Enhancing Deaf Accessibility in Financial Services: Progress Made, Yet Greater Inclusion Required
As Deaf Awareness Week 2025 commences, the Lending Standards Board (LSB) has unveiled its annual review, focusing on how the UK financial services sector is meeting the accessibility needs of deaf and hard of hearing customers. The findings reveal promising progress while highlighting the need for enhanced inclusion practices across the industry.
Key Findings of the 2025 LSB Review
The latest report builds on the insights from the LSB’s 2023 assessment, which identified significant barriers faced by deaf individuals in accessing financial services. This year’s update incorporates feedback from the Deaf Inclusion Industry Group, a collective of 34 organizations, including banks, building societies, digital lenders, and charities. Additionally, it highlights the contributions of Signing Banks UK, a platform dedicated to deaf-accessible financial services.
Accessibility Tools and Services
The 2025 findings indicate that several fundamental accessibility tools have become widely available:
- Text relay services: Utilized by 97% of group members.
- Hearing loops: Installed by 84% of firms with physical branches.
- Instant British Sign Language (BSL) translation: Offered by 73% of call centers.
- In-branch instant BSL translation: Available at 63% of locations.
- In-branch BSL interpreters: Arranged by 50% of firms.
- Video relay service (VRS) call-backs: Offered by 45% of companies.
Moreover, a notable increase in service offerings has occurred, with 27% of firms implementing BSL in their call systems and 38% introducing VRS call-backs within the past year.
Expert Insights on Progress and Challenges
Emma Lovell, chief executive of LSB, commented on the advancements made in supporting deaf customers within the financial services sector over the last two years. However, she emphasized that significant work remains to ensure equal access for deaf or hard of hearing customers.
“Being deaf or hard of hearing can greatly affect someone’s ability to achieve satisfactory outcomes when engaging with financial services. The challenges are often less visible, as BSL is a distinct language, not merely a signed version of English. Many BSL users may struggle with traditional written communications used by the sector,” Lovell stated.
Priorities for Future Development
As the industry moves forward, Lovell highlighted two key priorities:
- Incorporating lived experiences into the development of new products.
- Fostering a sustainable cultural shift within organizations.
She noted that only 25% of surveyed organizations involved deaf individuals in service development over the past year, stressing the need for ongoing training and effective use of accessibility tools.
Growing Engagement in the Financial Sector
The report indicates a positive trend in internal engagement regarding deaf accessibility. Notable statistics include:
- 74% of respondents communicated internally about deaf accessibility.
- 67% offered training on the subject.
- 41% published on-demand guidance on internal platforms.
- 10% are currently developing new training materials.
Kathryn Townsend, chair of the Deaf Inclusion Industry Group and head of customer vulnerability at Nationwide, expressed her enthusiasm for the group’s growth. “From 12 to 34 firms in just two and a half years, we now cover a significant portion of UK consumers. This year’s survey results reinforce our belief that focused collaboration and expertise can drive meaningful change,” she concluded.
For more insights on improving accessibility in financial services, visit the Lending Standards Board website.
