Assessment News outlines findings from an investigation of inequalities in the current use of special assessment conditions (SAC) in NCEA assessments, along with rising demand for their use. The research also explored the potential of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to help improve assessment accessibility, and to reduce the overall demand for SAC. Embedding UDL principles in assessment design has the potential to make assessments more accessible, and, in doing so, reduce the demand for SAC and improve students' agency over their assessments. But UDL principles should be applied from the start of the assessment design process, and they challenge traditional thinking about curriculum and assessment.