Changes to the Disabled Students Allowance

In February 2024, Student Finance England (SFE) and Student Finance Wales (SFW) changed how the DSA is administered.

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In February 2024, Student Finance England (SFE) and Student Finance Wales (SFW) changed how the DSA is administered.

Changes to the Disabled Students Allowance

How the DSA changes affect you

What you need to do

  • If you applied for DSA after 24 February 2024 and your funding is through SFE or SFW, RACEL can’t undertake your Needs Assessment.
  • If you applied for DSA after 24 February 2024 and your funding is through a Research Council, SAAS, NHS, an Apprenticeship scheme, or your Higher Education Provider (HEP), RACEL can undertake your Needs Assessment. Email racel@uel.ac.uk to book.
  • If your DSA was already in place before February 2024 and you don’t need any changes: You don’t need to take any action.
  • If you had your Needs Assessment at RACEL before February 2024 and you now need an update or have a query, Email racel@uel.ac.uk. RACEL continues to support students who were assessed here.

If you applied for DSA after February 2024

RACEL can undertake Needs Assessments for students whose DSA is funded by:

Should you wish to have your Needs Assessment at RACEL, please contact us at racel@uel.ac.uk

Since February 2024, RACEL has been unable to undertake Needs Assessments for Student Finance England (SFE) or Student Finance Wales (SFW) DSA-funded students.

If your DSA was already in place before February 2024

If you are already in receipt of DSA and do not require any adjustments, you do not need to take any action.

 

Updating a RACEL Needs Assessment

If you had your Needs Assessment at RACEL and now require an update to your DSA award or have a DSA query, please contact us at racel@uel.ac.uk. RACEL continues to support our students.

 

Closed Assessment Centres

Alternatively, if you are a registered UEL student and your Needs Assessment Centre has closed and you require an update to your DSA award or have a DSA query, please contact us at racel@uel.ac.uk to discuss your next steps.

 

Review of Needs Assessment

If you previously had a Needs Assessment at RACEL, as an SFE or SFW student, and require a Review of Needs, this will be undertaken by either Capita or Study Tech. Your letter authorising your Review of Needs will advise you which supplier has been agreed by your funding body.

Your nominated supplier should proactively contact you, by email, with a link to register on their online booking platform. If you don’t receive this email, please refer to your DSA1 letter, which will provide you with the supplier's contact details. If you are unsure about how to access your Review of Needs, please contact us at racel@uel.ac.uk

If your DSA1 letter is dated before 26 February 2024, and you have not yet chosen a Needs Assessment Centre, you can look up your new allocated centre via the postcode look up tool.

New DSA application process

The new process ensures that an SFE or SFW DSA student will have a single point of contact for their Needs Assessment, assistive technology (AT) and AT training requirements. This will be coordinated and delivered by Study Tech or Capita.

 

How does the new process work?

  • Students who apply for DSA after February 2024 continue to apply to SFE or SFW in the usual way. SFE/SFW will process the application and assess eligibility.
  • Once eligible, SFE or SFW assigns the student to one of the two framework suppliers (Study Tech or Capita). The student no longer needs to find a supplier via GOV.uk.
  • With the student’s consent, SFE/SFW securely shares eligibility information (the DSA1) with the assigned supplier.
  • The supplier contacts the student within 2 working days of the DSA1 being issued to book the Needs Assessment.
  • The student receives an introductory message in their chosen format (email, text or phone).
  • The student registers on the supplier’s online booking platform to start the booking process.
  • Students still share their disability evidence with the assigned supplier when booking (this is expected to change in Phase 2, planned for autumn 2024).
  • After the assessment, the supplier sends the Needs Assessment Report to SFE within five working days.
  • SFE reviews the report and issues a DSA2 Entitlement Notification to the student and supplier, confirming agreed recommendations.
  • The supplier contacts the student to arrange delivery of assistive technology.
  • The student can choose delivery options, schedule AT training, and pay any financial contribution through the supplier’s platform.
  • Students can still pay the supplier to upgrade their computer.
  • The supplier installs, sets up and familiarises the student with equipment/software and provides AT training if required.
  • If Non-Medical Helper (NMH) support is recommended (e.g., mentoring or one-to-one study skills), the student must contact NMH suppliers separately, as NMH is not included in the new DSA Framework. The same applies to taxis. 

If you need advice about SFE/SFW’s process, email racel@uel.ac.uk.

Contact us

If you would like to book a Needs Assessment or have a query about your DSA support, please contact us.

Related pages

  • FAQs and useful links

    Answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the DSA are detailed on our website. There are also useful links related to the DSA.

  • Disabled Students’ Allowance

    DSA contributes towards the additional costs which you may incur during your course, due to your disability or Specific Learning Difference. The DSA is not a loan and does not need to be paid back.

  • Regional Access Centre East London

    At the Regional Access Centre East London (RACEL) we undertake Study Needs Assessments for home students who have been made eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance through select funding bodies.