SIL vs Individualised Living Options (ILO): Which is Right For You?

Most NDIS participants pay for their own home through private rental, home ownership or social housing, the NDIS generally doesn't fund the property itself. What it does fund is the support you need to live safely and as independently as possible in that home. SIL and ILO are two of the main pathways for delivering that support, and they're often confused because both involve "living independently" and both can include shared living arrangements. 

The distinction matters because the NDIS will usually only fund one of these two supports in your plan at a time, and getting it right shapes what your day-to-day support looks like, how much choice you have, and how your funding is structured. Below, we 

break down how SIL and ILO actually work, who each one suits, and how to thin through the decision with your family, Support Coordinator or a registered NDIS provider like VCare

SIL is funding for support workers who help or supervise you with daily tasks in your home, things like personal care, meal preparation, medication management, cleaning and building everyday living skills. it's most commonly delivered in a shared

SIL accommodation typically with two to three other participants, where support staff are rostered to be available throughout the day and, where needed, overnight.

Because staff, and sometimes utilities, are shared across the household, SIL tends to work best when housemates are genuinely well matched. The support is delivered by staff who are shared across the household. Rather than each person having their own 

dedicated worker, support workers are rostered to the home and assist everyone living there. This covers things like help with cooking, cleaning, personal care, medication, getting to appointments, building daily living skills and staying safe at home. 

Because funding is tied to the whole household, the cost is effectively split across residents according to their assessed needs. Someone with higher support needs draws on a larger share of the staffing, and their plan reflects that. 

SIL funding covers the support workers, not your rent, groceries, utilities or the house itself. In practice, most SIL arrangements involve a separate contribution from your Disability Support Pension and Commonwealth Rent Assistance to help cover housing 

and living costs, on top of your SIL funding for support. This is worth understanding upfront so there are no surprises once you move in. 

SIL generally suits participants who need substantial or 24/7 support to live safely, whether that's ongoing personal care, overnight supervision, or help managing complex daily routines. It's a good fit if you're comfortable with shared living and want the 

consistency of a structured, provider-managed household. The official NDIS guide to SIL explains eligibility and funding in more detail. 

ILO is a more flexible, participant-designed alternative to SIL. Rather than fitting into an existing shared home, your support package is built around how you actually want to live.

ILO support can include help deciding where to live, setting up and managing your home, personal care, skill-building and support with everyday tasks like cooking or cleaning. it can also weave in informal support from family, friends or a host or co-resident, alongside any paid support workers. The NDIS explains ILO as funding that helps you live how you want, in a home you've chosen.

ILO isn't one fixed model. Common arrangements include living with chosen housemates, living in the home of a host who provides day-to-day support, having a co-resident share your home in exchange for reduced rent or a stipend, or living independently with scheduled drop-in support. Which model suits you depends on your support needs and the informal support you already have around you. 

ILO funding works in two stages. Stage 1 funds the exploration and design process, usually between 30 and 100 hours, where you work with a provider and Support Coordinator to figure out where and how you want to live, who you want to live with, and what support you'll need. Once a service proposal is approved, Stage 2 funds the ongoing delivery of those supports. Because it's built around you, an ILO arrangement can be adjusted later if your needs or circumstances change.

ILO tends to suit participants aged 18 or over who need at least six hours of daily support, have lower to moderate support needs relative to SIL, and have some informal support from family or community they'd like included in their arrangement. It's also 

commonly considered by young people moving out of home for the first time, or participants who want more say over who they live with than a typical shared SIL home allows. 

The NDIS generally funds either SIL or ILO, not both at once, since they're alternative pathways to the same goal rather than

add-ons to each other. Neither option is inherently better, the right choice depends on your support needs, your existing informal 

support, and how much control you want over your day-to-day living arrangement

Start by thinking honestly about how much support you actually need day to day, not just what feels safest. If you require substantial help around the clock and would benefit from the structure of a rostered household, SIL is likely the better starting point. If you have some informal support already in place, want more say over your living arrangement, and are willing to invest time into designing it, ILO is worth exploring with your Support Coordinator. It's also worth getting an Occupational Therapy functional capacity assessment, since this evidence underpins whichever pathway you and the NDIA agree is reasonable and 

necessary. 

As a registered NDIS provider across Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter Valley and Central Coast, V Care helps participants and families work through exactly this kind of decision. We take the time to understand your support needs, your goals and the people already around you before recommending a pathway, and we're upfront about what each option genuinely involves rather than defaulting to whichever is easiest to arrange. If SIL looks like the right fit, our SIL homes are built on consistent, familiar support teams rather than rotating rosters of strangers.

SIL and ILO both exist to help NDIS participants live safely, independently and with dignity, but they get there in different ways. The right option isn't the "better" one in the abstract, it's the one that actually fits your support needs and how you want to live right 

now. 

Whether you think SIL, ILO, or something in between sounds right for you, V Care is here to help you work through it without pressure. Submit a referral, or contact our team today to talk through what fits your goals and your life.