Phew, it's the end of term isn't it?
Couple of points on this and then, like Bernard, I must attend to
emptying the vaults into the pockets of 'the deserving'.
Could you comment on my illustration of travel expenses please, I think
it is justified and would welcome comment, well balanced and otherwise.
I spend my life promoting the idea that all beings should be considered
as equal and highlighting the fact that due to the organisation of the
world and society in which we live some of us can never be considered as
such unless those barriers are removed. That is quite different from
focusing on the disability, it is society and environments that need to
change not disabled people and it doesn't always cost money, attitudes
are sometimes the greatest barriers.
I feel I am in a well informed viewpoint for my own experience of Access
to Work, it differs from Terry's greatly, this highlights for me one
major difficulty with AtW which we are moving towards moving on with
DSA, QAG will ensure there are standards and procedures common to all
assessments, which I welcome wholeheartedly, there is no such forum for
AtW, and there should be.
Chris Baxter
0115 848 6163 voice and text
0115 848 4371 fax
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-----Original Message-----
From: Baxter, Chris
Sent: 16 December 2003 16:21
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
Take the case of a social work student needing to go on placement, the
placements are unpaid and all students need to travel around to
undertake the work of a social work student.
A student with a mobility impairment who cannot use public transport is
entitled to the additional costs they incur as a result of using a car,
wherever it is financed from, remember the DSA's are non means tested,
the formula should be 'cost to disabled student' minus cost to all
students = allowance, from DSA as it is a study related need.
Terry, if you were in receipt of Access to Work assessment and funding I
don't think you would think as highly of it as you appear to, forgive me
if you are and you have won the postcode lottery and got an effective
and well informed AtW team administering to your access requirements.
Some of us, 'the disabled' out here, have not.
Spoil my holidays? Not a chance!
Chris Baxter
-----Original Message-----
From: John Gregory [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 16 December 2003 16:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
I totally agree with the sentiments. My own view is that if a person
receives high rate mobility component from DLA and choose to use this to
avail themselves of the motability scheme, with all the cost free
benefits, they should be prepared to pay for the fuel. DSA is designed
to provide funds for elements which relate to disability and, if other
students have to pay travel costs to reach their college/campus, then it
is not an element which is related to disability. Equality is one
thing, but advantage is another - I feel that I can say this as a
disabled person and post grad student.
John Gregory
-----Original Message-----
From: Terry Hart [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 16 December 2003 15:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
No John I would not take the same approach the disabilities are
quite different and I was aware that those with visual impairment get
lower rate support under DLA.
My observations refer to those with mobility / physical
difficulties, that is why I refer specifically to mobility allowance and
vehicles etc.
Please do not misinterpret what I am trying to say. My only
concern is for the long term support of individuals with special needs,
irrespective of whether it is in higher education or in the workplace. I
do not believe that we are serving this group well by contunually
looking at the cost of everything. The biggest changes we can make is in
the hearts and minds of people irrespective of whoever they are, showing
what every individual is capable of in higher education or in the
workplace NOT the cost of allowing them to achieve. We do not make
things any easier by continually demanding more and more finances for
support alone, even though it is very important. More needs to be done
to see the individual behind the disability NOT the cost of disability
which seems to be the current role of assessment.
Terry Hart
UOP
( I should add these are my own opinions and views and may not
reflect the opinion of others in UOP)
-----Original Message-----
From: John Gregory
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tue 16/12/2003 15:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
It appears from your narrative that you consider that
all people with a
disability receive high rate mobility component of DLA.
Blind and vision
impaired people receiving this benefit are restricted to
low rate mobility
component which does not take into account transport
costs, but to pay a
third party to 'guide' the blind or vision impaired
person. Would you take
the same approach whilst assessing a blind or vision
impaired client for DSA
who required travel costs?
John Gregory
-----Original Message-----
From: Terry Hart
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 16 December 2003 15:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
Skills response is very interesting to DLA etc
.
I wonder how they view the supply of a vehicle
or funding fro a
vehicle under DLA?. What should the DSA pay for in such
circumstances where
the student has a DLA vehicle. The DLA covers the cost
of the car,
Insurances, road tax AND maintenance. Should DSA pay for
the fuel alone, if
so how should that be calculated? Does a disabled person
drive more or less
economically than an able bodied person?
It still seems to me that funds have already
been made available for
travel whether it's in the shape of a car or an
allownace if chosen to be
received in that form.
I make these observations from the point of view
that the majority
of assessments I do will be affected by this. My time is
spent undertaking
DSA assessments and Access To Work Assessments, two very
different
activities but still comparable. The truth of the matter
is that the Access
to Work assessment is more cost effective in terms of
delivering results
than the DSA probably because the governing body is
acting from a position
of understanding and knowledge. Before I am critised for
being biased and
uncaring I can also talk from the other side of the
coin where a familly
member is in reciept of DLA and from that point of view
I believe the
allowances are generous and as the DLA may confirm
over-exploited already.
I am deeply concerned that we are viewing these
funds as Cash Cows,
just waiting to be milked to support our own needs. Is
there an element of
the more that can be claimed in the way of support the
more we as a group
become justified?. I have raised questions before about
the spiraling cost
of support, not based on need but based on the
perception of need justified
by the introduction of technology alone.
I believe we have a responsibility not only to
the disabled but also
to the tax payers of the country, and as such we need to
be seen to be fair
and even in our actions.
Am I the only one with such concerns?
I suspect I may have ruined a few holidays with
my observations but
they are made with genuine concern.
Terry Hart
UOP
-----Original Message-----
From: disforum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tue 16/12/2003 14:21
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
Sue
Skill has had a query about this and is
discussing the issue
with the DfES.
Skill's view is that these are separate
costs - one for
living and one for study. Travel for going to study
becomes a cost in
addition to the travel for living cost, so the DLA
should not be considered
for the purposes of assessing DSA travel.
We'll let you know response from the
DfES.
Best wishes and happy holidays too!
Dee Juneja
Information and Research Worker
Skill: National Bureau for Students with
Disabilities
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London SE1 3JW
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Promoting equality in education, work
based learning and
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-----Original Message-----
From: Sue Green
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 16 December 2003 13:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: DSAs & DLA (mobility)
Has anyone else had an LEA asking for
evidence that a
student has applied
for DLA (mobility component) before they
agree to pay
transport costs? We're
not sure at this stage if it's designed
so the LEA can
satisfy themselves
there is a need (which surely would
already have been
addressed in the needs
assessment) or, more cynically, so the
LEA can say the DLA
should pay for
travel.
Happy Holidays!
Sue
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