Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether students with disabilities taking the proposed new Degree Apprenticeships will have access to the support of the Disabled Students Allowance in the same way as any student undertaking a higher education qualification at any institute of higher education.

Apprenticeships are jobs with training. As an apprentice is paid by their employer, they cannot access the student support package, which includes the Disabled Students Allowance.

Apprentices with disabilities can apply for Access to Work funding for adjustments to the workplace. Training providers can use this to support the apprentice’s learning. Adjustments will depend on the individual and the qualification, but may include extra time, assistive technology, use of a scribe etc.

Under the Equality Act (2010), employers and training providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for their employees and students. These same duties apply for apprentices, including degree apprentices.