The Student Room Group

Need advice: possible discrimination from uni accommodation

I am in need of some advice!

I am in my first year at university in London, away from home. As a first year the uni offered me accommodation in Zone 4. I applied for a studio apartment but then realised it would be too expensive for me. After speaking to the accommodation and requesting to live in a shared flat, it was decided that the accommodation was not suitable for me due to my medical conditions and the space I'd need for machines and medication.

The accommodation officer offered me a bigger room at a different campus, for a cheaper price. I turned this down under "reasonable adjustment" because of the distance to my campus - my medication regime can take between 20mins and 2 hours, so I didn't want to travel for 1 hour every morning.

The uni then offered me a room very close to my campus, which was more money. I accepted. At my halls the single rooms cost £200 and the twin rooms cost about £350 per week.

My flatmate who is also 1st year was placed here for health reasons too - she lives in a single room. She applied and got a discount so only has to pay the accommodation rate had she been living in the zone4 accommodation, around £100 per month.

I live in a twin room (by myself) which costs me the same had I been placed in the single room. The university accommodation team had decided this would be best for me because of the space I'd need to do medication, which includes breathing machines and in periods of ill health a substantial amount of IV drug injections which I'm trained to do myself.

I have applied for the same discount and they have refused it, stating that because I already get a discount on the big room I shouldn't get another. My argument is:

1) I didn't ask for this room, it was allocation based on my medical needs,
2) the discount I am asking for is the difference in cost between a room I would have had in zone4 had they accommodated me and the room I am now living in.

They have said in order to receive this discount I would have to move to a smaller room. But this means I would have to store some medication securely outside my room (which they aren't willing to help me with), and they are not accounting for when I have to do my injections. They've pretty much said that if/when that occurs I'd have to somehow deal with the situation, and not accepting that space is a big factor. In order to do this medication my room would have to be approved by a nurse, who would deem it not acceptable due to lack of space. This means I would have to be admitted into hospital for 2/3 weeks worth of treatment, missing uni and costing the NHS an addition few thousand pound.

Because of my health, it would be pretty much impossible to work alongside uni so the £100 per month discount would be extremely useful to me due to living in a more expensive area.

I did apply for DSA which I do receive. The woman who did my assessment requested the accommodation difference, but DSA refused and have said its for the uni to give discounts to due to government cuts.

I have a remaining £700 to pay the uni accommodation. I deducted the discount I thought I should have had in semester 1 and semester 2 from the total. They keep sending my letters and emails about the remaining money, stating they'll tell my academic department if its not paid.

Is this indirect discrimination I am facing? Am I being unreasonable?
I'm confused. I think what you said is that your twin room is still discounted down by the same proportion as your friend's single room is, but you want it to cost exactly the same as that single room?

If so, it's a bit of a grey area. If you are getting the facilities of a larger room, then it would actually be more unfair on those with similar disabilities or medical needs who live in the single rooms (like your friend) for you to pay the same as them when they're having smaller rooms/less facilities. And re: Zone 4 - Zone 4 was unsuitable for you, so it's somewhat irrelevant what the cost there was. You can only really go against comparable accommodation costs: you can compare the need for a bigger room within your current accommodation in light of discounts, but to start comparing across against some other accommodation that you never lived in to start with isn't really very fair on the people having to work out bills and discounts.
Reply 2
Original post by Friar Chris
I'm confused. I think what you said is that your twin room is still discounted down by the same proportion as your friend's single room is, but you want it to cost exactly the same as that single room?

If so, it's a bit of a grey area. If you are getting the facilities of a larger room, then it would actually be more unfair on those with similar disabilities or medical needs who live in the single rooms (like your friend) for you to pay the same as them when they're having smaller rooms/less facilities. And re: Zone 4 - Zone 4 was unsuitable for you, so it's somewhat irrelevant what the cost there was. You can only really go against comparable accommodation costs: you can compare the need for a bigger room within your current accommodation in light of discounts, but to start comparing across against some other accommodation that you never lived in to start with isn't really very fair on the people having to work out bills and discounts.



Sorry if my post was a little confusing.

My friend got placed in a single room and gets a discount on the single room, so pays less than £200 per week. I got placed in a twin room and get a single-person discount so pay £200.

