What NDIS budget category does SIL funding come from?

SIL funding comes from a participant's Core Supports budget, specifically the Assistance with Daily Life support category. It covers the cost of support workers but not the participant's rent or accommodation costs, which are funded separately through Specialist Disability Accommodation or mainstream housing.

How does a SIL provider get paid under the NDIS?

For NDIA-managed participants, SIL providers submit claims directly through the myplace provider portal and are paid by the NDIA. For plan-managed participants, claims go to the plan manager. Providers can only claim after supports have been delivered and must match actual hours worked.

Do SIL price limits change each year?

Yes. The NDIS releases updated Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits documents, typically annually, which set the maximum rates providers can charge for each support type. Providers must check the current document before each claiming period to ensure they are not charging above the applicable limit.

What is the difference between an active overnight and a sleepover support in SIL?

An active overnight support involves a worker who is awake and actively supporting the participant throughout the night, priced at a higher hourly rate. A sleepover involves a worker who is on-site and available if needed but is otherwise sleeping. These are distinct support types with different price limits and must be rostered and claimed accordingly.

How should shared support costs be split between SIL participants?

When one support worker assists two or more participants simultaneously, the cost of that worker's time must be apportioned across each participant's plan — not charged in full to each. The apportionment ratios must be documented in service agreements and reflected accurately in rostering records and claims.

What financial documentation does a SIL provider need for a 2026 registration audit?

An approved quality auditor will look for current, signed service agreements, rostering and timesheet records matched to NDIS claims, approved SIL quotes, financial reconciliation processes, and policies governing price limit compliance and shared support apportionment. These records must be readily accessible and cover the relevant audit period.

NDIS SIL provider: pricing and funding basics (2026)

What SIL funding covers — and what it does not

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is one of the most complex and high-value support categories in the NDIS. Understanding how it is priced and funded is essential for any provider seeking or maintaining registration under the strengthened 2026 framework.

SIL funding sits within a participant's Core Supports budget, specifically under the Assistance with Daily Life support category. It funds the day-to-day support that enables a participant to live as independently as possible in shared or individual accommodation — but it does not fund the accommodation itself. That is a common and costly misconception.

Specifically, SIL funding covers:

Assistance with personal care, hygiene, and daily living tasks
Active overnight support or passive sleepover supports (each priced differently)
Supervision and skill-building towards independence
Support worker time in and around the home

SIL does not cover:

Rent or utility costs (funded through Specialist Disability Accommodation or mainstream tenancy arrangements)
Food, personal items, or household consumables
Transport unless separately funded in the participant's plan
Capital costs such as home modifications (funded separately under Capital Supports)

How SIL pricing works under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements

The NDIS sets maximum price limits for SIL through its annual Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document (formerly the Support Catalogue). Providers may charge at or below these limits; they may not charge above them.

SIL rates are structured across several variables:

Time of day: Weekday daytime, evening, Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday rates each carry different price limits. Public holiday rates are substantially higher.
Support intensity: Standard, high, and very high support needs attract different rates, reflecting the staffing ratios and skill requirements involved.
Overnight support type: Active overnight (where a worker is awake and working) is priced at a higher rate than a sleepover (where a worker is on-site but sleeping, available if required).
Location: Remote and very remote loadings apply in recognised areas, reflecting the genuine cost of service delivery outside metropolitan centres.

Providers must use the correct support item registration group and line item codes when claiming against a participant's plan. Miscoding is a common compliance error picked up during audits and NDIS Commission reviews.

The SIL assessment and funding approval process

Unlike most NDIS supports, SIL funding is not simply included in a participant's plan on request. It requires a specific assessment and approval process involving the NDIS planner or Local Area Coordinator, typically supported by a detailed SIL quote from the proposed provider.

Step 1: Prepare a SIL quote

Registered SIL providers are required to submit a rostering-based quote to the NDIA that documents the participant's assessed support needs across every hour of the week — including active supports, sleepover periods, and any shared support arrangements. The quote must justify the support hours claimed and reflect the participant's individual goals and circumstances.

Step 2: Submit through the provider portal

Quotes are submitted via the myplace provider portal. The NDIA assesses the quote, may request further information, and either approves a SIL funding amount or negotiates adjustments. Approval can take several weeks and providers should build this lead time into their intake processes.

Step 3: Plan funding is allocated

Once approved, the SIL funding amount is included in the participant's Core Supports budget. Providers then claim fortnightly or monthly against this allocated amount. Claims must match the support delivered — retrospective or unsupported claiming is a serious compliance issue.

