CHANGES TO DISABLED STUDENTS' ALLOWANCES

That this House notes the importance of providing support to disabled students to enable them to access education and to help them study; further notes that National Union of Students' research has found that 55 per cent of disabled students have already seriously considered leaving their course compared to 35 per cent of non-disabled respondents with 54 per cent reporting this was because of financial problems; further notes with concern the proposed changes to disabled students' allowance (DSA) as announced on 7 April 2014; further notes that DSA is an important means of support for disabled students to access support and research has shown that students receiving DSA are more likely to reach a first or upper class second honours degree than disabled students who do not receive an allowance; further notes that many potential students stand to be affected by the proposed changes to DSA; and calls on the Government to provide equal access, wherever the student is studying.