SAAS seriously mucking me about - not happy, what can i do?

Post Reply New Topic

ever since primary school I have had learning difficulties, which has not gone unnoticed by the staff.

in secondary school i went to see the learning support team who subjected me to a variety of tests - some of which were not dissimilar to the ASD tests carried out recently by my local health authority. the secondary school support team concluded that access to a dictaphone and laptop with specialist software would be a recommendation of the report...

4 years ago when i started my HNC at Perth College UHI, I applied for DSA (Disabled students allowance) to cover the cost of a laptop and software (speech/text, mindmapping, word processing, multimedia etc) - i was told that SAAS (Students Awards Agency for Scotland) required proof of my disability and proof of support requirements. i told SAAS to get in touch with my school to retrieve the test data from (qualified) learning analysts - which they failed to do for a multitude of reasons - SAAS claimed that my school 'lost' my records - but when I went to see them they photocopied a set of the results in front of me and gave me a copy which i then sent to SAAS. after phoning SAAS, i was told that it would take at least 6 weeks to process the forms, so I waited... and waited.... then, about 2 months later, i phoned them up and they said that had never received anything from me concerning the matter

This carried on for the next few years, being sent to various learning analysts, dyslexic testers, learning psychologists, learning psychiatrists all of whom concluded the same thing: that i required a laptop and dictaphone and software etc. - still, SAAS told me they were "looking into my claim and would need supporting evidence to be sent to them" - which both the college and myself did - then the same pattern began to unfold - all my details would go "missing".

Then one of my lecturers at college told me that I "wouldn't pass the course unless I purchased an Apple Mac computer and all the creative media software for my course - which I can buy thru the college's education store" - which seemed not unreasonable. I phoned SAAS and told them about this and was told BY SAAS AND a college advisor that what I could do was "purchase the laptop and all recommended software and equipment, RETAIN THE RECEIPT(S) and bring said receipt to college - which would then be used to refund me". I bought the Laptop and most of the software i needed only to be told "well but yeah but we can't actually do this, we do not know why you were told this but we can't refund you"

I called up SAAS again, and they said that since i had bought the required technology myself, there was no reason for them to pay me anything as I had already required my "support". Then of course, my lecturer at the time didn't actually mean that i wouldn't pass the course unless i bought all this (expensive) gear, it would just have been an advantage.

Start of this year I again applied for DSA and was sent the forms which i filled in at college and sent off. again, no proof of disability or support needs. so i thought, as i was going to get an official diagnosis, that would smooth it over. but it didn't.

I phoned SAAS AGAIN before the deadline and was told that they were "looking into my application and were just waiting for confirmation from my local health authority". I received the official diagnosis and had multiple copies of the report sent to my college and i sent one personally to SAAS - and was told over the phone that they were "looking at it right here right now" and would contact me when the process was completed.

Now that the deadline for DSA application has passed, I have now been told by SAAS that they "have never received any information regarding my DSA application - not even the initial forms with which to make the claim", despite the fact that my SAAS application shows otherwise.



now can someone tell me why when other people in my year just have to shout "I'M DYSLEXIC!!" and SAAS and the college throw a free £2000 Macbook Pro at them, plus the same amount of software, plus a dictaphone, plus a photo/printer/scanner combo, plus photo paper, plus a years supply of ink etc (most of which they haven't used and have since punted on eBay) - and they walk out of the course before completing it and do not have to hand anything back - while I have a legitimate need as proven by learning psychologists/psychiatrists/GPs reports etc and have been fobbed off from day one


sorry for the long post, but i'm left wondering: what the hell can i do?

i can prove that i have applied for support since before the course began, and have supporting documentation to prove it, but i'm now past the application date (which shouldn't have happened because i was already in the system.)

all SAAS keep saying is "computer says no" ...

Eurgh! What a fiasco!

Who's your MSP? It might be worth contacting them and explaining the situation. Also any local or national disability fora, and NAS Scotland.

The Citizens Advice Bureau might be able to offer legal advice and really your college should be much more pro-active on your behalf. What are the UHI disability services doing to help you?

You should never have let it get to this point. Several years ago, when they first started jerking you around, you should have sent everything by registered, signature required mail. You should also have gotten an attorney/solicitor to handle your case with them. If you had insufficient funds for an attorney, you could have gotten a Legal Aid attorney. I don't know what they are called in Scotland, but that's what they are called here in the USA. If you have no money, there is no fee up front. They get paid out of the settlement if they win your case. If you have low income, there is sometimes a small upfront fee. It's still not too late to get an attorney for the most recent transgressions by SAAS, so have at 'em. It's your turn to get tough with them. My guess is they won't like the heat.

If you can't get even a Legal Aid attorney to take your case, file a complaint with the college or whoever is over SAAS. Also go to the press and/or online with your story.

Remember, the squeeky wheel gets the grease. No squeek--no grease. Hope this helps.

i know i shouldn't have let it get so far - but i honestly don't know what to do, or HOW to do so.

every time i phone they always have another excuse - their phones are down (how can i be speaking then???), their computers are down, my college won't talk to them, i haven't sent them anything, my secondary school lost all my files (which is complete and utter cr*p btw)...

first SAAS tell me everything is ok, then when a deadline has passed, or many months have passed they tell me everything ISN'T ok - because it's always a different person on the other end denying what each other said and telling me contradictory things.



now, i kinda understand that if they are legally bound to pay me £2k~ish per year * 4 years, then multiply that by however many students like me there are, then that's less money they have to shell out....