DSA - travel help
Hello,
I'm about to start a BSc Hons in Sept this year as a mature disabled student. I have been and am still under psychiatric care with BiPolar and it has a large impact on my day to day life. The University is 50 miles from my home and I live in a rural area - moving to the University town is not an option due to my psychiatric care and support from my family. I am unable to use public transport to go to University due to anxiety attacks and I don't have a car either.
What possible assistant could I expect from DSA with regards to reasonable travel costs to make a 200 mile journey possibily 4 times a week. A family member may be prepared to drop/pick up am then pick/drop pm - would be 200 miles per day plus fuel costs and wear and tear on the car. I do have a 3yr restricted driving license (DVLA aware) but I don't have the money for a car. I would be happy to drive every day (providing I was not having an episode). Would the DSA be able to help? Has anyone else been in a similar situation?
Thank you
I'm about to start a BSc Hons in Sept this year as a mature disabled student. I have been and am still under psychiatric care with BiPolar and it has a large impact on my day to day life. The University is 50 miles from my home and I live in a rural area - moving to the University town is not an option due to my psychiatric care and support from my family. I am unable to use public transport to go to University due to anxiety attacks and I don't have a car either.
What possible assistant could I expect from DSA with regards to reasonable travel costs to make a 200 mile journey possibily 4 times a week. A family member may be prepared to drop/pick up am then pick/drop pm - would be 200 miles per day plus fuel costs and wear and tear on the car. I do have a 3yr restricted driving license (DVLA aware) but I don't have the money for a car. I would be happy to drive every day (providing I was not having an episode). Would the DSA be able to help? Has anyone else been in a similar situation?
Thank you
Just apply and discuss this in your needs assessment. Some people have mentioned here that DSA can be paid for the difference between a 1st class ticket and standard class, so you get to travel 1st class to avoid having too many people around you that could trigger your anxiety etc etc. I think you could probably get some money for taxi too.
Try emailing the DSA team and ask them for advice, they are very nice people and they would be in a better position to give you better advice.
I think it might also be worth looking into other disability related help if you haven't already done so.
Sorry can't be more helpful as I am only 2 miles away from my uni and I cycle. Can't do public transport myself either due to similar reasons, but cycling means I don't need help with travel costs.
Good luck with it.
Try emailing the DSA team and ask them for advice, they are very nice people and they would be in a better position to give you better advice.
I think it might also be worth looking into other disability related help if you haven't already done so.
Sorry can't be more helpful as I am only 2 miles away from my uni and I cycle. Can't do public transport myself either due to similar reasons, but cycling means I don't need help with travel costs.
Good luck with it.
Sorry for the delay in reply I've not been in a good place with the BiPolar. Just sorta catching up with things again.
I will definitely raise these points with the DSA people when I see them.
I will definitely raise these points with the DSA people when I see them.
I doubt very much they will be prepared to fund such relatively long distance travel.
Do you mean short distance?
TSR why do you think they won't help out with some form of travel costs?
The DSA in their documentation constantly say 'reasonable travel costs'. At 200miles 4 times a week I doubt they would see this as reasonable unless you were able to use public transport which you've said you're not able to do.
It is possible they will help by paying a set amount towards the costs but it's very unlikely they will cover the costs of transport throughout your course at an estimated 800miles per week via the use of a car or taxi.
If you were to use a taxi at 800miles per week at the lowest rate of £1.10 per mile it would cost £880 and that is the lowest rate of a taxi in the UK.
In a car at 136.9p fuel for 800miles at 45miles per gallon it would be £110.64 plus insurance, car costs (the car itself, parking, parts, labour) etc.
It's always worth asking about this at your assessment, but I honestly cannot see them being willing to pay anywhere near the total you'd require for a car or taxi's for such a long journey.
It's also worth noting that travelling that much per week will be incredibly tiring as well as costly so it's well worth trying alternatives as such a long journey will really eat-up a lot of time.
It is possible they will help by paying a set amount towards the costs but it's very unlikely they will cover the costs of transport throughout your course at an estimated 800miles per week via the use of a car or taxi.
If you were to use a taxi at 800miles per week at the lowest rate of £1.10 per mile it would cost £880 and that is the lowest rate of a taxi in the UK.
In a car at 136.9p fuel for 800miles at 45miles per gallon it would be £110.64 plus insurance, car costs (the car itself, parking, parts, labour) etc.
It's always worth asking about this at your assessment, but I honestly cannot see them being willing to pay anywhere near the total you'd require for a car or taxi's for such a long journey.
It's also worth noting that travelling that much per week will be incredibly tiring as well as costly so it's well worth trying alternatives as such a long journey will really eat-up a lot of time.
Sorry I think I got everyone confused. It is 50 miles there and 50 miles back. I only quoted 200 miles if say for example a relative was to drive me there each day as they would be doing 2 x trips. So actual journey for me is 100 miles per day. Hope this avoids any confusion.
That helps a little, but only halves my estimates which means a taxi would be approximately
£440/week minimum (more likely average would be £680/week)
For you driving yourself:
£55.32/week minimum just for petrol - the car, insurance, wear and tear and parking would bring this in-line to approximately the same as a taxi in a year, though for concurrent years a car would be cheaper than 3-4 years of a taxi.
I'm afraid you'd have to ask a DSA advisor for how much they'd be willing to recommend for travel support but I can't imagine a full allowance of what you'd need by my estimates being given (the minimum you'd need for first year would be £15.4k)
£440/week minimum (more likely average would be £680/week)
For you driving yourself:
£55.32/week minimum just for petrol - the car, insurance, wear and tear and parking would bring this in-line to approximately the same as a taxi in a year, though for concurrent years a car would be cheaper than 3-4 years of a taxi.
I'm afraid you'd have to ask a DSA advisor for how much they'd be willing to recommend for travel support but I can't imagine a full allowance of what you'd need by my estimates being given (the minimum you'd need for first year would be £15.4k)
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by OlanzapineKid
Sorry I think I got everyone confused. It is 50 miles there and 50 miles back. I only quoted 200 miles if say for example a relative was to drive me there each day as they would be doing 2 x trips. So actual journey for me is 100 miles per day. Hope this avoids any confusion.
You really have no chance of getting this funded.
There is a maximum amount you can get from each element of your DSA funding anyway, I can't remember the breakdown but you might get the full amount they are willing to give, but it probably wouldn't be the full amount you are hoping. And to be honest with you, BiPolar is difficult but I am not sure if that'd be complicated enough in the eyes of the DSA assessors to give you that much money for traveling for that man miles, as this is not an uncommon condition.
But you never know, you can only ask. If you don't ask, you don't get. Good luck.
But you never know, you can only ask. If you don't ask, you don't get. Good luck.
Thanks once again for all the advise everyone. I will raise this with the DSA when I have my assessment. Thank you
Further Update: I have my DSA assessment with the University needs assessor on the 5th Sept at Leeds University. SFE & DSA are so snowed under at the moment and the initial delay was due to the fact I didn't supply a letter from my Psy Team confirming BiPolar. By the time I sent it and it took 3 weeks to process due to large volume of mail.
So at least I now have a date - will advise once the assessment has been done.
So at least I now have a date - will advise once the assessment has been done.
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