Policy paper

British Sign Language 5-year plan: Home Office (English and BSL versions)

Published 21 July 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-sign-language-5-year-plan-home-office/british-sign-language-5-year-plan-home-office-english-and-bsl-versions

BSL version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjn6MpwOTgs

Introduction

The British Sign Language (BSL) Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. It helps ensure all public services and information are accessible to Deaf people who use BSL. The act requires the government to report how relevant ministerial departments are using BSL in communications with the public on policy and changes to the law. 

Within the Home Office, it is with pride that we embrace the requirements of the BSL Act 2022. We welcome the opportunities this change presents as we improve how we engage with and meet the needs of the Deaf people who use BSL. It complements and extends what we are already doing to ensure our communications are accessible to all.   

Our plan is to create a stronger organisation, improving the use of BSL across the department. This plan summarises our 5 priority areas for promoting and increasing the use of BSL in our external communications. The plan will be augmented by a detailed internal delivery plan. 

BSL activity from 2022 to 2024

Since the implementation of the BSL Act 2022, the Home Office has produced 2 BSL annual reports and has worked to improve awareness among its staff of how to gain access to BSL services. 

During these reporting periods, we have produced 35 BSL communications. These have included guidance and support for victims of:

  • domestic abuse
  • forced marriages
  • coercive and controlling behaviour

Guidance and information on controlling or coercive behaviour to assist in identifying, evidencing, charging, prosecuting, and convicting the offence. This guidance also provides information on reducing the risk of harm to and supporting the victim and their family. Controlling or coercive behaviour statutory guidance consultation - BSL - YouTube.

The joint policy review led by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) into the protections and support for adults abused, or at risk of abuse, in their own home by people providing their care. British Sign Language version - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)       

The public consultation on the draft Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme Guidance. 

BSL engagement

In our initial response to the BSL Act 2022, we engaged extensively with Deaf BSL users from third sector organisations and internal networks. 

External stakeholder engagement  

  • BDA (British Deaf Association)
  • RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf people)
  • RCSLT (Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists)
  • RADP (Royal Association for Deaf People)
  • Lip Speaker BSL interpreters and lip speakers
  • NRCPD (National Registers of Communication)
  • Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People
  • Meeting with BSL Advisory Board, 14 May 2025
  • Presentation of BSL Act Reporting to ABLE AGM 15 May 2025
  • Meeting and engagement event with provider Sign Solutions to explore innovative technology – Interpreters Live
  • First new data gather– BSL Interpreter Provision, 12 May 2025 – referrals by department 

Internal stakeholder engagement  

  • Members of ABLE, the Home Office Disability Network 
  • Home Office Disability Champions Network
  • Co-chairs of the Civil Service Deaf and Hard of Hearing Network
  • Defra Hearing Loss Network
  • Home Office Disability Champions Network
  • Conducted survey for civil servants who have lived experience with deafness and hearing loss
  • In-person HO promotion and demo of Interpreters Live - 9 May 2025
  • Presentation to Home Office Disability Board, 7 May 2025
  • Call for Home Office Staff for BSL Consultation Group launched – 6  May 2025 
  • ABLE Annual General Meeting 29  May 2025

BSL supplier partnership

Following the implementation of the BSL Act 2022, we have been striving to improve the BSL service provision across the department and improve external engagement.

We work with a specialist provider to provide a range of commercial services for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Since we partnered with this supplier, we have seen an increase in referrals for BSL services. 

Our Interpreter Service and Languages Unit (ILSU) reports on volumes of referrals across our services and provides customer experience.

Harnessing new technology: Interpreters Live

We are working with our service provider to modernise our BSL provision through service innovations and new technology. For example, live on-demand virtual interpreter platforms provide short notice responsive service in real time using our new platform ‘Interpreters Live’. This platform is ideal for frontline operational staff and customers who require an interpreter immediately or at short notice.

Priority areas

Over the next 5 years we will undertake work across our BSL Plan 5 priority areas to promote and increase the use of BSL in our external communications. 

BSL priority area 1: fulfil our BSL Act 2022 duty

We will improve our communications and engagement with BSL users to remove barriers. We will deliver and demonstrate improved outcomes for BSL users by:

  • embedding BSL in relevant communication policies, plans and strategies
  • developing solutions to the barriers faced by BSL users accessing our services

We will fulfil our responsibilities and duties and meet the requirements of the BSL Act. We will also build foundations to develop further ambitions supporting our BSL user communities and lead as the UK Department of State. 

