Finlay Stevenson
Make your voice heard today to defend the support for Disabled Students!
The government is currently consulting on major changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) that could severely impact the support available to disabled, neurodivergent, and chronically ill students.
What is changing? The government proposes stopping funding for specialist assistive software (such as mind-mapping, note-taking, and research tools) for new students, arguing that "free-to-access" alternatives are sufficient.
Why this is a problem: Free software often lacks the essential features that make university study accessible. From poor-quality speech-to-text to limited note-taking capacity, these tools are often not fit for purpose for students managing conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or chronic fatigue. Furthermore, these proposals incorrectly assume that all university teaching is already fully accessible, which we know can be challenging.
We need your voice. The Students’ Union at UWE believes that every student deserves the tools they need to succeed. We will be fighting these changes with the National Union of Students (NUS), but we need your help to show the government that these cuts are unacceptable.
Have your say: Use this form created by BATA and Disabled Students’ UK to submit your feedback before 18 June 2026: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjbl4OgDUpZAr_7ohMFRLxwwV_DwR4DsoqY4c3Vdx21iiCRw/viewform
Sign the petition: To show your opposition: https://www.change.org/p/don-t-take-away-support-disabled-students-rely-on-at-university?utm_medium=custom_url&utm_source=share_petition&recruited_by_id=85662f90-006d-11e5-956a-49e3912aa4c9
Share your story: We want to hear how assistive software supports your studies. Please get in touch with the President Team to share your experience. You can email them at SUPresident@uwe.ac.uk; VPEducation@uwe.ac.uk; VPsports@uwe.ac.uk; VPsocsandcomms@uwe.ac.uk; VPcommwelfare@uwe.ac.uk.
The deadline for the consultation is 18 June 2026.
Do not let these cuts slip under the radar, take action today to protect support for future UWE students!