We call on the UK Department for Education and Student Finance England to maintain Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funding for assistive technology and reject proposals to limit support to “exceptional circumstances” only.

Thousands of disabled and neurodivergent students rely on this support to access higher education independently, manage academic demands, and complete their courses successfully. The proposed changes appear to assume that free or widely available tools can replace specialist support, despite a lack of evidence that these alternatives provide the same educational outcomes, accessibility, reliability, or safeguarding for disabled students.

Removing support risks widening the attainment gap for disabled students, increasing student withdrawals, worsening mental health pressures, and reducing progression into employment. Reforms to disabled student support should be rooted in evidence and student outcomes — not short-term cost savings.

The Government should strengthen inclusive education, not reduce the support that enables disabled students to participate and succeed independently.