The Student Loans Company welcomes the Competition and Markets
Authority’s (CMA) action in sending advisory letters to a number
of businesses involved in the supply of goods and services funded
by Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs), on the basis of
allegations that some suppliers colluded over the price of key
services and equipment.
The concerns expressed by the CMA further reinforce the
importance of the work we have underway to reform the provision
of DSA to both enhance the customer experience and improve value
for money for the taxpayer. The Department for Education (DfE)
and SLC have already embarked on a programme of significant
reforms, designed to transform the customer experience, improve
the provision of DSA and to make the overall processes more
efficient. These reforms will also increase transparency of
pricing and increase competition thus limiting the potential for
any anti-competitive behaviour. SLC has already procured an
e-quotation system, which will allow more suppliers to quote for
work and will increase transparency of pricing and competition.
SLC is also finalising the design of a new procurement to
centrally contract the supply of certain goods and services
funded by DSA, which aims to both improve the customer experience
for students in receipt of DSA and, in introducing robust
contractual arrangements, deliver greater value for money for the
taxpayer.
SLC takes these allegations of anti-competitive behaviour within
the DSA supplier base extremely seriously, as the extensive
nature of our reforms demonstrate.
Background
SLC administers the DSA grant scheme on behalf of the UK
Government’s Department for Education (DfE) and the Welsh
Government’s Higher Education Division. The scheme aims to ensure
that all students study on a level playing field by covering some
of the extra costs students may have because of a disability.
DSAs provide funding for specialist support such as equipment,
software, training, non-medical help (e.g. tutoring, mentoring or
note taking), travel and other costs of studying related to the
students’ condition.
