Guidance for assessment centres


Non medical helper (NMH) supplier list

While it is not a requirement for Welsh students to secure their NMH support from a known supplier, to aid recommendations, Needs Assessors can use this list to view and obtain existing supplier contact details in order to provide NMH quotations.

To update contact details or request information about availability, email dsa_requests@slc.co.uk.

The list is managed and owned by the Department of Education, England (DfE). Any requests for additional roles to be agreed or requests to be added should be directed to disabled.studentallowances@education.gov.uk.

New NMH suppliers, who are not included in this list, who are recommended for Student Finance Wales students, will be considered on a case by case basis in accordance with the Disabled Students’ Allowances guidance.

Download the list of approved NMH suppliers (Microsoft Excel Worksheet)

Needs assessment report (NAR) template for DSA Reforms Contracts

You can now download the standard NAR template and guidance document. These templates must be used for all reports submitted to Student Finance Wales.

Needs assessment report (NAR) template for existing assessment centres

You can now download the standard NAR template and guidance document. These templates must be used for all reports submitted to Student Finance Wales.

Guidance on NMH supplier selection

DfE and the Welsh Government have helped to produce guidance for the process of selecting Non-Medical Help suppliers as of 26 February 2024:

Computer specification matrix

You can also download the computer specification matrix document and guidance for assessors, to determine the specification on a student’s existing computer.