Using AI to make public services more accessible

Use AI to produce plain-language, Urdu, audio and large-print versions of public information, while checking every version for accuracy.

Why this matters

Many citizens struggle with official information. Some read Urdu or a regional language but not English. Some have limited literacy. Some have poor eyesight, are blind or have other disabilities. Many older people find dense forms and notices hard to follow. If they cannot understand a notice, they cannot use the service it describes.

AI can help an office produce accessible versions far more quickly than before. It does not remove the need to check them. An inaccurate simple version can mislead more people than the original ever reached.

What AI can help with

Plain language. Rewriting dense official text so a member of the public can follow it, without changing its meaning.
Urdu and regional languages. Producing a first draft translation of English notices, forms and guidance. See machine translation.
Audio. Turning written text into spoken audio for people who cannot read it, using text-to-speech. Useful for helplines, voice notes and website audio.
Large print and clear layout. Restructuring content into short sections, bullet points and larger text that is easier to read.
Summaries. Producing a short "what you need to know" box at the top of a long document.

Step by step

Start from an approved, final original. Make the accessible version from the text that has been signed off, not from a draft that may still change.
Remove personal details. Accessible versions of general notices should not need any. If a document is about one citizen, use only approved tools.
Ask for one version at a time. For example, a plain-language rewrite first, then an Urdu version of that rewrite.
Set clear instructions. State the audience, reading level, length and what must not change: dates, amounts, deadlines, eligibility rules and office addresses.
Check accuracy against the original. Compare line by line. Pay special attention to numbers, conditions ("only if", "unless") and deadlines.
Have a native speaker review translations. Machine Urdu can be grammatically wrong, too formal or use words people do not recognise. Regional language output is often weaker still.
Listen to audio before publishing. Text-to-speech can mispronounce names, places, numbers and Urdu words. Listen to the whole recording.
Test with real users where possible. Ask a few people from the intended audience whether they understand it.

Example instructions

Rewrite this notice in plain English for members of the public with limited reading experience. Short sentences, common words, under 150 words. Do not change any dates, amounts or eligibility conditions: [notice].

Translate this plain-English notice into simple, everyday Urdu that a person with basic schooling would understand. Keep numbers in the same form. List any terms you were unsure how to translate.

For a ready-made prompt, see Rewrite official text in plain language.

What to check

Meaning has not changed, including conditions and exceptions
Dates, amounts, deadlines and contact details match the original exactly
Urdu reads naturally and uses terms your audience knows
Audio pronounces key words and numbers correctly
Large-print versions keep every important point, not just the easy ones
The accessible version says where to find the official full text

Warning signs

A simplified version that sounds friendlier but promises more than the original
Urdu text published without anyone who reads Urdu well having checked it
Audio files never listened to in full
Accessible versions not updated when the original changes

Keep it alongside, not instead

Accessible versions should sit alongside the official text, clearly linked. Keep a record of who checked each version and when. When the original changes, update every version.