All of the rooms here are rather single person, or twin (which are used as disabled rooms). My room has adaptions for a wheelchair user. My friends health condition meant she did not want to be at the original accommodation offer so the uni placed her closer to her campus, but she does not have medical needs like my own.
The original accommodation told me I could not live there (aka I had no choice in the matter), so I was offered a place even further away. Due to a reasonable adjustment they placed me here because it was much closer to my campus. They gave me a disabled-access room (which is a twin, like all the others) because of my medical needs.
Sounds to me like your university's already bent over backwards for you. :dontknow: They've offered you suitable accommodation at below the going rate, at the same cost as if you'd had a single room. You're a student now - time to get used to not having enough money. :tongue:
Reply 4
Original post by superwolf
Sounds to me like your university's already bent over backwards for you. :dontknow: They've offered you suitable accommodation at below the going rate, at the same cost as if you'd had a single room. You're a student now - time to get used to not having enough money. :tongue:


Well as a disabled student I'm not supposed to face extra costs than any other student would do, and I currently am. Since the accommodation subsidies from DSA have been cut the government has informed the universities they should cover the costs instead, and mine isn't doing so.

I would not be able to live in this more expensive room if I wasn't a disabled student, because it is a twin room. I was only allocated it due to my medical conditions so that is why I believe I should be in the same position as my friend. If I could stay in the smaller room I would, or if I could work alongside my studies to be able to afford the bigger room then I would. But there is no magic wand to make me better ...
Reply 5
Original post by nickyh90
Well as a disabled student I'm not supposed to face extra costs than any other student would do, and I currently am. Since the accommodation subsidies from DSA have been cut the government has informed the universities they should cover the costs instead, and mine isn't doing so.

I would not be able to live in this more expensive room if I wasn't a disabled student, because it is a twin room. I was only allocated it due to my medical conditions so that is why I believe I should be in the same position as my friend. If I could stay in the smaller room I would, or if I could work alongside my studies to be able to afford the bigger room then I would. But there is no magic wand to make me better ...


Forgive me if you've already written this, but have you applied to the hardship fund at your university? I applied to mine for a non-standard award to get the difference back for accommodation as DSA won't pay it to me. That could be an option if you've not already done so. :dontknow: As a note, I did get the difference in accommodation back, so it could work for you as well.
Reply 6
Welcome to London.
Original post by nickyh90
Well as a disabled student I'm not supposed to face extra costs than any other student would do, and I currently am. Since the accommodation subsidies from DSA have been cut the government has informed the universities they should cover the costs instead, and mine isn't doing so.

I would not be able to live in this more expensive room if I wasn't a disabled student, because it is a twin room. I was only allocated it due to my medical conditions so that is why I believe I should be in the same position as my friend. If I could stay in the smaller room I would, or if I could work alongside my studies to be able to afford the bigger room then I would. But there is no magic wand to make me better ...


But what extra costs are you facing? If you weren't disabled, you'd still need a place to stay, and you don't seem to have compared anywhere to what a 'typical' non-disabled student would pay, including extra transport costs and the like for living further away. Your friend is disabled, and gets money off because of that. You get money off too. I understand that you're still paying more money than them, but surely that's just life? Uni has to make reasonable adjustments. It does not have to make everyone's situation exactly the same. *harks back to the dear old Soviet Union* :moon: :tongue:
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by superwolf
But what extra costs are you facing? If you weren't disabled, you'd still need a place to stay, and you don't seem to have compared anywhere to what a 'typical' non-disabled student would pay. Your friend is disabled, and gets money off because of that. You get money off too. I understand that you're still paying more money than them, but surely that's just life? Uni has to make reasonable adjustments. It does not have to make everyone's situation exactly the same. *harks back to the dear old Soviet Union* :moon: :tongue:


As said, the campus and room I should be staying in is nearly £100 per month cheaper. I was told I could not be accommodated there because of my health conditions. I was offered another campus £110 per month cheaper but refused due to the location (because of the time it takes to do my meds and travel to my own campus each morning). I was then offered a place closer to my uni, in a disabled room, but that is more expensive than the accommodation I applied to stay at and the accommodation I refused.

If I could work it would be no issue but I'm barely coping as it is. The fact is I have to pay more money than I should do so the uni can accommodate me, in an area that is more expensive to live. The £100 a month would mean I won't actually have to worry about living. I should add I'm a mature student and get no financial backing from my parents.

