Choosing where to live and what support you need can be a big decision for an NDIS participant and their family. A SIL provider can arrange ongoing support with daily activities in a home, while shared living describes the living arrangement itself. These options can work together, but they are not the same thing. Understanding the difference can make it easier to compare support arrangements, ask the right questions, and choose an option that fits your needs.
The NDIS offers several home and living supports, including Supported Independent Living (SIL), Individualised Living Options (ILO), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), Medium Term Accommodation (MTA), and short term respite. The right option depends on your individual support needs, living preferences, goals, and NDIS plan.
What Is Supported Independent Living?
Supported Independent Living, commonly called SIL, is an NDIS support designed for people who need regular help or supervision with everyday activities at home. The NDIS describes SIL as funding for support workers to help or supervise a participant 24 hours a day, seven days a week, where appropriate.
Support can include assistance with personal care, cooking, cleaning, developing routines, and building everyday living skills. The goal is not simply to have someone available to help. SIL is also intended to support greater independence and help participants develop skills they can use in daily life.
A SIL Provider may deliver these supports in shared accommodation or another suitable home arrangement. However, SIL funding is for support workers rather than the actual house, rent, groceries, or ordinary household expenses. This distinction is important when comparing accommodation choices.
If you are considering this type of support in the Sydney area, you can also learn more about SIL NDIS accommodation in Sydney and what this type of arrangement may involve.
What Does Shared Living Mean?
Shared living generally means that two or more people live in the same home and share some household spaces, such as the kitchen, lounge, dining area, or outdoor areas.
For an NDIS participant, shared living can provide opportunities for social connection and companionship while also making it possible to share some household responsibilities. Depending on the person’s needs, support workers may assist residents with daily activities.
Shared living does not automatically mean a person receives SIL. SIL is a type of funded support, while shared living describes how and with whom someone lives. A participant may live in shared accommodation with SIL supports, but the two terms should not be treated as interchangeable.
Shared living may suit someone who:
- Enjoys living with other people and having regular social interaction
- Wants support available within a shared home environment
- Is comfortable sharing common household spaces
- Wants to develop everyday household and communication skills
- Has support needs that can be safely managed in a shared arrangement
Personal preferences matter just as much as practical considerations. A person should have a meaningful say in who they live with, how their home operates, and what support they receive.
SIL Provider vs Shared Living: What Is the Difference?
The simplest way to understand the difference is this: SIL is about support, while shared living is about the living arrangement.
A SIL Provider helps deliver the funded support a participant needs to manage daily life. Shared living describes a home where residents live together.
For example, a participant might live with two other people in a shared home and receive support with personal care, cooking, household routines, and skill development. In this situation, shared living describes the home arrangement, while SIL describes the support being delivered.
This distinction also matters when comparing accommodation listings. An advertised NDIS accommodation vacancy may refer to a room or place in a shared home, but that does not necessarily mean the accommodation includes every type of support a participant needs.
What Are NDIS Accommodation Vacancies?
NDIS Accommodation Vacancies can refer to available rooms or living arrangements that may suit participants who are searching for a new home. Depending on the arrangement, this could include shared accommodation, specialist disability accommodation, or another type of supported living environment.
Before considering a vacancy, ask what is actually included. Housing and support are not always the same service.
Useful questions include:
- Is the vacancy in a shared home or an individual property?
- Who currently lives there?
- What accessibility features are available?
- What support arrangements are already in place?
- Can the participant choose their support provider?
- What household costs are the participant responsible for?
- How are house rules and shared responsibilities managed?
Getting clear answers before making a decision can prevent confusion later.
What Does an NDIS Accommodation Provider Do?
The term NDIS Accommodation Provider can refer to an organisation involved in providing or arranging accommodation for people with disability, but accommodation and support should still be considered separately.
For example, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is the physical housing designed for people who meet the relevant eligibility requirements and have very high support needs or extreme functional impairment. SDA does not cover the support workers providing assistance inside the home.
If SDA is part of your accommodation planning, it can also help to understand how SDA funding works under the NDIS and what the funding is intended to cover.
Likewise, SIL does not pay for rent or ordinary living expenses. A participant may therefore have an accommodation arrangement and a separate support arrangement that work together.
Need help comparing your living options? Speak with Apex Support Services about your current needs and the type of support arrangement you are considering.
Where Do Independent Living Options Fit In?
Individualised Living Options, or ILO, are another option worth understanding. Unlike a standard shared living arrangement, ILO is designed around how a person wants to live, who they want to live with, and the supports they need.
