Deafblind man makes complaint to Job Centre after being offered an ‘interpreter’ only qualified to BSL Level 3 (BSL)

A deafblind man has made a complaint to Job Centre Plus after being given a BSL Level 3 ‘interpreter’ to facilitate communication, which led to him leaving his appointment.

James Clarke, from Surrey, complained that his request for a professional BSL Interpreter had been ignored and his language rights had been discriminated against.

The Job Centre work coach initially responded that ‘a qualified level 3 interpreter was perfectly adequate for the purpose of this meeting to support you.’

However, someone only qualified to BSL Level 3 cannot be a qualified interpreter.

Clarke – who has Usher syndrome and has taken part in over 100 charity runs and marathons – said:

“[this is] not a safe policy for any formal meeting or interview and could lead to a serious misunderstanding and/or miscommunication. Under the BSL Act 2022, I have the right to equal and safe access to a qualified BSL interpreter for my interview/meeting with you, a right also covered under the Equality Act 2010 (reasonable adjustment).”

The ‘interpreter’ in question who attended Clarke’s meeting was revealed to be a Jobcentre work coach who was previously a disability employment advisor and holds a BSL Level 3 qualification.

In his formal complaint, Clarke explained that the coach was not only unqualified to interpret, he was also not following the professional code of ethics that an interpreter would – with inappropriate dress wear that did not meet Clarke’s visual impairment needs.

Clarke has since contacted various deaf charities and organisations to support his complaint and will also be meeting with his local Member of Parliament to discuss this.

The board of ASLI (the Association of Sign Language Interpreters and translators in the UK) have commented on this matter:

“ASLI always advocates for the booking of registered interpreters to work between deaf people and those who can’t sign. Our members take pride in providing the highest quality interpreting services and invest in ongoing training and development of their practice post qualification.

Booking a registered interpreter provides assurance to customers that the interpreter is appropriately qualified, insured, adheres to professional conduct requirements and is undertaking continuous professional development.

We are very disappointed to read of this example of poor practice by Job Centre Plus. Deaf people are entitled to better than the illusion of access which a ‘signer’ would be providing.

For the record, there is no such thing as a ‘qualified BSL level 3 interpreter’. An agency’s inability to provide an appropriate interpreter does not make it ok to bring in someone with a basic language qualification to communicate for deaf people needing to access their services.

This situation should not still be occurring for deaf people in the UK and the Jobcentre Plus must take steps to prevent it happening again”

Jobcentre Plus has been approached for comment.