common provider language, but it is not one single NDIS funding product with one fixed definition. Under current NDIS guidance, Assistance with Daily Life can help with everyday tasks in your home so you can live as independently as possible. Examples include cooking, cleaning and personal care.

That support is usually organised around the person’s routine. Help may include getting ready, preparing food, household tasks or personal care. The hours, tasks and worker skills should come from disability-related needs, goals and the approved plan rather than a standard package.

SARI Healthcare’s current website lists In Home Support as a service, and its referral form separately lists both In Home Support and SIL. That separation is useful: it recognises that receiving help at home does not automatically mean a participant needs Supported Independent Living.

What Is Supported Independent Living (SIL)?

Supported Independent Living is a specific NDIS home and living support. The NDIS currently describes SIL as funding for a support worker to help a participant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Depending on the participant’s needs, support may be shared with other participants or provided individually.

SIL is intended for people with high support needs. Current guidance says it may suit someone who needs active disability support for more than eight hours a day and some support or supervision for the remaining hours. It can include personal care, meals, household tasks, routines and skill development.

SIL is not the house itself. It does not pay ordinary rent, groceries, utilities or other everyday living costs. It funds the disability-related support workers and supervision required in the home. A participant may live with other NDIS participants or, depending on their support needs, may receive SIL while living alone.

A Timely 2026 Change: SIL Provider Registration

There is also an important 2026 change. The NDIS states that providers delivering SIL must be registered from 1 July 2026, with a transition period to apply by 1 October 2026. People who organise or employ their own support workers through self-directed arrangements are not required to change because of this provider-registration rule.

Sari Health Care Pty Ltd is currently listed by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission as an approved registered provider, with Supported Independent Living among its approved registration groups. Registration status does not decide whether SIL is right for a participant, but it is a relevant provider check when SIL is already included or being considered.

Six Differences That Matter in Real Life

1. The number of support hours

In-home support can be built around particular times or tasks. SIL is for a much higher and more continuous level of support. If you only need scheduled help for part of the day, that does not automatically become SIL simply because the support happens at home.

2. Where you live

In-home support usually means support comes to the home you already live in, whether that is your own place, a rental or a family home. SIL can also be delivered in different living arrangements. It is commonly associated with shared living, but current NDIS guidance confirms that SIL may also be funded for someone living alone when their disability support needs justify it.

3. The funding decision

A provider cannot decide that someone ‘qualifies for SIL’. The NDIS considers the participant’s goals, disability-related support needs, current situation and evidence when deciding which home and living supports to include in a plan. Current guidance recommends discussing home and living needs with a my NDIS contact and providing recent evidence from relevant treating professionals when required.

4. The role of the support worker

With either arrangement, support workers may assist with disability-related daily tasks. The key difference is the pattern and intensity: SIL is built around assistance or supervision across the full day, while in-home support may be organised for shorter, scheduled periods.

5. The house and the support are separate questions

Moving into disability accommodation does not automatically mean SIL, and receiving SIL does not automatically mean Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). SDA refers to specialist housing for eligible participants with very high support needs; SIL refers to the support workers in the home. They are separate NDIS decisions.

6. Nursing is another separate layer

Personal care and household assistance are not the same as community nursing. If a participant has disability-related clinical needs, a nurse or appropriately trained worker may be involved under a different support arrangement. The right workforce depends on the task, risk, care plan and applicable clinical requirements. Do not assume that choosing SIL automatically includes nursing care.

Which Situation Sounds Closer to Yours?

These examples are not eligibility tests. They simply show why the purpose and intensity of support matter.

A participant lives with family and needs morning help with showering, dressing, breakfast and some household routines, but not support throughout the rest of the day and night. That may be closer to Assistance with Daily Life or another in-home support arrangement than SIL.

Another participant needs active help for much of the day and cannot safely manage long periods without support or supervision, including overnight. SIL may be one option the NDIS considers, depending on evidence, goals and circumstances.

A third participant wants a more accessible property but does not need 24/7 paid support. Housing and support should be considered separately. Home modifications, SDA, other housing options or in-home supports may be relevant; moving house alone does not make the support SIL.

What to Ask Before Comparing In-Home Support and SIL

• How many hours of disability-related support or supervision are actually needed across a normal day and night?
• Which tasks require help: personal care, meals, household routines, mobility, communication, behaviour support, community access or something else?
• Are support needs predictable and schedulable, or is help required throughout the full day and overnight?
• Where does the participant want to live, and who do they want to live with?
• What recent evidence explains the participant’s functional support needs and home-and-living goals?
• What funding is already in the current plan, and does a my NDIS contact need to review the home and living arrangement?
• If SIL is being considered, is the provider currently registered to deliver it?
• What costs are disability supports and what costs remain ordinary living expenses?

A good conversation should start with the participant’s life, not a vacancy or roster. The aim is support that strengthens safety and independence while preserving choice about routines, relationships and providers.

Where SARI Healthcare Fits

Sari Healthcare currently lists both In Home Support and Supported Independent Living on its website and referral form. The NDIS Commission provider register lists Sari Health Care Pty Ltd as approved, with registration groups that include Supported Independent Living, Assistance with Personal Activities, High Intensity Personal Activities, Community Nursing Care and Daily Tasks/Shared Living.

Registration confirms the provider’s current scope; it does not guarantee a service, property, roster, worker or NDIS funding. Before starting support, confirm the participant’s plan, the exact service requested and current SARI availability.

SARI’s public FAQ currently states that it does not provide Support Coordination. If a participant already has a support coordinator, that person may help with provider discussions. Otherwise, participants can speak with their my NDIS contact, nominee, plan manager or relevant treating professional as appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is in-home support the same as SIL?

No. In-home support is a broad term for support delivered where you live. SIL is a specific NDIS home and living support for people with high support needs who require support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Do I have to live in a share house to receive SIL?

Not necessarily. SIL is commonly delivered in shared arrangements, but current NDIS guidance says some participants may receive SIL while living alone, depending on their disability support needs.

Can SIL pay my rent and groceries?

No. SIL funds disability-related support workers in the home. Rent, groceries, utilities and other ordinary day-to-day living costs are generally the participant’s responsibility.

What if I only need a few hours of help each day?

Current NDIS guidance says it is not SIL if you only need a few hours of support a day or week. Other supports, including Assistance with Daily Life or personal care supports, may be more relevant depending on your plan and needs.

Does SARI Healthcare offer both in-home support and SIL in Adelaide?

SARI Healthcare’s current website and referral form list both services, and the NDIS Commission register includes SIL and personal-activity registration groups for Sari Health Care Pty Ltd. Contact SARI directly to confirm current service availability and whether the requested support fits its present capacity.

How do I know which option the NDIS will fund?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The NDIS considers support needs, goals, living situation and evidence. A provider can explain its services, but the funding decision sits with the NDIA. Speak with your my NDIS contact and provide relevant evidence when requested.

Start With the Support Pattern, Not the Label

The simplest way to compare in-home support vs SIL is to ask how much support is needed, when it is needed and where the participant wants to live. In-home support can provide targeted help in an existing home. SIL is a higher-intensity arrangement built around 24/7 support or supervision for people with significant daily support needs.

If you are exploring either option in Adelaide, review the current NDIS plan, write down daily and overnight support needs and confirm what is funded. SARI Healthcare can discuss current in-home and SIL options and the information needed for an enquiry or referral.

General information only: this article does not provide legal, medical or financial advice and does not guarantee NDIS funding or service availability. Current NDIS guidance and individual plan decisions should be checked before changing a support arrangement.