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allowance, assessment, benefit, complex, computer, david willetts, disability, Disability Living Allowance, Disability Practitioners, disabled, Disabled Students Allowance, DLA, DSA, dyslexia, employment, ESA, government, ILF, independent living fund, learning mentor, Mike Sivier, mikesivier, minister, NADP, National Association, non-specialist, note-taker, Paddy Turner, people, Personal Independence Payment, PIP, politics, Remploy, specialist accommodation, support, The Guardian, universities, university, Vox Political
Some readers may find the above headline a bit strong, but please be assured – this is what it means.
Vox Political became aware of this story in two contrasting ways, as follows.
Firstly, from The Guardian: “From September 2015 [the government] will only pay for support for students with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, if their needs are ‘complex’, although the definition of this, and who decides it, remains unclear.
“It will no longer pay for standard computers for disabled students, or for much of the higher specification IT it now subsidises.
“And it will no longer fund non-specialist help, likely to include note-takers and learning mentors. The costs of specialist accommodation will be met only in exceptional circumstances.”
Paddy Turner, of the National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP) is quoted: “This is going to have a disastrous effect on students with specific learning difficulties because it looks very clear that [universities minister David Willetts] is trying to remove them from the DSA. It looks like a knee-jerk reaction to recent reports that specific learning difficulties and dyslexia aren’t really disabilities at all.”
Secondly, please read the following, from Vox Political reader Karlie Marvel, who has a relative with MS: “They are axing the disabled student allowance. The amount of funding for DSA is relatively tiny.”
I’ve been completely staggered by what I have discovered to be going on… Surely, the benefit to the economy of helping disabled students towards being able to contribute fully to society, rather than being left on the sidelines because of penny-pinching, is greater than the cost of a short period of support whilst they train?
“But I can’t say I’m surprised really.
“No education…
“Struggle to find work…
“No benefits…
“Die.
“Coalition government 2014. I’m feeling very bleak, Mr Vox.”
Who can blame her? Yet again, our government of couldn’t-care-less millionaires is cutting support to the very people they should be working hardest to help – the vulnerable disabled who cannot make it on their own.
They have rigged benefit assessments to make claiming as stressful as possible for people who can be killed by anxiety.
They have closed most of the Remploy factories that employed disabled people.
They are closing down the Independent Living Fund (ILF), that delivers financial support to disabled people so they can choose to live in their communities rather than in residential care.
Now this.
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