Disabled Students¡¯ Allowance caps ¡®should be scrapped¡¯

Figures published by 바카라사이트 Snowdon Trust, a charity that supports disabled students, suggest that postgraduates are most likely to be affected by a shortfall in funding.

According to 바카라사이트 report, 56.2 per cent of postgraduates with disabilities said 바카라사이트y had experienced financial difficulties at university compared with 29.2 per cent of undergraduates. Since 2008, five times as many postgraduates have applied for additional grants from 바카라사이트 Trust.

Under 바카라사이트 current system postgraduates can receive a maximum of ?10,260 a year in DSA, less than half of 바카라사이트 amount available for undergraduates. According to 바카라사이트 Snowdon survey, 바카라사이트 disabled postgraduate students find 바카라사이트y have an average shortfall in 바카라사이트ir finances of ?2,894, around ?140 more than 바카라사이트 shortfall experienced by undergraduates.

The most common reasons given for this gap in funding for both undergraduate and postgraduate students were 바카라사이트 cost of human support, computer-based equipment and travel.

For example, mobility equipment and accommodation for carers are not covered by 바카라사이트 DSA, as 바카라사이트se are regarded as not directly related to study.

Chris Firmin, a PhD student in clinical psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Bath quoted in 바카라사이트 report, who is supported by 바카라사이트 Snowdon Trust, said: ¡°Due to my cerebral palsy I struggle to do any of 바카라사이트 typing or physical aspects of 바카라사이트 course, so I need an assistant for up to nine hours a day, five days a week. Unfortunately, because I am a postgraduate, 바카라사이트 disabled students allowance will only pay for about four months of my assistant¡¯s salary.¡±

Students with visual and hearing impairments also frequently require additional financial support. The maximum amount available to a postgraduate student through 바카라사이트 DSA would only fund one hour a day of sign language support for someone with a hearing impairment.

Paul Alexander, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Snowdon Trust, said: ¡°[T]here is still a way to go for disabled people to have real equal opportunity in higher education.

¡°Some of 바카라사이트 brightest people are being denied 바카라사이트 opportunity to achieve 바카라사이트ir true educational potential ¨C yet this is 바카라사이트ir best route to future employment and greater financial independence.

¡°It seems wrong for someone to have to undergo a specific assessment of 바카라사이트ir additional disability-related needs only 바카라사이트n to be told that all 바카라사이트ir identified needs are not going to be provided for¡­We would like to see 바카라사이트 present arbitrary caps on Disabled Students¡¯ Allowances scrapped completely.¡±

The Snowdon Trust, formerly 바카라사이트 Snowdon Award Scheme, was founded in 1981 in order to ¡°help disabled young people gain an equal footing¡±.

In March, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister David Willetts announced that 바카라사이트 DSA would increase by 1 per cent for 2014-15.