An ILO arrangement can involve living with housemates or living in a host’s home. It can also include assistance with setting up and managing a home, personal care, household tasks, decision-making, and building independence.
This can make ILO relevant for people who want a more personalised living arrangement without automatically moving into a traditional shared supported accommodation model.
ILO does not fund rent, mortgage repayments, food, power bills, or the physical home itself. It funds the support arrangements that help make the chosen living situation work.
What About Short Term Respite?
Not everyone needs to make a permanent move. Short term respite can provide a temporary change from a participant’s usual care arrangements and give informal carers a short break from their caring role.
The NDIS changed the terminology from Short Term Accommodation (STA) to Short Term Respite in 2026. The change reflects the purpose of the support rather than focusing only on accommodation. Short term respite can be provided in different settings, depending on the participant’s circumstances and approved supports.
If you are comparing temporary accommodation options, our guide to short and medium-term accommodation options provides more information about how these arrangements differ.
For families considering supported living, short term respite may also provide an opportunity to experience a different support environment before making longer-term decisions, where the participant’s plan and circumstances allow.
Considering a change in living arrangements? Contact Apex Support Services to discuss support options that can fit your goals, routines, and preferred way of living.
How Do You Choose Between Shared Living and Other Options?
There is no single living arrangement that works for every NDIS participant. The better question is: What type of home and support arrangement will help this person live safely, comfortably, and as independently as possible?
Consider these areas before making a decision:
1. Your daily support needs
Think about how much assistance you need with personal care, meals, medication routines, household tasks, communication, mobility, and other everyday activities.
2. Your preferred level of independence
Some people want regular support while still managing many parts of their daily routine themselves. Others may need more consistent supervision. Your support arrangement should reflect your actual needs rather than simply the type of property available.
3. Who you want to live with
If you are considering shared accommodation, think about compatibility. Daily routines, communication styles, interests, noise levels, privacy, and household expectations can all affect whether a shared home feels comfortable.
4. Your longer-term goals
Your home should support where you want to go, not just your current situation. Consider whether the arrangement can help you build cooking, budgeting, household, communication, or other independent living skills.
5. The responsibilities of the provider
Ask prospective providers how they deliver support, communicate with participants, manage changes in support needs, and involve participants in decisions about their daily lives.
Important NDIS Changes for SIL in 2026
There have been important changes to SIL requirements in 2026. From 1 July 2026, the NDIS introduced a new SIL support item and updated claiming requirements. The NDIS also states that SIL providers must be registered or have applied to register by 1 October 2026 under the current changes.
If you currently receive SIL, it is reasonable to ask your provider about their registration status and how the 2026 changes affect your service arrangement. The NDIS states that participants’ plans and funding do not change simply because of these registration changes.
Ready to explore your next step? Get in touch with Apex Support Services to discuss your preferred living arrangement and available support options.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Provider
Before agreeing to a new support arrangement, take time to understand how the service will work in everyday life.
Ask:
- What support will I receive each day?
- How will my personal goals be included in my support?
- How are support schedules organised?
- Who will help me build independent living skills?
- How are changes in my support needs handled?
- If it is shared accommodation, how are residents matched?
- What happens if I have concerns about the living arrangement?
- What costs are not covered by NDIS-funded supports?
- Is the provider appropriately registered for the supports being delivered?
A good conversation before moving in can help set realistic expectations for everyone involved.
Choosing Support That Fits Your Life
Shared living, SIL, ILO, SDA, MTA, and Short Term Respite all serve different purposes. The most suitable arrangement depends on the participant’s needs, preferences, goals, and circumstances.
A SIL Provider may be appropriate when a person needs ongoing assistance or supervision with daily life at home. Shared living may suit someone who enjoys living with others. ILO may provide a different approach for people who want more choice over where and with whom they live.
If your change in living arrangement involves relocating, our guide to NDIS support when moving house can help you understand what assistance may be available.
Look beyond the room, property, or vacancy itself. Consider the support, relationships, routines, independence, safety, and long-term goals that come with the arrangement.
For participants and families, taking time to understand these differences can make conversations with providers, support coordinators, and NDIS contacts much more productive. The NDIS also recommends discussing home and living needs with your my NDIS contact and providing relevant evidence about your support requirements when needed.
At Apex Support Services, the focus is on helping participants make informed choices about how they live and the support they receive. The right arrangement should feel practical, respectful, and connected to the person’s own goals—not simply chosen because a vacancy is available.
