What next for DSA?
Maddy Kirkman, Disabled Students’ Officer
David Malcolm, Assistant Director
Session overview
• The DSA debate: a recap
• The most recent ministerial announcement
• Where next?
• The wider situation for disabled students
• Discussion
The DSA debate: a recap
Background
• Support for disabled students provided to pay
for additional costs of education arising from
disability
• Four allowances: equipment, non-medical help,
travel, general
• Non means-tested
• Equivalent allowances in all four nations of the
UK – and for NHS students
Background
• DSA introduced in current basic structure in
1990
• Approx 53,000 student applications each year
(in England)
• Current budget of around £125m per year (in
England)
Impact of DSAs
• Students receiving DSA are much more likely to
continue their course than other students
• Students receiving DSA are more likely to reach
a first or upper class second honours than
disabled students who do not receive DSA
• 59% of disabled students agreed or strongly
agreed that they worried about not having
enough money in PIYP
DSA reforms
• Historic ongoing process of incremental reform
• Growing concern around efficiency of DSA
process and quality of provision
• BIS ‘call for evidence’ in 2013 on computer
equipment and university involvement
Willetts ministerial announcement
• 7 April – Willetts announces changes to DSA
• ‘Modernising’
• ‘Rebalancing’
• ‘Target support where it is
most needed’
Willetts ministerial announcement
• Removing funding for computer equipment for all except
the most ‘complex’ cases
• Transfer of responsibility for ‘less complex’ forms of
student support to HEIs
• DSA will no longer pay for additional cost of specialist
accommodation
• Equality Act definition of disability
• Require assessment centres to register with an approved
body
The student movement responds
• Emergency motion at National Conference
• Local day of action 6 June
• 250 MPs lobbied – including PM and DPM
• 100 MPs signed EDM
• Lobbying of VCs/Principals
• Stunts/actions
The student movement responds
NUS work
• Research into laptop ownership
• Support for day of action
• Work with partner organisations
• Westminster Hall debate
• Meetings with ministers
• Meetings with civil servants
The most recent ministerial
announcement
Second ministerial announcement
• Greg Clark statement on 12 September
• Huge win for student movement and allies on
the DSA proposals!
• But still concerns…
Lots of win – but still some issues
• Computer equipment restored – but subject to
a £200 student contribution
• Bulk computer purchasing in future years?
• Transfer of responsibility to HEIs largely
delayed until 2016/17 for preparation
• Improvement of appeals processes
• Accommodation funding remains for 15/16
What next?
Lots of win – but more to do
• HEFCE research project
• Discussions with civil servants on human
support – assessments and NMH
• Oppose the £200 IT contribution
• Keeping up pressure on MPs and PPCs
Five principles
1. Timely support
2. High quality support
3. Individualised to the student
4. Consistent between institutions
5. Clear systems to protect the student interest:
oversight, appeals and redress
The wider situation for
disabled students
Discussion
• Find a person from another SU!
• Discuss: What cuts to services for or used by
disabled people have occurred on your
campuses or in your communities?
DSAs are not the only cut
• Welfare reform
• Social care
• Mental health services
• Community services and facilities
• Access to Work
Discussions
Further discussion
• What are the common themes where you are?
• Are there any unique situations?
• What policy do we need for NUS, at National
Conference, at nations conferences and at
liberation conferences?
• What other actions can SUs and/or NUS take?
Questions
• Any final questions?
Thank you!