Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has undertaken into the functionality of free mainstream spelling and grammar software for students with specific learning difficulties and other disabilities compared with specialist assistive technology funded through Disabled Students' Allowance.

The department has conducted a detailed review of the spelling and grammar functionality available in computer operating systems, free software products and paid-for software products. This review concluded that free-to-access products provide similar spelling and grammar support functionality to those available in paid-for products for the types of support that are in scope of Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA).

As a result, from March 2025, the department removed funding for non-specialist spelling and grammar products through DSA other than in exceptional circumstances, as outlined at: https://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/2070/ssin-spelling-and-grammar-software.pdf.