The Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA) is committed to making our information and services accessible to everyone we serve. As the body responsible for monitoring and promoting the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens and their family members in the UK and Gibraltar, we know it is important we provide information in other languages.
This statement sets out how we provide translation in line with UK government accessibility standards and our legal obligations.
Legal and Regulatory Standards
Our approach to translation supports compliance with:
- The Equality Act 2010
- The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
- The Accessibility Regulations 2018 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – WCAG 2.1 AA)
- Government Digital Service (GDS) guidance on publishing multilingual and accessible content
Who This Statement Supports
This statement is designed to help ensure effective communication with:
- EU and EEA EFTA citizens and their family members living in the UK and Gibraltar
- Those who engage with us to make complaints or raise concerns about their rights
When and How We Translate
We provide translated information to help citizens understand their rights or use our services. This includes:
- Translating web content, including pdfs and attachments. We enable this to happen by using an accessibility tool on our website. More information about this tool and how to use it is available on our guidance page.
- Providing printed public-facing information for face-to-face meetings in other languages where demand is identified, for example; leaflets and factsheets. Priority languages for translation are identified using stakeholder insight, location and demographic data, and purpose of publication (for example, a nationality specific event.)
- Offering translation services for operational work, including complaints submitted to us.
All content on the IMA website is available in EU and EEA EFTA languages. For printed resources and publications, we prioritise languages based on audience needs, feedback, and analysis of our service usage.
Use of Technology
We use translation tools to improve basic language access across our digital services. Whilst these tools are helpful for general navigation, they:
- Should not be relied upon for legal or critical information
- Are always supplemented with human translation for essential content
We therefore use accredited human translators for important documents to ensure clarity, cultural accuracy, and legal precision.
Accessibility and Inclusive Language
To make our communications more inclusive, we also:
- Provide information in plain English and in formats such as Easy Read, audio and large print. We can also provide braille when requested
- Regularly review our translated content to ensure it meets user needs and accessibility standards
- Aim to use culturally sensitive language that respects our audience’s diversity
Monitoring and Feedback
We review this statement every two years and update it as needed based on:
- Legal and regulatory changes
- Service user feedback
- New best practice in translation and accessibility
If you have suggestions or need information in another language or format, please get in touch.
Contact Us
To request a translation or language support, you can contact the IMA:
Independent Monitoring Authority
3rd Floor Civic Centre
Oystermouth Road
Swansea SA1 3SN