Information for DSA Needs Assessors

This information is for DSA Needs Assessors regarding our in-house Non-Medical Helper support services capacity.

If you are a student and think this support might help you, please contact the Disability Team.

Capacity Update for Academic Year 2025/26

We have reached full capacity for the following support services:

Study Skills Support (ASC/SpLD)
Specialist Notetaking support (VI/HI)

Capacity is still available for other types of support.

Due to the length of time it can take to arrange a Needs Assessment, our Disability Advisors may have arranged interim Non-Medical Helper (NMH) support with the University of Derby.

Needs Assessors should ask students whether interim support has been arranged with the University of Derby and reflect this in the Needs Assessment to allow the University to claim back the cost of interim support.

(Updated April 2026)

Capacity for Academic Year 2026/27

We will have availability across ALL support services.

Cost of support for DSA Assessors:

Band 1 - Support Assistants

Role	Standard rate (in-person) no VAT
Sighted Guide	£23.83
Practical Support Assistant	£23.83
Library Support Assistant	£23.83
Reader	£23.83
Scribe	£23.83

Band 2 - Enhanced Support Assistants

Role	Standard rate (in-person) no VAT
Notetaker	£28.48

Band 3 - Specialist Enabling Support

Role	Standard rate (in-person) no VAT
Specialist Notetaker for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students - includes electronic note-taking	£40.00
Specialist Notetaker for Visually Impaired (VI) students - including Braille	£40.00

Band 4 - Specialist Access and Learning Support

*Band 4 roles can be delivered remotely e.g. via MS Teams. The remote delivery rate is the same as the standard rate of £59.00

Role	Standard rate (in-person) no Vat
Specialist Mentor - Mental Health Difficulties (MH)	£59.00
Specialist Mentor - Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)	£59.00
Specialist one-to-one Study Skills and Strategy Support - Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)	£59.00
Specialist one-to-one Study Skills and Strategy Support - Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)	£59.00

DSA Needs Assessors: please contact us via nmh@derby.ac.uk or call 01332 593000 if you require more information regarding our capacity, to query interim support arrangements or to query our rates.