Accessibility

We want our services to be accessible for everyone, so have worked hard in removing barriers that people may face. We understand everyone has unique circumstances and sometimes people need us to do things differently for them to ensure they can get the best service from us.

By understanding our consumers’ needs better, we can continue to improve our service for all.

If you need us to be flexible in how we support you, just let us know. Our Reasonable Adjustments guide explains our approach.

We want you to know that any information you provide to us is treated with care and kept strictly confidential in line with our privacy policy.

You can let us know if you need any Additional Support over the phone, online or in writing.

• Phone: 0330 440 1614 – one of our team will be on hand to support you
• Email: accessibility@commsombudsman.org for any accessibility requests or issues that you would like to report
• Postal address: Communications Ombudsman, Daresbury Park, 3300, Warrington WA4 4HS

• Audio or verbal communication only
• Written/email communication only
• Sign Language (see Hearing Impairment)
• Large print and Braille (see Visual Impairment)
• Written communication in foreign languages (see Translation Services)
• Audio communication via interpreter (see Translation Services)
• Request for an advocate or third party to help you with your complaint

We can:

• Provide 1:1 support throughout your journey with us, including help with submitting the necessary forms if you’re unable or unconfident
• Make alterations to our standard processes and procedures
• Allow additional time to respond to any requests/communication
• Make calls at specific times of day
• Refer/signpost you to a third-party agency for support that we are unable to provide
• Provide our decision of your dispute on an audio file or disk

Our website incorporates ReciteMe – a tool that allows people to customise our website in a way that works best for them. It includes a feature that offers instant translation of our website, allowing you to browse www.commsombudsman.org in your own language. The toolbar offers over 100 languages, including 65 text to speech voices (where the tool can read website text aloud).

Open Recite Me

If you would like us to raise a dispute in a language other than English, you can do this over the phone with an interpreter, or in written translation. Unfortunately, we can't currently offer this through our website.

We work with an external provider who provide translation services in over 200+ languages, helping to support you in accessing us. Find out more on our dedicated Translation Services page.

Those with visual impairments can use the web accessibility tool to adjust the appearance of the site to suit their needs. The tool is compatible with screen reader software.

We can provide written documents in alternative formats such as large print, coloured paper, audio, or braille.

If you would prefer, you can contact us over the phone, to raise your dispute and one of our colleagues will fill the details in on the system and submit this for you.

If you need help in accessing our services and you have a visual impairment, please:

• Call us on 0330 440 1624

• Or email us on accessibility@commsombudsman.org

If you have a hearing impairment and require support you can contact us using a sign language interpreter, through InterpretersLive, click here for more information.

• Here you can find a PDF User Guide on how to make a call via InterpretersLive

• Here is a guide on the minimum device requirements needed to use InterpretersLive! BSL video service: Device Requirements

• We can provide a pre-bookable video interpreter with 30 minutes notice. If you leave your contact details in a video message, we’ll contact you to rearrange the call.

• If you prefer not to use this service, you can at any stage nominate a third party to speak on your behalf.

Video: User guide for InterpretersLive! Service

We’ve designed our website to be responsive so that it caters to the needs of consumers who may need a more accessible online experience.

Our website meets all priority two requirements of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1).

We’ve thought about the following:

• People who can't see very well: The colours and the contrast between them; the size of text and the choice of fonts.

• People who are blind: How a screen reader interprets the content on our pages.

• People who can't hear very well: How any audio content is represented visually.

• People who find a keyboard or mouse hard to use: The ease with which someone can find their way to parts of the page.

• People who find words difficult: The length of sentences and paragraphs and the words we use. The fonts and size of text. The facility to have text read out loud.

To help access our website fully, we have an accessibility tool provided by ReciteMe which has functions to support everyone regardless of ability. This allows you to:

• Clear any flashes & reduce colour

• Enhance websites visuals to support those visually impaired

• Optimise website for screen readers already installed on your computer or smart phone

• Change website and text colours, contrast, font & text size

• Can switch off any animations

• Reading aids including ruler, screen mask, magnifier, margins, page summariser and a dictionary.