From the Rostery team. We make rostering software for NDIS and aged-care providers in Sydney, and we've written a long guide to building a roster of care. Here's the short version.
If you search for help with a roster of care, most of what turns up still describes the 2023 rules: build one for every new SIL participant, attach evidence for every ratio, and email it to the NDIA. That changed in June 2026. Here's what a roster of care is now, why you'd still build one, and what goes in it.
What it is
A roster of care is a plan of a typical week of supported independent living (SIL) in a shared house. It shows when each resident needs support, how many workers support how many residents, the overnight arrangement, and the irregular support each person might need.
In the NDIA's words, it's a description of the supports a participant can get from their registered SIL provider.
What changed in 2026
The NDIA's guide to its roster of care tool (version 4, June 2026) says a roster of care is no longer a requirement, and you don't need to submit it. If a participant wants planning to consider it, give it to them and their support coordinator to include with their home and living request or plan reassessment.
It also doesn't decide funding. The NDIA works out SIL funding from evidence of the participant's needs, using the Pricing Schedule.
Why build one anyway
Because it turns each resident's needs into shifts, ratios and an overnight plan, and that becomes your staff roster. It's also the clearest way to explain the week to a participant and their family, and to check the house is affordable.
The building blocks
Hours of support. Start with the hours each resident needs support at home in a typical week. Leave out regular time they're not home, like work, a day program or time with family. SIL is for people who need active support for more than 8 hours a day and some support the rest of the time.
Ratios. A ratio is workers to residents. 1:3 is one worker for three residents. Each resident pays their share: the price limit times the hours, times workers divided by residents. One worker for three residents is a third each.
Intensity. Most residents are standard intensity. High intensity applies when support needs a worker with high intensity support skills, such as complex bowel care or enteral feeding.
Overnight. A sleepover lets the worker sleep and covers up to 2 hours of awake support. It's priced per night, $311.79 nationally in 2026-27. An active overnight keeps the worker awake and is priced by the hour.
Public holidays. SIL funding includes an average of 12 public holidays a year.
Irregular support. For days that break the usual pattern, like illness or a cancelled day program, the NDIA generally funds up to 10 days a year at standard intensity and 15 at high intensity.
Items and time bands
From 1 July 2026, SIL uses registration group 0138 items, such as 01_801_0138_1_1 for standard weekday daytime. The old 0115 items are for supports delivered before 1 July 2026. Every hour is priced by its time band: weekday daytime runs from 6am to 8pm, and weekday evening from 8pm to midnight.
Keeping it in step
Regular SIL is claimed weekly or hourly, never both. Minor changes that fit within the funding don't need the NDIA; agree them with the participant. A significant change in needs is a matter for a plan reassessment, which the participant asks for.
And when someone moves out, you can't charge the remaining residents more. The NDIA doesn't fund vacancies, so your service agreement should say how vacancies are handled.
Key takeaways
- A roster of care is optional from June 2026, and you don't submit it.
- It doesn't set funding, but it's still the best way to plan a SIL house.
- Build it from hours at home, ratios, intensity, overnight type, public holidays and irregular days.
- Use 0138 items for supports from 1 July 2026.
- Don't recover vacancies from other residents.
Read the full guide on Rostery
Our full article, how to build an NDIS roster of care for a SIL house, walks through the NDIA's Excel tool step by step, with a priced three-person house example and the sources. You can build and price your own house with the free SIL roster of care calculator in our free NDIS tools.
For the pay side of overnight shifts, see SCHADS sleepover allowances explained. And if you're comparing software for a SIL business, we've written about choosing NDIS rostering software.
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