New contracts to improve language services across courts and tribunals

The contracts cover spoken language interpreting, British Sign Language (BSL), visual and tactile communication, and independent quality assurance.

The Ministry of Justice awarded the contracts following a robust procurement process. Existing supplier thebigword will continue to provide spoken language services in the first instance, while Translate UK becomes a new additional secondary spoken language supplier. Clarion UK will continue to provide visual and tactile communication services, and The Language Shop will continue to provide independent quality assurance.

The new contracts introduce several improvements designed to make the service more resilient and reduce the need for off-contract bookings.

Improvements for interpreters

The new contracts introduce a stronger onboarding process, including mandatory induction to the justice system, to help interpreters understand court procedures, professional expectations and the needs of court and tribunal users. Interpreters will also be able to opt out of particular types of cases where appropriate, recognising the demands of working with sensitive or distressing material.

The Language Shop will provide independent oversight and risk-based quality assessments, helping to identify and resolve issues sooner.

What this means for court and tribunal users

For people who use HMCTS services, the main benefit is fair and effective access to justice. Whether someone needs spoken language interpreting, BSL, or visual or tactile communication, they must be able to understand proceedings and to be understood. The new contracts are designed to make that support more consistent across all jurisdictions.

Improvements to face-to-face, video interpreting and other visual and tactile communication will continue to support effective understanding between users, judiciary, legal professionals and HMCTS staff, helping people take part fully in their case.

Interpreters, legal professionals and colleagues who use language services provided feedback that has informed the new arrangements. By combining that insight with clearer standards and independent assurance, HMCTS will be better placed to deliver a service that is responsive to users and supports hearings to run as planned.

Find out more on the HMCTS language services page.