Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the evaluation of Disabled Students' Allowances will include consideration of the benefits of issuing a guide to higher education providers about their responsibilities in relation to students claiming those allowances who fall into bands 1 and 2.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The evaluation of Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) will address a range of factors relating to the efficacy of support for disabled students, including the effect of recent changes to DSA policy.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the evaluation of Disabled Students' Allowances will include consideration of the levels of information provided by higher education providers to students claiming those allowances about the respective responsibilities of those institutions and students.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The evaluation of Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) will address a range of factors relating to the efficacy of support for disabled students, including the effect of recent changes to DSA policy.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken or commissioned any study on the impact on those students applying for higher education of requiring dyslexic students to pay for a second assessment and to make a £200 contribution to the cost of computing equipment necessary to carry supportive software.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has not undertaken any research on diagnostic assessments for dyslexia for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) purposes. DSAs continue to provide funding to dyslexic higher education students for assessed IT equipment costs in excess of £200, as well as for software and other support. DSAs funding is not provided to enable students to confirm their eligibility for support.
The Department does not hold information on the numbers of students requiring a first or review assessment to confirm their eligibility for DSAs.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost to dyslexic students who received their diagnosis before they were 18 of the assessment required to allow them to be eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
All students applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances must provide medical evidence to confirm their eligibility.
Students with dyslexia must have an assessment or review assessment undertaken after their 16th birthday.
We do not hold information on costs.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the impact on the take-up of Disabled Students' Allowance of the introduction of a £200 contribution for IT equipment.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department asked Student Finance England (SfE) in January 2017 to conduct a Customer Insight Survey to identify whether the introduction of the £200 contribution towards the cost of a computer was preventing students from ordering IT equipment if recommended. In March 2017, the results were included in an SfE report ‘Student Finance England Disabled Students’ Allowance Equipment Use and Improvements’. This report showed that 6% of respondents considered that the £200 contribution had prevented them from taking up the IT equipment recommendation.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why students with previously assessed dyslexia have to undergo a second assessment before becoming entitled to Disabled Students' Allowance when students with other disabilities do not.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Diagnostic assessments for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) conducted from the age of 16 are used for assessing eligibility for Disabled Students’ Allowances.
If the diagnosis was before the age of 16, the student will require an updated diagnostic assessment, which specifically addresses the likely impact of the SpLD on study at a higher education level.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how a student entitled to Disabled Students' Allowance can ensure that the higher education institution at which they are studying fulfils its support equality duties sufficiently to allow them to benefit fully from that allowance, before they start attending the institution.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Higher education students eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) should contact the disability advisor at their higher education provider (HEP) to discuss what support is available to them alongside that available through DSAs. If students are not satisfied with what is available from their HEPs they should seek to resolve this through internal complaints procedures; if they remain not satisfied they can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator to review their complaints.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government where higher education institutions can find a definitive guide to their legal duties and responsiblities to disabled students.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published an ‘easy read’ for students of higher and further education that explains the rights students have under the Equality Act 2010 and gives clear, specific advice for disabled students. This can be found in the attached Annex A or via the following link: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/your-rights-if-you-are-further-or-higher-education-easy-read.
The EHRC also provides comprehensive advice on its website regarding disabled people’s rights when using a service. Further information can be found at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/guidance-service-users.
The Disabled Students’ Sector Leadership Group’s (DSSLG) ‘Inclusive Teaching’ guidance aims to share practical approaches and interventions to developing inclusive practice in higher education, and makes helpful suggestions for a strategic approach to making ‘reasonable adjustments’ under the Equality Act 2010. Further information is available in the attached Annex B or via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-teaching-and-learning-in-higher-education.
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator in Higher Education (OIA) has published a framework for complaints and academic appeals. It recently held a public consultation on supporting disabled students, which makes particular reference to removing obstacles to learning for all disabled students. The OIA plans to issue revised guidance shortly.
Other groups such as that National Union of Students also publish advice for disabled students: https://www.nusconnect.org.uk/liberation/disabled-students.
A detailed guidance document on ‘What Equality Law Means for You as an Education Provider’ is available from the EHRC via the attached Annex C as well as via the below link: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/what-equality-law-means-you-education-provider-wales.
The Government has published general guidance on the Equality Act at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance. This is supported by further specific guidance to higher education providers (HEPs) regarding their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, which is published by the EHRC at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/higher-education-providers-guidance.
The Equality Challenge Unit, which has a specific role to support equality and diversity for staff and students in HEPs across the UK, also publishes specific advice for providers. This includes guidance on accessibility on campus to help providers understand barriers created by the physical environment, and how to alleviate them: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/inclusive-environment/accessible-campus/.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government where a disabled student can find information about legally required levels of support available in higher education institutions.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published an ‘easy read’ for students of higher and further education that explains the rights students have under the Equality Act 2010 and gives clear, specific advice for disabled students. This can be found in the attached Annex A or via the following link: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/your-rights-if-you-are-further-or-higher-education-easy-read.
The EHRC also provides comprehensive advice on its website regarding disabled people’s rights when using a service. Further information can be found at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/guidance-service-users.
The Disabled Students’ Sector Leadership Group’s (DSSLG) ‘Inclusive Teaching’ guidance aims to share practical approaches and interventions to developing inclusive practice in higher education, and makes helpful suggestions for a strategic approach to making ‘reasonable adjustments’ under the Equality Act 2010. Further information is available in the attached Annex B or via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-teaching-and-learning-in-higher-education.
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator in Higher Education (OIA) has published a framework for complaints and academic appeals. It recently held a public consultation on supporting disabled students, which makes particular reference to removing obstacles to learning for all disabled students. The OIA plans to issue revised guidance shortly.
Other groups such as that National Union of Students also publish advice for disabled students: https://www.nusconnect.org.uk/liberation/disabled-students.
A detailed guidance document on ‘What Equality Law Means for You as an Education Provider’ is available from the EHRC via the attached Annex C as well as via the below link: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/what-equality-law-means-you-education-provider-wales.
The Government has published general guidance on the Equality Act at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance. This is supported by further specific guidance to higher education providers (HEPs) regarding their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, which is published by the EHRC at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/higher-education-providers-guidance.
The Equality Challenge Unit, which has a specific role to support equality and diversity for staff and students in HEPs across the UK, also publishes specific advice for providers. This includes guidance on accessibility on campus to help providers understand barriers created by the physical environment, and how to alleviate them: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/inclusive-environment/accessible-campus/.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether students who take up their full entitlement to Disabled Students' Allowance have higher completion rates and final grades than those disabled students who do not.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no data available that differentiate completion and attainment rates between students in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) who have taken up their full DSAs entitlement and those who have not. There are, however, completion and attainment data that are differentiated between disabled students in receipt of DSAs (regardless of level of entitlement take-up) and disabled students not in receipt of DSAs. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has published analysis of the non-continuation rates and degree outcomes for disabled students in receipt of DSA and disabled students who are not in receipt of DSA here: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/HEinEngland/students/disability/.
A document containing the same information is also attached.