Accessible Emergency Communications

The government agrees that a core function of government communications is to describe and explain policy to the general public in a way that is clear, accurate, and accessible.

Using the learning from the pandemic, the government has already implemented a number of measures to improve the readiness of government communication to deliver advice to the public during major emergencies.

The Government Communication Service (GCS) Crisis Communications Operating Model was updated in 2023, creating more clarity on roles and responsibilities for departments and communication leaders before, during, and in the aftermath of a crisis. Building on this, the government issued new advice in 2024 to help departments create robust crisis communication plans for their specific risks. The STOP plan makes it clear that departments must consider vulnerable groups with additional needs: this might include children, the digitally excluded, and people with disabilities, for example. Departments must make communications accessible and inclusive by default, in line with the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty, and the British Sign Language (BSL) Act 2022.

In accordance with the BSL Act 2022, the government has established a protocol ensuring BSL interpretation is available for public health or emergency announcements. This builds on the existing translation capabilities of the Cabinet Office, No10, and DHSC including for alternative formats, such as Easy Read and BSL.

The government has launched a central New Media Unit (NMU) within the Cabinet Office, to improve its capacity to communicate information directly to audiences during a crisis. GCS has also maintained its commitment to informing communications with behavioural science by embedding a team at the centre who advise on crisis communications and behaviour change campaigns. Building on pandemic experience, the government has established a standing network of trusted digital influencers. Focusing on audience needs first, the NMU can recommend and facilitate content from a wide range of creators and influencers, this can include working with accessibility influencers and micro creators in specific demographics. This reflects a wider shift in government communications, as digital teams scale up their work with influencers to reach audiences on their preferred platforms, including younger and harder-to-reach demographics who may not engage with traditional government channels.

In addition to regular readiness reviews, communication teams across departments participated in Exercise Pegasus (across September and October 2025). As the largest-ever national pandemic response exercise, it tested our ability to manage a complex, emerging pandemic. The lessons from this exercise are currently being incorporated into planning for future risks. The government has committed to communicating the findings through the post-exercise report in Winter 2026.

The UK government is also working closely with devolved governments to improve coordination at every stage of the crisis response. This is critical to ensuring that information provided to the public remains clear and coherent. In line with the Welsh Language Act 1993, UK Government departments should comply with their Welsh Language Schemes. This means that the English and Welsh languages should be treated equally by departments when making announcements that apply in Wales.

We are confident that the changes outlined above—clearer governance, improved accessibility protocols, enhanced digital reach, stronger coordination with devolved governments, and the lessons from Exercise Pegasus—represent a significant strengthening of government communications capability and readiness. While no system can guarantee perfect outcomes in a fast-moving crisis, these reforms address the key weaknesses identified by the Inquiry and provide a stronger foundation for delivering clear, accessible, and coordinated public health messaging when it matters most.

Accepted

The Executive recognises the importance of ensuring that government communications, are clear, accurate and accessible. Communications are already a key component of the Northern Ireland Civil Contingencies Framework, which was developed from our initial learnings following Covid-19. During the pandemic, the Executive regarded it as essential that individuals whose first language is sign-language were able to receive information in sign-language, so that they could understand what actions the public are being asked to take to protect themselves and others from Covid-19.

In recognition of this, from the beginning of the pandemic, both British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreters were used at daily press conferences who appeared on screen for the duration of each.

Northern Ireland’s established citizen-focused website, NI Direct (www.nidirect.gov.uk) was used throughout the pandemic as the primary source of information and guidance. The platform supports automatic translation into multiple languages, which is compatible with most portable digital devices.

The Sign Language Bill (Northern Ireland) 2025 will also strengthen accessibility for the estimated 5,000 people in Northern Ireland who use British Sign Language (BSL) or Irish Sign Language (ISL) as their primary means of communication. The Bill has now progressed to its final legislative stages, bringing it closer to becoming law.

At its core, the Bill would give official and equal recognition to both BSL and ISL as languages of Northern Ireland, promoting wider use and understanding across society. It places a legal duty on public bodies to take reasonable steps to ensure that their information and services are as accessible to members of the deaf community as they are to those who do not rely on sign language, marking a significant step forward in supporting linguistic rights and inclusive service delivery.

