Deaf News: Lloyds TSB launches British Sign Language service for Deaf customers

The banks have had a bad rap since about, er, 2008.

Now, finally, there’s some positive news, with Lloyds TSB becoming the first UK bank to enable Deaf customers to contact them online in their own language – BSL.

Using SignVideo (a supporter of this site), the service enables Deaf customers to have direct access to the Lloyds TSB customer service team via a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter using their computer and a webcam. This will enable Lloyds TSB Deaf customers to communicate in their first or preferred language of BSL.

Customers can use the service to handle everyday transactions on their Lloyds TSB personal current, savings and credit card accounts.

To access the service, customers simply click on the SignVideo BSL Live link on the LloydsTSB.com contact us page and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once connected, customers talk to the SignVideo interpreter using sign language and the interpreter relays whatever is said to the Lloyds TSB customer service team and vice versa.

Customers can use the service to handle everyday transactions on their Lloyds TSB personal current, savings and credit card accounts. This includes paying bills and transferring money to other UK accounts.

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, says:”I’ve been calling for companies to play their part in addressing the needs of their British Sign Language customers, and so I’m delighted that Lloyds TSB has shown leadership on this issue within the banking sector. It’s a great example of industry self-regulation at work, and proof that Video Relay Service schemes can be put in place easily, and at minimal cost.”

Disability Rights UK has worked with Lloyds TSB to ensure service improvements are through real engagement and understanding of disabled people and their needs.

Liz Sayce, the CEO of Disability Rights UK, says: “As well as common adjustments that work for everyone, service providers need to make access provision for specific groups. We are very pleased that Lloyds TSB is leading the way in utilising new technologies to ensure access for Deaf sign language users and hope other banks will follow their lead.”

Joanna Wootten, Director of Information & Advice, Business Disability Forum, says: “Lloyds Banking Group is the first bank in the UK to be widening their access to British Sign Language (BSL) users. As a BSL user myself, I hope that many other businesses will start to follow suit. Whatever your business, ensuring you provide access for deaf people is vital to sustaining your business. Disability-smart businesses work hard to get it right for all their customers.”

SignVideo is available to all Lloyds TSB customers who have access to a PC with a webcam and Microsoft Internet Explorer or Safari.

Lloyds Banking Group will also be rolling the service out to all Halifax and Bank of Scotland customers in February 2013 and are also introducing TexBox, an enhanced form of Textphone that allows deaf or hearing impaired customers to use their own mobile or computer as well as a traditional textphone to contact the bank and converse with customer service staff.

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Remark! – Deaf media company producing television programmes, video BSL translation, multimedia solutions, training and interpreters

Deaf Umbrella – Sign language communications provider, including BSL interpreters

SignVideo – Provider of online BSL video interpreting services

STAGETEXT – Charity providing theatre captioning – giving you every word of a play

RAD Deaf Law Centre – Providing legal advice for Deaf people – in BSL

Bee Communications – Remote Captioning – providing text-based access wherever you are