What is a study support helper?
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What is a study support helper?
A study support or non-medical helper (NMH) helps you with disability related study tasks such as reading, note taking, mobility support, dyslexia tuition, mental health mentoring, or organising your study material. They do not offer academic support.
The need for NMH support will have been identified in your needs assessment report and approved in your Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) award letter.
If NMH support is awarded it is because we have agreed there is a strong disability related need for you to receive this support to enable you to fully participate in your studies.
Study support / non-medical help, although funded by your DSA, cannot be arranged for you by the DSA Office and you will need to find your own helper. Refer to the section below “How do I find a study support helper” for further information.
How do I find a study support helper?
The OU has a contract with Randstad Student Support, an agency which can supply study support / non-medical helpers to students in receipt of a DSA. All of their helpers are subject to the enhanced CRB checks and hold relevant qualifications specific to their role.
To arrange a helper you will need to contact Randstad directly and provide them with a copy of your award letter and your needs assessment report.
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Contact details for Randstad are as follows.
For non-professional support (e.g. typing, reading, mobility support) you may wish to use a friend, partner or family member. It is acceptable for you to do this but please be aware it will be you and not the DSA Office who is the helper’s employer. Any agreement to provide support will be between you and your helper and the hourly rate will be amended in these circumstances.
DSA can only pay for the type and amount of support that has been approved in your award letter. Any alternative helper should be suitably qualified to carry out any skilled support that has been awarded, and they will be asked to supply details of their qualifications and / or experience before we can approve them as your helper.
It is important that you tell your helper exactly what study / NMH support has been awarded by the DSA Office to ensure that they only submit claims which fall within the description set out in your DSA award letter. DSA funds cannot pay for support that has not been approved and awarded.
Please note that a DSA cannot be used to pay for personal care support, such as help with washing, dressing and toileting. Any time spent on any of these tasks should not be included in any claim for payment.
How will my helper get paid?
If you use a professional organisation for your study / non-medical support, they will usually ask you to sign to confirm that you have received the support that they have provided and then submit an invoice direct to the DSA Office for payment. We will then pay the invoice.
If you have found your own helper they will need to submit the NMH claim form to the DSA Office. You will have received a supply of these forms with your DSA award letter.
However, if you have employed your own helper, the hourly rate may be reduced from that outlined in your award letter (as the letter may have stated the rates for a professional organisation) and you should contact the DSA Office and speak to an Awards Officer to discuss the appropriate hourly rate before taking up your support.
Please ensure that both you and your helper are aware of the precise nature of the service the DSA will fund and the number of hours you have been awarded. It is important you do not exceed the hours approved in your award letter. We strongly advise you to keep a note of the hours claimed to ensure you don’t exceed the hours awarded.
If you do exceed the number of hours awarded you may then have to pay the helper yourself.
Failure to complete the claim form in full will result in it being returned to you and the payment to your helper will be delayed.
NMH claim forms must be received into the DSA Office by the 1st of each month in order that your helper’s payment can be paid into their bank account on the 20th of that month. For example, if a claim form is received into the DSA Office on the 1st June the helper will be paid on the 20th June. However if the claim form is received on 3rd June, they may not receive payment until 20th July.
In accordance with the advice received from the Inland Revenue, tax and National Insurance will be deducted at source for all claims other than those who are VAT registered and submit an invoice.
If your helper does not pay tax or NI, they should contact their local tax office for advice. There is detailed information related to this on the claim form attached below.
Information for all students:
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Financial support and Disabled Students' Allowances
- Disabled Students' Allowance
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DSA Questions and Answers
- Applying for a DSA
- Getting the awarded equipment / training
- What is a study support helper?
- How do I make a claim from my general/travel allowance?
- How do I apply for continued DSA funding in subsequent academic years?
- How do I apply for support at Residential School?
- What if my study needs change?
- What if I withdraw?
- How do I give feedback, appeal a decision or make a complaint?
- If you are not eligible for a Disabled Students' Allowance
- DSA eligibility quiz
- What we can do
- Decide what you need
- Accessibility - using a computer for OU study
- Student stories
- Contacts
- Publications and forms
Information about:
Disabled Students' Allowance - are you eligible?
Take part in the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) eligibility quiz to find out if you are eligible for funding. It should take you less than three minutes to complete.
