Helping deaf customers access better support
Case study
A National Lottery survey found people in the deaf community prefer receiving support in British Sign Language (BSL) – but a nationwide shortage of BSL interpreters makes this challenging.
Working with Citizens Advice Sheffield, we have enabled the delivery of a remote energy advice service in BSL to customers across our operating area.
The service was already supported by electricity network operator, Northern Powergrid, and together we can provide more impactful support for deaf communities across our regions.
Energy advice, income maximisation support and referrals to additional services is now able to be delivered to customers in BSL.
Investment in this specialist service helps remove barriers faced by the deaf community so they can access essential support to stay safe and warm.
BSL support helps customer tackle debt
A profoundly deaf customer, with no clear speech and limited literacy, was being chased by debt collection agencies for an unpaid energy bill relating to their late father’s address.
Citizens Advice contacted the energy company on the customer’s behalf, using the BSL video relay service to keep the customer in the loop.
This resulted in the debt being written off and the customer receiving energy efficiency information and benefits checks via BSL, helping him to better manage his finances.