2013 Snowdon Survey – Statutory funding discriminates against those with greatest need
The latest report by the Snowdon Trust highlights the problems faced by disabled students as a result of caps on Disabled Students Allowances (DSA).
As a result those with visual, hearing or mobility impairments, often have to ‘make do’ with far less study support than they require. The biggest shortfalls relate to the high cost of human support. For example, the maximum postgraduate DSA would fund less than 1½ hours a day of sign language support for a deaf student. In fact postgraduate disabled students are currently five times more likely to require extra funding from charities such as the Snowdon Trust.
Recommendations of the report:
- All students have an individual assessment of their extra disability-related needs – so these should be fully funded.
- Postgraduate students should not get less study support than undergraduates.
- Provision for other essential access requirements, such as mobility equipment or funding for adapted or carers’ accommodation must also be made available.
- The DSA assessment process and follow-up activity should be reviewed and improvements made; especially regarding information and support provided to students and their families and to ensure more consistent quality of assessments.
- Additional ways of helping disabled postgraduates with fee funding should be explored, such as special loans or scholarships or perhaps a loan guarantee scheme to encourage commercial lenders to provide more career development loans to disabled people.
Previous Snowdon Surveys in 1999 and 2006 helped make the case for past improvements to statutory support for disabled students and they are hoping that ministers will listen again and that this time, they will pledge to remove the funding caps.
To view the report go to http://www.snowdontrust.org/news/
Background
The Snowdon Trust provide grants to physically disabled and sensory impaired students studying in the UK – in further or higher education or those training towards employment. These Grants help cover additional costs that students incur as a result of their disability and where available statutory funding does not cover them. Costs include vital support such as sign language interpreters, people to take notes, computers, specialist software, wheelchairs or special accommodation and equipment.
Disability Rights UK has collaborated with the Snowdon Trust in relation to helpline referrals, benefits advice and grant applications. The Trust is also one of our members.