My needs assessor put in for the accommodation difference through DSA. They queried whether I had use of a mobility car (I do not) and then said "It was deemed by the officer who reviewed the Needs Assessment Report that the accommodation should be covered by the University".

My friend is not disabled. As a first year student we are placed in particular halls. She did not want to stay there due to the location so requested to be closer. She had a private psychologist letter stating she had ADHD (I had no idea until recently), and she gets money from a London council to pay a carer who wakes her up, makes her breakfast/dinner, washes her dishes and cleans her room. She has only have a carer for 3 weeks but has lived here since September. I don't think that can be compared to myself, who previously received DLA care component and they removed the entitlement because I spent too much time in hospital (14weeks of the year as an in-patient). Nearly 2 years ago I did a change of circumstances because I have to do a lot more treatment now, and I am still awaiting an appointment. I have never had money from the local council to cover my care costs, even when I've been an out-patient receiving ongoing medical treatment.

I do not see why I should pay a higher amount than my friend when she receives more than I do. I think I should get the same discount. I would much prefer not to have the medical conditions that I do and live in a single room, but it simply would not be possible with all of the medical treatment I'm on. If I move into a single room I would have to do my medical treatment in a public area which I don't think I should have to do.

Also, I looked already into an hardship fund and enquired about it, and it doesn't seem like it would be an option. Before starting the course I even applied for a number of scholarships, all were denied.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by nickyh90
As said, the campus and room I should be staying in is nearly £100 per month cheaper. I was told I could not be accommodated there because of my health conditions. I was offered another campus £110 per month cheaper but refused due to the location (because of the time it takes to do my meds and travel to my own campus each morning). I was then offered a place closer to my uni, in a disabled room, but that is more expensive than the accommodation I applied to stay at and the accommodation I refused.

If I could work it would be no issue but I'm barely coping as it is. The fact is I have to pay more money than I should do so the uni can accommodate me, in an area that is more expensive to live. The £100 a month would mean I won't actually have to worry about living. I should add I'm a mature student and get no financial backing from my parents.

My needs assessor put in for the accommodation difference through DSA. They queried whether I had use of a mobility car (I do not) and then said "It was deemed by the officer who reviewed the Needs Assessment Report that the accommodation should be covered by the University".

My friend is not disabled. As a first year student we are placed in particular halls. She did not want to stay there due to the location so requested to be closer. She had a private psychologist letter stating she had ADHD (I had no idea until recently), and she gets money from a London council to pay a carer who wakes her up, makes her breakfast/dinner, washes her dishes and cleans her room. She has only have a carer for 3 weeks but has lived here since September. I don't think that can be compared to myself, who previously received DLA care component and they removed the entitlement because I spent too much time in hospital (14weeks of the year as an in-patient). Nearly 2 years ago I did a change of circumstances because I have to do a lot more treatment now, and I am still awaiting an appointment. I have never had money from the local council to cover my care costs, even when I've been an out-patient receiving ongoing medical treatment.

I do not see why I should pay a higher amount than my friend when she receives more than I do. I think I should get the same discount. I would much prefer not to have the medical conditions that I do and live in a single room, but it simply would not be possible with all of the medical treatment I'm on. If I move into a single room I would have to do my medical treatment in a public area which I don't think I should have to do.

Also, I looked already into an hardship fund and enquired about it, and it doesn't seem like it would be an option. Before starting the course I even applied for a number of scholarships, all were denied.


I'm not saying life isn't hard for you, but it does sound like your uni's already cut you a good deal. You'd still have hefty transport costs as an able-bodied student living further away, and since you're now in the only accommodation deemed suitable for you, at a good discount, my common sense says they've done plenty for you.

It's sounding more and more like sour grapes about your flatmate. Who are you to say if their medical condition is real or not? :s-smilie:

My advice would be that if you're really struggling for money (which again, is a part of most students' lives), check your benefits and see if you're getting all that is owed you. It might be that trying for PIP to replace your DLA is worthwhile, and also then seeing if you can apply for ESA or housing benefit, if your income is low enough (you can apply for both while being a student if you're on DLA or PIP).
Moving this to the disabled students forum.
Reply 11
Original post by superwolf
I'm not saying life isn't hard for you, but it does sound like your uni's already cut you a good deal. You'd still have hefty transport costs as an able-bodied student living further away, and since you're now in the only accommodation deemed suitable for you, at a good discount, my common sense says they've done plenty for you.

