Disabled Student's Allowance -- worth applying for mental health?

dmg24

cirrusmp wrote: »

Firstly, I did not at any point make the judgement. I have said, and still maintain, that the OP and anybody else claiming, should seriously consider there need before claiming items offered to them, because everything spent on them, is being paid for by everybody around them. I have seen first hand that what is provided often FAR exceeds what is actually required. For example, giving brand new laptops to students who already have perfectly good laptops.

The student finance I received was entirely in the form of loans which I am now repaying. I received no bursaries, no grants and no toys. My families income has never exceeded £40,000 (both parents working). The principal earner is now dead, however I would still not be eligible for support if I were to apply now as he left savings to myself, my brother and my mother. She is also not eligible for income support if she were to lose her job, despite the fact that they have contributed to the state in taxes all there working lives.

Is your point about international fees is designed to lead to a next post about the government contribution which you are assuming I do not know about?. I understand fully the principal of the "top up fee" which I paid. I had to pay the maximum that the university could charge me, if that cap was to rise, I would have to borrow more money to pay the difference. Again, that government contribution is funded by taxes, which my parents and myself pay.

Laptop
You say that you are unable to use the library/computer facilities at the university. I do not know what your disability is, but from reading your posts it seems strange to me that you are unable to sit at a computer in the university - but are able to sit in lectures and seminars. And you are more than able to get there and back because you have a travel allowance - presume this is for taxis?. Also, I'd be willing to bet good money that your laptop far exceeds the specification required to complete your course, the ones I saw supplied were from a company charging over £1200 for each unit - why do you need that and not one that costs £400?. Have you considered how that £800 difference could benefit other students?. Did you own a laptop when you claimed?.

A printer, for the above reason
A printing/ internet allowance, because I cannot take advantage of the much cheaper printing facilities available at uni

Again, you are in university for your lectures and seminars - why do you need to be given a printer at home?. Why can you not just print on campus, while you are there?.

The cost of your printing at home on the inkjet printer supplied far exceeds the cost of printing on campus. Particularly since all universities operate a print credit system. When I was at Bournemouth it cost 5pence per page of b&w, which I know from working I.T, exceeds the actual cost by around 2p per page depending on the hardware.

The cost of your printing, is being passed to other students. Why can you not contribute your own cartridges and paper?. If you need a printer why can you not pay for it out of student loan?.

A dictaphone, because my concentration is very poor
Say we were to take exactly the same course, and graduate with a middle of the road 2.1 - if we were both to present a C.V to an employer, he would assume that we were equally skilled - surely I am more skilled because my concentration is better and I do not require these aids - your actual performance on the job would be lower than mine because you have poor concentration and I don't, but the employer would have no knowledge of this until you were hired, because you had the same qualification as someone that didn't have that disadvantage?. Do you write on applications under disability "poor concentration"?.

A travel allowance, as I cannot use public transport
Once again my question would be why are you not made to pay this out of your student loan?. Say I couldn't get to university on public transport because it didn't run near my house - I'd have 3 choices - pay rent on accommodation nearer the university, pay for taxis myself or run a car - I accept running a car may be impossible for someone with a disability.

Finally, note that I have not at any point made judgements, merely asked questions, based on my own perceptions and experiences.

Also note, that however severe your disability may be, the same allowances are offered to people with virtually no disability whatsoever.

One of the recipients of all these allowances now works as a software developer for a company called Detica, part of BAA, and works directly with government clients and on website projects such as nationalrail.co.uk. He is not disabled, I lived with him for 3 years. He got all that you get with the exception of the travel allowance. Is it wrong to question whether this is right or wrong? When i knew that his ability to pay for things I had to was no different - we come from very similar family backgrounds financially and we now earn exactly the same. We both had jobs, only difference was I used the wage from mine to pay for my laptop, he used his to trot around asia for a whole summer.

You say that you do not make judgements, but then go on to make (wholly incorrect) judgements throughout the rest of your post. I can only assume that you are a very young and immature student, as your thoughts just stink of ignorance.

dmg24

bestpud wrote: »

I guess it depends what skills they require!

Concentration is but one ability and not an important one for every job out there. Plus, dictaphones can be used in the workplace too!

I would argue people skills, such as the ability to empathise and appreciate individual difference, are more worthwhile for many occupations...

But cirrusmp and his friends are all 'nice, reasonable, decent people'!

bestpud

dmg24 wrote: »

But cirrusmp and his friends are all 'nice, reasonable, decent people'!

Yeah, right... :rotfl:

Quite shocking really, isn't it!

cirrusmp

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skipsmum

OP, I'm going to uni in September to do an access course. I have bipolar and other mental health issues.
I don't need a laptop etc (have my own) but I am going to have a mentor full time for the first few weeks to help me find my way around etc, so that I don't get too panicky and leave the course. She will then stay with me part time for the rest of the year.
At the moment I need a lot of help with concentrating and organisational skills, but one of the reasons I am doing an access course is to learn to improve them.
My CPN and care team have spent a lot of time working with the university to make sure I get everything I need, so if you have one its worth speaking to them. Its a big step to accept that you need help.
As for not letting people know I have a disability, I think they all twigged when I went into hospital!

dmg24

cirrusmp wrote: »

Are you suggesting that having an opinion different to yours means that my friends are the opposite?

Is my opinion not justified and rational?. You may disagree with it but its not any better or worse than yours.

And so far, you haven't offered anything other than personal insults to justify your criticism.

No, your opinions are not justified and they are ill thought out. I did not ask that you queried my capabilities, I asked why you thought I should not be entitled to my DSA provisions. My difficulties are not in debate, they have been confirmed by a psychiatrist. I trust you are not suggesting that you know better than a senior consultant?

Back to the drawing board then cirrusmp, why should someone who is incapable of using university facilities be put at a disadvantage to those who are capable?

bitsandpieces

Foreveranon: if DSA could help you, apply for it. Try to ignore the arguing on this thread (which I'm now going to add to!)

DSA isn't means tested. It shouldn't be relevant whether someone can afford their own equipment: the idea is to put disabled students on a level footing with non-disabled students (or, at least, closer to it: there are often some aspects of university life for which adjustments can't be made ). Non-disabled students don't need any special equipment and (if they're lucky enough to have spare cash) are quite free to spend it on books or student clubs or holidays or booze. Disabled students should have the same choice.

By the way, I'm not sure there are *that* many students around for whom the cost of disability-related equipment and support would be trivial. I imagine that - if people are millionaires - they won't bother with DSA forms, but I don't think the government should apply means-testing.

One more issue is that drop-out rates among disabled students are higher than typical. This is expensive, in itself (HE places have to be funded, but don't lead to graduation). If supporting students through DSA etc. can reduce drop-out rates, DSA could be a bargain for the taxpayer even in very cold financial terms: we get more graduates for minimal outlay.

cirrusmp

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cirrusmp

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bitsandpieces

cirrusmp wrote: »

I have not queried yours or anybody else's entitlement to what they receive as individuals. All I have said is that people should not claim for what they do not absolutely need

It isn't a question of what people absolutely need. Some wheelchair users don't absolutely need accessible lecture theatres - they might be able to drag themselves up a few stairs, for example - but that doesn't mean that accessible theatres shouldn't be provided or that students wouldn't be unfairly disadvantaged by being made to drag themselves into a lecture theatre. The aim of DSA should be to give disabled students what they need to level the playing field with non-disabled students (or to come as close as possible to doing this).