If you or a loved one currently receives Supported Independent Living (SIL) supports, or you’re exploring SIL as an option, you may have seen that the NDIS has released its 2026–27 Pricing Schedule. We understand these updates can be confusing, so we’ve put together a simple overview to explain what the changes mean.
At For Care, we believe that understanding your NDIS funding is part of living well. So, here’s a plain-English breakdown of what’s changed, what it means for your home and your supports, and how our team is here to help you through it.
What Is the NDIS Pricing Schedule?
Each year, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) conducts its Annual Pricing Review (APR) to determine whether NDIS prices are still appropriate. It looks at things like wage growth, workforce conditions and the real cost of delivering quality supports. The result is an updated Pricing Schedule that sets the maximum amount registered NDIS providers can charge.
The 2026–27 Pricing Schedule came into effect on 1 July 2026, and it brings some important updates for SIL participants and their families.
What’s Changed for SIL Supports?
Support Worker Rates Have Increased
The biggest change for SIL is that support worker rates have increased, flowing directly from the Fair Work Commission’s 2026 Annual Wage Review and adjustments to the SCHADS Award – the industrial award that covers disability support workers.
These pricing updates help ensure the NDIS pricing framework continues to reflect changes in workforce costs and supports a sustainable disability workforce. However, if your current NDIS plan was approved before 1 July 2026, your existing funding may not cover the same level of supports under the updated price limits. If you’re unsure how these changes may affect you, our team is happy to help explain them, and you can also speak with your Support Coordinator, Plan Manager or the NDIA about your individual funding arrangements.
The new maximum hourly rates for Supported Independent Living (national rates) are:
Standard SIL Supports (Level 1):
| Time | Rate |
| Weekday Daytime | $73.58/hr |
| Weekday Evening | $81.07/hr |
| Weekday Night | $82.57/hr |
| Saturday | $103.54/hr |
| Sunday | $133.50/hr |
| Public Holiday | $163.46/hr |
| Night-Time Sleepover | $311.79 per sleepover |
High Intensity SIL Supports (Level 2):
| Time | Rate |
| Weekday Daytime | $79.60/hr |
| Weekday Evening | $87.70/hr |
| Saturday | $112.01/hr |
| Sunday | $144.42/hr |
| Public Holiday | $176.84/hr |
The Scale of SIL – and Why This Matters
SIL is the largest single support category in the entire NDIS. In the six months to December 2025, SIL supports accounted for $5.8 billion in total payments across approximately 39,400 participants and 8,500 active providers nationally.
The NDIA’s Annual Pricing Review recognises that SIL is structurally different from other disability supports. Unlike a therapy appointment or a community access session, SIL delivers continuous, often 24-hour support in a shared home, which means rostering, staffing ratios and the everyday complexity of running a home are all part of what your provider manages every single day.
The APR specifically noted that SIL’s cost structure and operating model is distinctive enough to warrant its own deeper pricing review, and the NDIA is actively investigating this through a 12-month SIL Pilot (more on that below). For now, current SIL prices continue to be updated through the standard annual wage-linked process.
A Note on High Intensity Supports
If you or your loved one requires eligible High Intensity Supports, such as complex personal care or other disability-related supports that require workers with additional skills, training or competencies, your NDIS plan may include funding for High Intensity (Level 2) SIL supports where appropriate.
The rates for Level 2 are higher, and for good reason. These supports require specialist skills, additional training and more intensive oversight from providers. If you’re not sure whether your current plan accurately reflects your support needs, it’s worth having that conversation – both to make sure you’re receiving the right level of support, and to ensure the funding in your plan matches the actual cost of delivering it.
Mandatory SIL Registration from 1 July 2026
This is a significant change that has come into effect alongside the new pricing schedule. From 1 July 2026, all SIL providers must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Previously, some SIL supports could be delivered by unregistered providers. That is no longer the case. SIL has been formally reclassified as a high-risk support which means every provider working in a SIL home must meet the NDIS Practice Standards, pass audit requirements and have mandatory worker screening in place.
For participants, this is genuinely good news. It means greater assurance that every person providing support in your home has met national standards. At For Care, we’ve always operated as a registered provider with thorough worker screening, qualifications and training, so nothing changes for the people in our homes. But it’s worth knowing, especially if you or your loved one has been accessing any support from an unregistered provider.
At For Care, participant choice and control remain central to how we deliver SIL supports. We’ll work with you to explain your funding, discuss any pricing changes, and ensure you understand your options before any changes are implemented.