Additionally, in March 2020, at the onset of the Covid-19 emergency, the Department for Communities (DfC) engaged with Health and Social Care colleagues to develop better access to key public health and other information for BSL and ISL users through a remote BSL/ ISL interpreting service. From this, a new regional service – the Regional Communication Support Service (RCSS) - launched in April 2023 offering a range of in-person and remote sign language interpreting services for health and social care appointments. The RCSS delivers a package of communication supports for people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing to access health and social care appointments, including in-person sign language interpreting, remote sign language interpreting, deafblind interpreting, lip speaking and electronic notetaking. It is delivered through one central booking service, free of charge, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The RCSS will play an important role in communicating public health information and services with BSL and ISL service users in the event of a future pandemic. In addition, DfC continues to invest in infrastructure to increase BSL and ISL Interpreter and Translator capacity within NI which is vital for the sustainable supply of these key communication professionals.

Finally, all the Northern Ireland departments are to be included among the public bodies listed as prescribed organisations in regulations under the NI Sign Language Bill. Therefore, they will have a statutory duty to offer or facilitate the use of BSL and ISL for the benefit of individuals in the deaf community in accessing information and services they provide. It is anticipated that the Bill will become law before the end of 2026

We also recognise the need to communicate with as wide an audience as possible. The Executive Information Service (EIS) will develop guidance for accessible and inclusive communications in general, not only in relation to public health. We will consider our approach to communicating with digitally excluded audiences. We will also consider the need for child-friendly communication tools and approaches for all, including children and young people. TEO will produce draft guidance by September 2026.

EIS is also strengthening its digital news service capabilities, to improve its capacity to communicate information directly to audiences during an emergency, being mindful of news consumption habits and reaching audiences on their preferred platforms.

The Executive Information Service, in partnership with the Civil Contingencies Division (CCD) within TEO, is developing a comprehensive communications strategy to support all emergency situations, including any future pandemics. This strategy will further enhance the effectiveness of emergency communications and embed both strategic and operational decision-making processes within the emergency response structures here.

The Executive Information Service will continue to engage with the UK Government and other devolved governments to align future communications strategies within the context of the UK pandemic communications plan to strengthen operational decision-making, identify key roles and responsibilities, share escalation pathways and mitigate duplication, while maintaining interdependencies.

The Scottish Government accepts this recommendation. Its communications team will work with policy colleagues to take forward the recommendations on public health communications accessibility. We will develop an action plan covering accessible communications in general, not only in relation to public health.

Building on existing work in these areas, we will ensure the action plan takes account of the recommendations to continue to:

make provision for the translation of government press conferences into British Sign Language

ensure the translation of key announcements into the most frequently spoken languages in Scotland. This is guided by advice outlined in Public Health Scotland's guidance, which is based on up-to-date health board and NHS24 statistics which captures the language used by people when seeking health advice

continue to involve children and young people in communications strategies for future pandemic

We recognise the need to include digitally excluded audiences and homeless people within the plan. Work has already been undertaken with both audiences, and this will be included as guidance for future activity within the plan as suggested by CIREG.

We will also consider the need for child friendly communication tools and approaches for all, including children and young people. In line with CIREG feedback, we will co-design these approaches with young people.

Once finalised the action plan will be kept under regular review to ensure it takes account of emerging best practice.

6.1. The Welsh Government accepts recommendation 14, for the development of action plans setting out how government communications will be made accessible during a pandemic, and we remain committed to the delivery of clear and accessible communications during a future pandemic (or any other whole-system emergency). Our communications during the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated our commitment to accessibility: as the Inquiry notes, we established in early June 2020 an Accessible Communications Group to improve access to information about Covid-19. This included a wide range of organisations representing the interests of those who might have faced barriers in accessing the Welsh Government’s communications, and we took steps to make our communications more accessible in response to their feedback.

6.2. Since the pandemic, we have put in place guidance, setting out how to ensure our communications are accessible; it identifies the main needs for accessible communications (including being D/deaf, being blind or partially sighted, learning difficulties, neurodiversity, levels of literacy, language and age) and explains the different needs and formats that can help when communicating with people who need accessible communications. We have also produced an Inclusive Communications Guide, setting out best practice and practical examples for inclusive communications based upon six inclusive communications principles. The guidance is based on the latest best practice for inclusive communications; we also held workshops and interviews with external stakeholders and groups with lived experience, who provided valuable input and examples that have informed the guidance.

6.3. Within the next six months we will also add a specific section to the Inclusive Communications Guide to reflect best practice during crisis communications activities.

No statement on delivery from Cabinet Office has been found in the sources searched. This is separate from the response above.