Investigation into potential conflicts of interest in the award of Disabled Students’ Allowance

16 Mar 2015 11:56 AM

This report examines the arrangements for disabled students at Plymouth University whose support requirements were assessed by an assessment centre based on the University’s main campus.

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• Press Release

The National Audit Office has recently published the findings from its investigation into potential conflicts of interest in the award of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). The report examines in particular the arrangements for disabled students at Plymouth University whose support requirements were assessed by an assessment centre based on the University’s main campus.

In response to concerns raised in 2013 by the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, the NAO has investigated three specific issues:

• whether there are potential conflicts of interest in the assessment of support requirements of disabled students by an assessment centre on the main campus of Plymouth University, and the provision of that support by Claro Learning Ltd, a support provider operating in the south-west;
• whether relationships between disability needs assessors, support providers and Plymouth University are costing the taxpayer money; and
• whether a larger than expected proportion of students at Plymouth University receive DSA.