Deaf Accessibility in the Financial Services Sector Improving

To mark Deaf Awareness Week (May 5-11) the Lending Standards Board (LSB) has published its annual update on the availability of accessibility tools and services for deaf or hard of hearing people across the UK’s financial services sector.

This update follows the LSB’s 2023 report on the challenges deaf or hard of hearing people can face when seeking to access financial services.

It has been compiled in conjunction with the Deaf Inclusion Industry Group, comprising 34 banks, building societies, digital-only lenders, insurers, debt charities and others, and Signing Banks UK, a website which brings available support across the financial services sector into one place.

According to the LSB’s analysis, some basic deaf accessibility services are almost ubiquitous across the Industry Group: 97% offer text relay, while 84% of those with a physical customer presence (such as a bank branch) offer hearing loops.

There is a wide availability of other services too: instant British Sign Language (BSL) translations into call systems are offered by 73% of the Group, and 63% of those with a physical customer presence are able to provide instant in-branch BSL translations – 50% can provide face-to-face BSL interpreters in-branch. Forty-five per cent of all respondents offer a Video Relay System (VRS) call-back service.

Twenty-seven per cent of those firms now offering BSL translation into their call systems have introduced this in the last 12 months, as have 38% of those offering VRS call-back.

“The progress on supporting deaf customers in the financial services sector over the last two years has been positive – though there is still a long way to go before deaf or hard of hearing customers have the same level of access to financial services as those whose hearing isn’t impaired,” said Emma Lovell, LSB Chief Executive (pictured above).

“Being deaf or hard of hearing can have a significant impact on someone’s ability to achieve the right outcome when they engage with a financial services provider.

“Not being able to hear conversations in branches or on the phone can be an obvious challenge. Less obvious perhaps – particularly to those who aren’t deaf – is the fact that BSL isn’t just a signed version of English; it’s an entirely different language.

“Some of those who rely on BSL may not be able to understand the letters or communications in written English that the sector has historically used to communicate with deaf customers.

“As the sector continues to improve its services for deaf and hard of hearing people, there are two key things we will be looking out for. The first is the incorporation of lived experience within the development of new products and services. Just a quarter of the Group included deaf people in the development and deployment of relevant tools or services in the last year. This figure has to improve.

“Secondly, it’s important that the cultural shift in the sector is embedded properly. Firms have really embraced the need to make a change and that needs to be backed up. Training on deaf people’s needs should be more than a one-off session.”

For further information visit

https://www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk/resources/access-for-deaf-customers-in-banking-and-credit-2025-progress-update/