Policy paper

British Sign Language 5-year plan: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (English and BSL versions)

Published 21 July 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

 BSL version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF0lfnx7G5s

Executive summary

This plan outlines how the department will promote and facilitate the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in our communications with the public over the next 5 years, in compliance with the BSL Act 2022. Our approach is designed to ensure that the Deaf community has equal access to information about our policies, strategies and activities, particularly regarding the Clean Energy Mission and the Plan for Change.

Context and legal requirements

The BSL 2022 recognises BSL as an official language of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and requires ministerial departments to report on their use and promotion of BSL in communications with the public. This includes:

• public announcements about policy or changes to law
• publication of plans, strategies, consultation documents or consultation responses
• use of press conferences, social media, or government websites

Vision statement

DESNZ is committed to ensuring that the Deaf community has equal access to information about its consumer-facing policies through inclusive and accessible communications that incorporate BSL.

Main goals and implementation timeframe

Short-term goals (years 1 to 2): Internal awareness and capacity Building

1. Department-wide BSL awareness campaign

Align BSL priorities with the priorities set out in the DESNZ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy.

Partner with HR culture and engagement team and departmental EDI stakeholders, such as group EDI leads and staff networks, especially Capability Action Network (CAN), to build department-wide understanding of BSL obligations and increase advocacy.

Responsibility for BSL communications sits in the Communications Directorate’s existing EDI work.

Internal Communications team to develop an awareness programme about BSL and our legal obligations, for example, via features on the HIVE intranet.

Host BSL awareness sessions for staff twice a year.

2. Skills development and resources

Consult BSL users within the DESNZ CAN staff network to advise and enhance departmental BSL output.

Create and distribute BSL best practice guidance materials for all directorates, with examples of DESNZ BSL content to date.

Work with HR culture and engagement to explore embedding BSL champions across the department.

Develop and maintain a BSL resource hub on the HIVE (department intranet).

Identify budget for BSL assets either within relevant policy teams’ budgets or explore whether the Permanent Secretary can award a dedicated budget allocation for BSL translation and interpretation services (an ‘accessible formats’ budget).

Outcomes for (1) and (2): 

• increased staff awareness and understanding of BSL and department obligations

Success measures:

• increase awareness of BSL Act requirements (measured via internal survey)
• creation and read rates of BSL Hive articles (measured via intranet analytics)

3. Communications prioritisation framework and forward look

Develop clear criteria for determining which communications are appropriate for BSL translation.

Complete forward looks every 3 months to identify priority content for BSL translation. These might include the Warm Home Discount, the Warm Homes Plan, new developments relating to Pre-payment Meters, time of day tariffs and ,demand side flexibility and social tariffs.

Outcome: 

• clear frameworks established for BSL integration

Success measures:

• BSL prioritisation criteria document created and endorsed by senior leadership
• quarterly forward looks conducted with 100% compliance

4. Addition of BSL provision to departmental phone lines

Complete an audit of all existing operational phone lines.

Identify if any might require a text or video relay service to support BSL users.

Establish whether the Department’s existing supplier of BSL interpretation and translation services can support and if not run a procurement exercise to appoint a text or video relay service.

Outcome:

• increased accessibility of departmental phone services for BSL users

Success measures:

• 100% of customer-facing phone lines audited for BSL accessibility
• implementation of text or video relay services for priority phone lines

Medium-term goals (years 3 to 4): Integration and external engagement

1. BSL integration into communications planning

Incorporate BSL considerations into the Government Communications Service OASIS (objectives, audiences, strategy, implementation and scoring) campaign planning model for top of the grid announcements about protecting billpayers.

Develop metrics to evaluate the effectiveness and reach of BSL communications.

Outcome: 

• BSL considerations embedded in top of the grid announcements about protecting billpayers

Success measures:

• 30% of OASIS plans include BSL considerations
• development and application of metrics showing reach and engagement with BSL content

2. BSL integration into department submissions

Work with culture and engagement team to explore incorporating BSL considerations into submission templates – for example, in equality impact assessment or communications plans.

Outcome: 

• BSL considerations feature in all submissions

Success measure:

• 100% of Submissions include BSL considerations

3. Digital accessibility enhancement

Develop a BSL section on the DESNZ intranet with important policies and strategies.

Outcome:

• comprehensive BSL content available on digital platforms

Success measure:

• read rates of BSL section on DESNZ website (measured by intranet analytics)

4. Engagement with the Deaf community

Establish a consultation group with Deaf BSL users from both cross-government staff networks and via organisations such as the British Deaf Association to provide feedback on our communications.

Outcome:

• effective consultation with the Deaf community

Success measures:

• bi-annual meetings held with documented feedback
• evidence of feedback incorporated into communications planning

Long-term goals (year 5 and beyond): Embedding excellence and innovation

1. BSL as standard in communications strategy

Embed BSL considerations in all communication planning processes.

Outcome: 

• BSL integrated into departmental communications

Success measure:

• percentage of public-facing priority policy announcements include a BSL component (percentage to be determined)

2. Innovation in clean energy BSL communications

Pilot the use of AI-enhanced BSL translation services.

Outcome:

• pioneering approaches to BSL communication for energy topics

Success measure:

• successful pilot of AI-enhanced BSL translation with positive user feedback

3. Department expertise development

Establish DESNZ as a leader in accessible energy communications.

Review and refine the BSL plan based on evaluation and feedback.

Outcome:

• enhanced departmental capacity for BSL communication

Success measures:

• recognition within cross-government forums for BSL excellence
• comprehensive review with evidence-based recommendations for next 5-year plan

Application to the Clean Energy Superpower Mission and Plan for Change

Our BSL implementation will particularly concentrate on ensuring accessibility of information related to the following.

Warm Homes Plan 

Providing BSL explanations of how the plan will create warmer homes and cheaper heating, enabling families to save money on their bills.

Ensuring BSL users have equal access to information about home energy support schemes – for example, Great British Insulation Scheme.

Clean energy superpower mission campaign

Developing BSL assets supporting the main audio-visual elements of the campaign.

Creating accessible content about energy efficiency measures and demand side flexibility.

Energy security

Providing BSL translations of emergency communications related to energy security.

Important milestones

Year	Action	Timing
1	Establish regular engagement with EDI stakeholders	Q3
1	Complete department-wide BSL awareness campaign	Q4
1	Create best practice BSL guidance materials for consistent implementation across the department	Q4
2	Complete an audit of all existing operational phone lines and identify if any might require a text or video relay service to support BSL users	Q1
2	Develop and maintain a BSL resource hub on the HIVE (Department intranet)	Q3
2	Annual BSL implementation progress report	Q4
3	Launch BSL section on DESNZ website with main content translated	Q2
3	Establish Deaf community consultation group	Q4
4	Complete integration of BSL considerations into all OASIS campaign planning and Submission templates	Q2
4	Evaluate effectiveness of BSL communications through stakeholder feedback	Q4
5	Complete 5-year review and develop refreshed BSL strategy	Q4

Monitoring and reporting

Annual progress reports will be prepared on behalf of the DESNZ Minister for Disability for the DWP Minister for Social Security and Disability.

There will also be:

• quarterly internal reviews of BSL implementation against planned milestones
• regular feedback collection from Deaf BSL users and stakeholders
• development of metrics to measure the reach and effectiveness of BSL communications

This plan demonstrates DESNZ’s commitment to promoting and facilitating the use of BSL in our public communications, ensuring the Deaf community has equal access to vital information about energy security and the transition to net zero.