Since raising the issue in Parliament last December, Lord Holmes has published a report on the current issues with Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). The report highlights several key areas, including the delay from application to delivery, the inaccessibility of the application itself and the lack of awareness around what support is available for students.
The report also highlights that only 29% of Disabled students in Higher Education (HE) are receiving DSA, but Student Loans Company (SLC) has no data on why students are falling through the gaps.
Lord Holmes, author of the report, states:
“Disabled students must be at the centre of every element of the scheme. Student-centred support must be the touchstone by which DSA is ultimately measured. It is the student experience which will serve as the determinant of this success.”
The full DSA review, including recommendations, can be read online; and Lord Holmes’ blog post outlining the issue can be found on his website – including his debate in the House of Lords last December.