To achieve this, we will:

  • engage with our BSL Stakeholders including deaf and hard of hearing charities and representation groups to inform the delivery of this plan and seek continuous feedback on our services, service improvement programmes and opportunity for collaboration and innovation
  • consult with Home Office staff who use BSL to get feedback and enable the effective delivery of this Plan, building on our BSL milestone foundations and identifying opportunities for wider service improvement
  • set clear standards and expectations and embed these across frontline services to ensure all our online and in-person public-facing service centres meet the standards we set – this will include service standards for partners contracted to engage with our customers and deliver our services
  • review requests for accessibility on previous communications and publications to consider whether these need expanding to include BSL versions
  • develop additional plans to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing users who may engage with us in other signed languages
  • connect our plan to deliverable outcomes and develop assurance and governance processes and continually improve with evidence
  • engage with our customers and service users to seek feedback on the efficacy and delivery of this plan

BSL priority area 2: promote BSL culture 

For many Deaf BSL users, BSL is their first language. We recognise that for public services to be truly and universally accessible for all, there should be awareness around the culture of BSL.

To achieve this, we will:

  • seek feedback from Deaf BSL users, using their lived experiences to help understand and promote the Deaf community and barriers to engagement with us
  • promote BSL communications activity across the Home Office to capture best practice and further improve BSL communications
  • centralise external and internal BSL resources and ensure these resources are accessible through user testing
  • observe and celebrate Deaf Awareness Week and British Sign Language Week

BSL priority area 3: partnerships and engagement 

We will build on the foundations of our existing relationships ensuring that we continue to seek the feedback of those who represent or have a lived experience of Deaf BSL use and the methods and programmes that can make a difference and help us.

To achieve this, we will:

  • continue to engage with external stakeholders to inform delivery of this plan including commercial partners and representatives from the third sector organisations
  • engage with representatives and partners to support our engagement with international Deaf sign users offering a world class service for deaf sign language users
  • engage with cross-government Deaf and hard of hearing networks and representation groups to inform delivery of this plan and scope for innovation and collaboration
  • review and engage with customers, partners, and stakeholders to seek feedback on our services, removing barriers to accessibility and engagement
  • ensure that BSL is a consideration in the development of our communications policies ensuring compliance through assurance reporting
  • work with our Public Sector Equality Duty team to ensure Deaf BSL users are assessed as part of our equality impact assessment process

BSL priority area 4: harnessing the power of data and technology, governance and assurance

We recognise the importance of quality information and data to assess and improve service provision. We will continue to map and capture an accurate picture of our BSL communications and identify any gaps. We will prioritise these areas for engagement and to accurately assess where improvements need to be made. We will ensure interventions and improvement measures are rapidly put into place. 

To achieve this, we will:

  • review interpreter and translator service provision data and set standards where required for improvement
  • identify best practice across the Home Office and adopt any approach that demonstrates measurable outcomes for BSL users
  • implement service standards and requirements in the development of external communication products and resources
  • set governance measures to ensure our department is on track to fulfil the priorities outlined in this plan
  • make use of external data including data from the Office of National Statistics
  • conduct a review of our readiness to communicate with the BSL community in the event of a national emergency
  • conduct a review and develop plans to build on our national security protocols where required
  • consider opportunities for innovation to improve BSL accessibility across data, artificial intelligence, and technology

BSL priority area 5: innovation and collaboration

We will continue to contribute to the work of the Cabinet Office Disability Unit and BSL policy team. We will use this opportunity to work with other departments to share and identify good practice and seek to identify scope for innovation and collaboration.

To achieve this, we will:

  • identify where collaboration opportunities exist to rapidly create outcomes as part of the government’s Plan for Change
  • identify best practice and consider adopting any approach proven to create outcomes for BSL users, continually updating and improving this plan
  • conduct a review of emergency services and consider any scope of innovation with departments that build on national security and assure the accessibility of emergency services for all UK citizens
  • review any good practice across government
  • work to ensure that where dependencies exist, for example where UK citizens travel abroad, that we provide joint BSL communications where appropriate
  • ensure departmental lines of responsibility are not barriers to continual improvement
  • work across government on matters of national resilience, risk, and business continuity to ensure our readiness to communicate directly with BSL users, effectively and rapidly in the event of a national emergency
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