Step 4: Annual review and re-quoting

SIL funding is typically reviewed at each plan review cycle. If a participant's support needs change materially — due to health changes, a transition to greater independence, or a change in household composition — providers should initiate a mid-plan review rather than continue claiming at an outdated level.

Shared support arrangements and their pricing implications

Many SIL settings involve more than one participant living in the same dwelling. Where a single support worker provides simultaneous assistance to two or more participants, the cost of that worker's time is generally shared across the participants' plans.

The NDIS Pricing Arrangements include specific guidance on shared support ratios and how costs are to be apportioned. Providers must document the support ratios clearly in each participant's service agreement and in their internal rostering systems. Charging each participant for the full cost of a shared worker — rather than their proportionate share — is both a compliance breach and potentially fraudulent.

Providers operating under the 2026 strengthened Practice Standards are expected to demonstrate in their quality management evidence that their pricing and claiming practices reflect actual support delivery, including accurate recording of shared support time.

2026 registration requirements that affect SIL pricing compliance

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission's strengthened Practice Standards, which take full effect from 2026 for providers undergoing registration renewal, include several requirements that directly intersect with pricing and financial management:

Transparency in service agreements: Providers must ensure service agreements clearly state the supports to be delivered, the applicable price limits, and the basis on which supports will be claimed. Vague or outdated service agreements are a common non-conformance finding.
Financial management evidence: The Practice Standards require providers to demonstrate robust financial management systems, including accurate claiming, reconciliation processes, and controls against over-claiming.
Participant access to financial information: Participants (or their nominees) must be able to readily access information about how their SIL funding is being used. Providers should have systems to respond to these requests promptly.
Audit trail for staffing costs: Approved quality auditors will look for evidence that actual hours worked by support workers are recorded and reconciled against claims made. Timesheets, rostering systems, and payroll records are all relevant.

Common pricing compliance errors to avoid

Error	Risk	Correction
Charging above the current price limit	Compliance breach, repayment required	Check current Pricing Arrangements document before each claiming period
Using the wrong support item code	Invalid claim, audit flag	Map each support type to the correct registration group and line item
Splitting shared support costs incorrectly	Over-claiming across multiple participants' plans	Document shared ratios in service agreements and rostering records
Claiming active overnight at sleepover rates (or vice versa)	Under-funding or over-claiming	Clearly define and roster each overnight support type
Outdated service agreements not reflecting current plan funding	Disputes with participants, auditor finding	Review and re-sign service agreements at each plan review

Plan management and the SIL claiming pathway

How a participant manages their NDIS plan affects how providers submit claims. Under NDIA-managed plans, providers submit claims directly through the myplace provider portal and are paid by the NDIA. Under plan-managed arrangements, claims go to the participant's plan manager, who pays the provider and claims from the NDIA on their behalf. Self-managed participants pay providers directly and claim reimbursement themselves.

Most SIL participants are NDIA-managed or plan-managed. Providers should confirm the management type at intake and ensure their claiming processes match accordingly. Submitting a claim to the wrong pathway causes payment delays and can trigger compliance flags.

Preparing for a SIL pricing audit

An approved quality auditor assessing a SIL provider's compliance with the Practice Standards will typically examine:

Sample service agreements — checking they reflect actual funded supports and current price limits
Rostering and timesheet records — matched against NDIS portal claims for the same period
SIL quote documentation — confirming quotes were submitted and approved before supports commenced
Participant consent records — confirming participants understood and agreed to the pricing arrangements
Financial reconciliation processes — evidence the organisation reviews and corrects any claiming errors
Policies governing price limit compliance and shared support apportionment

Providers who are approaching their 2026 registration renewal and want a structured, audit-ready compliance documentation set may find the 74-document SIL compliance kit at ndiscompliant.com.au a practical starting point — it covers pricing policies, service agreement templates, and financial management procedures aligned to the strengthened Practice Standards.

Key takeaways for SIL providers

SIL is funded under Core Supports and requires a rostering-based quote approved by the NDIA before claiming can begin
Price limits are set annually in the Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits document — always use the current version
Shared support costs must be accurately apportioned across participants' plans
The 2026 strengthened Practice Standards require transparent service agreements, robust financial controls, and clear audit trails linking claims to delivered supports
Miscoding, over-claiming, and outdated service agreements are the most common audit findings in SIL settings

Important: This article provides general guidance about NDIS compliance requirements. It is not legal or professional advice. Requirements may change as the NDIS Commission updates its policies and Practice Standards. Always verify current requirements with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission or a registered NDIS consultant before making compliance decisions.