This summer we reached an important milestone in our Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) reforms journey.
DSA is additional financial support that can be used to pay for the extra study related costs a student may incur as a result of their disability. Working with our colleagues in the Department for Education (DfE) and the Higher Education Division of Welsh Government, as well as gathering insight and feedback from our DSA Customer Panel and third sector organisations, we are making improvements to the service to deliver a better experience for DSA customers.
In July, we awarded Study Tech Limited (Study Tech) and Capita Business Services Limited (Capita) the framework to supply needs assessments, assistive technology and assistive technology training for students in receipt of DSA. Students will continue to apply to SLC, however, once their eligibility has been assessed and their funding is approved, they will be allocated to a single supplier, who will manage their end-to-end support for the services above. Currently, students often have to contact multiple organisations to try to arrange their support and they have told us that this process is too long and difficult. As well as streamlining the process, the new model will result in formal contractual arrangements being put in place which will improve the customer experience, enhance transparency and controls, and deliver greater value for money for students and taxpayers.
Study Tech and Capita are highly experienced in providing DSA services and we have been working closely and collaboratively with them to plan for the transition to the new service, which will take place in February 2024. The timing has been specifically chosen as it aligns to when students begin to apply for student finance for the 24/25 academic year. There is no impact on new students starting university, or those returning to their studies, this autumn.
