Policy paper

British Sign Language 5-year plan: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (English and BSL versions)

Published 21 July 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

BSL version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8S0wnMiZ0

Background and context

British Sign Language (BSL) is the fourth most commonly-used language in the UK. The British Deaf Association estimates that the total number of people in the UK who use BSL (not necessarily as their main language) is 151,000. Of these, 87,000 people are deaf.

Different countries have their own sign languages. BSL is mainly associated with the UK, but its use is not limited to the UK alone.

The British Sign Language (BSL) Act 2022 legally recognised BSL as a language of England, Scotland, and Wales. All government departments are expected to consider the use of BSL in their communications, and to continuously improve their provision of BSL.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and BSL

The use of BSL sits within our wider work on accessibility and communication outreach, and ensuring our external communication is accessible to people who need it. 

Given the global nature of our work, including the provision of consular services for British nationals abroad, our approach to individual communications will depend on:

• who we are trying to reach
• where this audience would expect to receive this information and in what format
• what their first language may be

FCDO communication is intended to reach global and domestic audiences. We mainly use BSL for domestic audiences.

Our current approach

Digital channels are our main means of communicating using BSL. 

We currently use BSL for:

• major Foreign Secretary speeches which show the UK foreign policy position on a subject matter
• important advice from British consulates that British nationals should be aware of before they travel abroad 

Our BSL translation is provided by external providers. 

Our 5-year strategy

Our 5-year strategy has 4 objectives: 

• building BSL capability and awareness
• engaging with BSL users to test approaches
• meeting people where they are with BSL content
• ensuring smooth provision of FCDO services to BSL users 

Building BSL capability and awareness

To meet this objective, we will:

• identify FCDO staff fluent in BSL who may be able to translate messaging or provide guidance and feedback on external communication products
• create a standardised process for producing BSL-translated content for major departmental events, such as Foreign Secretary speeches
• mark significant events and milestones – for example, International Day of Sign Languages – in our digital communications

Engaging with BSL users to test approaches

To meet this objective, we will:

• run a dedicated focus group with BSL users to determine their needs in relation to the work of FCDO
• seek guidance from the BSL Advisory Board on best practice for including BSL in our external communications
• work with DIAN, FCDO’s disability network, and relevant FCDO teams to ensure BSL users within the organisation are instrumental in the shaping of future strategy

Meeting people where they are with BSL content

To meet this objective, we will:

• identify the social media platforms and communities with the largest presence of BSL users and ensure our most vital messaging is available there
• build relationships with BSL advocacy groups and content creators to improve the reach of our digital messaging 

Ensuring smooth provision of FCDO services to BSL users

To meet this objective, we will:

• work with internal FCDO teams to support smooth user journeys for BSL users of FCDO services 

This strategy and its deliverables will be iterated as we learn more about the needs of BSL users from engagements listed above.