It's sounding more and more like sour grapes about your flatmate. Who are you to say if their medical condition is real or not? :s-smilie:

My advice would be that if you're really struggling for money (which again, is a part of most students' lives), check your benefits and see if you're getting all that is owed you. It might be that trying for PIP to replace your DLA is worthwhile, and also then seeing if you can apply for ESA or housing benefit, if your income is low enough (you can apply for both while being a student if you're on DLA or PIP).



I really do understand that students struggle for money, but at least they are able to get a part-time job. I'm hoping if/when my health stabilises I'll be able to do with same, alongside my studies. I was told I wouldn't be able to receive ESA whilst a student and therefore not entitled to HB.
Original post by nickyh90
I really do understand that students struggle for money, but at least they are able to get a part-time job. I'm hoping if/when my health stabilises I'll be able to do with same, alongside my studies. I was told I wouldn't be able to receive ESA whilst a student and therefore not entitled to HB.


If you receive PIP or DLA, you can receive ESA as a full time student and therefore, HB.

Students who receive DLA or PIP are also entitled to the special support grant instead of the maintenance grant. This means that their loan isn't reduced and their grant is ignored in full for benefits purposes.
Reply 13
Original post by OU Student
If you receive PIP or DLA, you can receive ESA as a full time student and therefore, HB.

Students who receive DLA or PIP are also entitled to the special support grant instead of the maintenance grant. This means that their loan isn't reduced and their grant is ignored in full for benefits purposes.


Thank you for the information, I will look into it again
Original post by nickyh90
As said, the campus and room I should be staying in is nearly £100 per month cheaper. I was told I could not be accommodated there because of my health conditions. I was offered another campus £110 per month cheaper but refused due to the location (because of the time it takes to do my meds and travel to my own campus each morning). I was then offered a place closer to my uni, in a disabled room, but that is more expensive than the accommodation I applied to stay at and the accommodation I refused.

If I could work it would be no issue but I'm barely coping as it is. The fact is I have to pay more money than I should do so the uni can accommodate me, in an area that is more expensive to live. The £100 a month would mean I won't actually have to worry about living. I should add I'm a mature student and get no financial backing from my parents.

My needs assessor put in for the accommodation difference through DSA. They queried whether I had use of a mobility car (I do not) and then said "It was deemed by the officer who reviewed the Needs Assessment Report that the accommodation should be covered by the University".

My friend is not disabled. As a first year student we are placed in particular halls. She did not want to stay there due to the location so requested to be closer. She had a private psychologist letter stating she had ADHD (I had no idea until recently), and she gets money from a London council to pay a carer who wakes her up, makes her breakfast/dinner, washes her dishes and cleans her room. She has only have a carer for 3 weeks but has lived here since September. I don't think that can be compared to myself, who previously received DLA care component and they removed the entitlement because I spent too much time in hospital (14weeks of the year as an in-patient). Nearly 2 years ago I did a change of circumstances because I have to do a lot more treatment now, and I am still awaiting an appointment. I have never had money from the local council to cover my care costs, even when I've been an out-patient receiving ongoing medical treatment.

I do not see why I should pay a higher amount than my friend when she receives more than I do. I think I should get the same discount. I would much prefer not to have the medical conditions that I do and live in a single room, but it simply would not be possible with all of the medical treatment I'm on. If I move into a single room I would have to do my medical treatment in a public area which I don't think I should have to do.

Also, I looked already into an hardship fund and enquired about it, and it doesn't seem like it would be an option. Before starting the course I even applied for a number of scholarships, all were denied.


Your friend's situation is not really relevant to yours, so I think you need to let go of that.

It sounds like the university have worked hard to find a room to accommodate your needs and are allowing you to live there at a discounted rate. There is nothing legally that states they have to provide accommodation at the exact same price as a room you could live in as a student without your specific disability. I know this sounds harsh, but the university only have to make "reasonable" adjustments- giving you a twin room at the cost of a single and allowing you to live in a twin room cover this. I would say the discount on your twin room also covers the DSA assessment advice. DSA would never have paid all your accommodation costs.

If you are really struggling financially, you should investigate applying for PIP- as others have said, this can be a gateway benefit which would allow you to claim other benefits, which should cover your increased living costs.

I would also suggest talking to your university's disability services team about your issues- they may have some solutions to help you, or be able to make a discretionary hardship payment.

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