What does supported independent living include?
As long as it meets the NDIS funding criteria, supported independent living may include:
- help with personal care tasks
- help to build your skills in things like meal preparation and cooking, cleaning, and developing a routine
- help to action any behaviour support plans you have
- help to develop your social skills
- support with supervision, personal safety and security
- support to give you your medication
- support for medical appointments
- community access that is not routine or regular, for example, support to complete personal tasks
- support to get to and from community access activities, where this is your preference. For example, support to attend hydrotherapy sessions, or to visit family or friends outside of the home.
What does supported independent living not include?
Supported independent living does not include day-to-day living costs not related to your disability support needs such as:
- the cost of groceries
- rent, board or lodging costs
- utilities such as gas, electricity, water, telephone, or internet bills
- vehicle costs.
Supported independent living does not include supports not related to your disability such as:
- household budgeting or bill paying activities
- expenses related to holidays, including travel costs.
Supported independent living does not include supports that are more appropriately funded or provided by another service system including:
- paid personal supports while you’re admitted to hospital. The health system is responsible for this support – learn more about mainstream supports.
- paid personal supports if you’re in custody or to implement community supervision orders. The justice system is responsible for these supports – learn more about the justice system
- nursing, medical, palliative care and other health related supports.
How do other NDIS supports work with supported independent living?
Supported independent living is different from other supports the NDIS funds. If you need another type of support, it is important to think about the guidelines that apply to that support including:
- items covered by other supports in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits – this includes transport , assistive technology, personal care while in the workplace, plan management , financial intermediary supports or allied health services
- specialist disability accommodation related costs such as property maintenance costs, repairs and vacancy costs
- regular community access for example social and recreation support, or work and study support
- support to create a behaviour support plan.
What about my provider’s costs?
Some additional provider costs are already built into the hourly rate they charge you for providing supported independent living.
This includes your provider’s costs for:
- management
- training of staff
- shadow shifts – where a new worker works alongside another worker to help learn the job.