Key Summary
- New UK government funding will expand the number of registered deafblind interpreters.
- The initiative aims to clear extreme supply pressures for an estimated 12,000 deafblind individuals who rely on specialist tactile communication.
- Developed alongside the BSL Advisory Board, the funding runs parallel to a 72 per cent staffing boost aimed at clearing backlogs within the government's Access to Work scheme.
The government is planning to drive one of the largest increases in specialist interpretation capacity in recent years in the UK, to improve access to essential communication support for deafblind people nationwide.
Timed to coincide with Deafblind Awareness Week 2026 (22-28 June), the initiative is backed by £15,000 in new grant funding.
The investment will support bespoke interpreter competency assessment sessions held over a series of weekends, expanding the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD).
Before the introduction of this funding, the UK relied on just eight registered interpreters to serve a population of approximately 12,000 deafblind individuals who require specialised communication assistance, including tactile forms of British Sign Language (BSL).
The new initiative is expected to significantly increase the interpreter capacity, expanding the total number of specialists to 68.
The grant was designed in collaboration with the government’s independent BSL Advisory Board.
The Board consulted extensively with the NRCPD and Signature, the UK’s leading awarding body for deaf and deafblind qualifications, to develop the upcoming competency sessions.
Minister of State for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said: “This government recognises that too many deafblind people have faced barriers simply because specialist support has not been available where it is needed most. This grant funding will start to address that. Effective communication should not be a privilege and by increasing the number of interpreters, we are delivering real change for the deafblind community.”
Dr Joanna Atkinson, Co-Chair of the BSL Advisory Board, said: “Deafblind people communicate in different ways including tactile forms of British Sign Language. Expanding the number of sign language interpreters with expertise in working with deafblind people represents a major step forward so deafblind people can access information, take part and get on with their lives.
“We are confident that the rollout of these sessions will help meet increasing demand for qualified BSL interpreters for deafblind people, strengthen the quality and availability of services, and create better opportunities for the thousands of deafblind people who depend on them.
NRCPD chief executive officer Theresa Thomas-Morton said that this is a significant milestone, but it is only the beginning.
Nikki Morris, Chief Executive of Deafblind UK, said, “Expanding the number of professionals with the right skills will make a real difference to people’s everyday lives - from accessing healthcare and education, to employment, social connection and making choices about their own lives.”
The funding comes as part of a wider operational push to clear backlogs within the government's Access to Work scheme - a programme that helps fund specialist equipment and support workers, including BSL interpreters.
The government is also moving forward with its work to develop a UK Government Plan for Disability, which will outline current efforts to support disabled people and set out a long-term vision.
