Disabled student allowance appeal

c4m3r0n

Hi,
Looking for help please

I am doing a post graduate degree through a private company, which is validated by a university. I am dyslexic and found out very late in my undergraduate degree, and was told not to apply (by assessor) for disabled student support. However, when doing the postgraduate, I applied. I don't have a student number and explained that my degree is only validated by a university not run by them. I was successful in DSA support for 1 year, which has been amazing (after 1st two applications were lost by SLC).

However, when applying again for the last year, I was told that, not only do I not qualify for support, that the money needs to be repaid for the previous year. I have failed a stage 1 appeal. I applied for a stage 2 appeal, however this went through another stage 1 appeal.

Would you be able to give me any advice on how to appeal please? I don't understand how, with the same information, I can be accepted one year and not the next.

sheramber

Are you eligible ? https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas/eligibility

It appears that they have decided that you were not eligible last year and awarded the allowance in error.

c4m3r0n

I did the checks. The post graduate course I am on is only 3 years old, No-one knew if the course would qualify for support, no-one at the student loans company would respond with anything other than apply to find out. Which I did and now being penalised, or feel penalised, for their change in decision

Starrystarrynight1

If an error has been found, SLC/SFE/SFW/SFNI are duty bound by the government to correct it. They have no discretion at all. This seems to be what has happened in your case.

Usually, if a course qualifies for student finance, the providers will know about it and post it prominently on their website.