What the SIL Quality Pilot Means for the Future
The NDIA has launched a 12-month SIL Pilot through its Quality Supports Program, which started in August 2025. Forty-four registered SIL providers across Australia are participating, sharing detailed financial and operational data to help the NDIA understand what quality SIL actually looks like, and what it costs to deliver it well.
The pilot is the first time the NDIA has collected this level of detail specifically about SIL service models, staffing costs and operating practices. Its findings will directly inform future pricing reviews and may shape how SIL is funded and structured in coming years.
For participants and families, this is a positive sign. It reflects a growing recognition that SIL is not just another line item, it’s someone’s care at home, and it deserves a funding framework that truly reflects the complexity and commitment involved in doing it well.
How Could These Changes Affect Your Plan?
The most important thing to know is this: your funding doesn’t automatically increase because prices have gone up. Your plan is based on the rates that were in place when it was approved. If support worker rates have increased since then, your budget may not go as far as it used to.
Here’s what we’d encourage you to do:
Talk to your support coordinator. Ask them to model your support costs at the new rates and see whether your current plan funding is likely to cover your supports through to your next plan review.
Review your Service Agreement. If your provider is updating their pricing, they should discuss these changes with you before they take effect. Take the time to read any updated Service Agreement or pricing information carefully, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if there’s anything you’re unsure about.
Understand how your supports are funded. Different NDIS price limits apply depending on the time and day your supports are delivered, such as evenings, weekends and public holidays. If you’d like to better understand how this may affect your funding, our team, your Support Coordinator or your Plan Manager can help explain your support costs.
Make sure your support level is correctly classified. If you need High Intensity supports, they should be in your plan. Underfunding complex needs is never the right answer. Equally, supports should only be claimed at the level that reflects your actual assessed needs.
Check your funding if you’re concerned. If you think your current NDIS funding may not cover your supports under the updated pricing, speak with your Support Coordinator, Plan Manager or the NDIA. They can help you understand your funding, discuss the options available, and guide you through any next steps if needed.
For Care Is Here to Help
SIL is about supporting people to live safely, independently and with choice in a home environment that reflects their goals and preferences. It’s morning routines and shared meals, building independence and feeling genuinely at home. When pricing changes come around, we know it can feel unsettling, especially when it touches something as important as where you live and the people who support you.
That’s why we contact every participant directly when changes like this come into effect. We walk through what’s changed, what it means for your specific situation, and answer any questions your family has – before anything changes on an invoice.
Whether you’re an existing For Care participant with questions about your supports, a family exploring SIL options for the first time, or someone considering a change of provider, our team is ready to have an honest, supportive conversation with you.
For Care operates SIL homes across Brisbane’s Bayside, Redlands, Logan, and Toowoomba. We have current vacancies and an experienced team ready to help you find the right support in the right setting.
Call For Care on 1800 367 227, visit us at forcare.net.au or explore our current SIL vacancies at forcare.net.au/sil-accommodation
Important: This information is intended as a general guide to the 2026–27 NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Individual funding arrangements vary depending on each participant’s approved NDIS plan and support needs. If you have questions about your individual circumstances, please contact For Care, your Support Coordinator, Plan Manager or the NDIA.
FAQs
When did the new NDIS pricing take effect?
The updated NDIS Pricing Schedule for 2026–27 commenced on 1 July 2026.
Will my SIL funding automatically increase?
No. Your plan funding is based on the rates in place when your plan was approved. If prices have increased, your current funding may cover fewer support hours. Contact your support coordinator to review your budget.
Providers such as For Care consider lifestyle preferences, routines, communication styles and support needs to ensure compatibility.
Can my SIL provider charge the new rates without telling me?
No. Providers must discuss any pricing changes with you and reach agreement before updating your service agreement or applying new rates. You have the right to understand what you are being charged and why.
Why are weekend and evening SIL rates so much higher?
Weekend and evening rates reflect the penalty rate loadings that support workers are entitled to under the SCHADS Award. Sunday rates are nearly double weekday daytime rates because workers receive higher pay for those hours — and that cost flows through to SIL pricing.
What’s the difference between Level 1 and Level 2 (High Intensity) SIL?
Level 1 is standard SIL support, delivered by a disability support worker at the standard skill level. Level 2 is for participants with complex, challenging or high-risk support needs that require a more experienced and specifically trained worker. The rates are higher for Level 2, and these supports should only be claimed when they genuinely reflect your assessed needs.
What does mandatory SIL registration mean for me?
Level 1 is standard SIL support, delivered by a disability support worker at the standard skill level. Level 2 is for participants with complex, challenging or high-risk support needs that require a more experienced and specifically trained worker. The rates are higher for Level 2, and these supports should only be claimed when they genuinely reflect your assessed needs.
