What Interpreting Matters Ltd does

Interpreting Matters Ltd is a UK-based interpreter agency founded in 2001 by Karen Green and operated as a mother-daughter partnership with her mother Kathy Skinner. The company provides NRCPD-registered British Sign Language interpreters, deafblind interpreters, speech-to-text reporters (STTRs), lipspeakers, and notetakers to organisations requiring accessibility services for deaf and deafblind individuals. Its client base spans healthcare, legal, education, corporate, local government, theatre, and charity sectors across the UK, with services delivered in-person or remotely via standard video conferencing platforms.

The business operates as a pure agency model: bookings are received via phone, email, and a website enquiry form, then matched against a curated database of freelance NRCPD-registered interpreters. Core operational infrastructure relies on BSLBeam, an online booking system owned by Sherratt Rowan, rather than proprietary technology. Revenue is generated through a percentage margin on interpreter fees, with quote-based pricing, no publicly disclosed rates, and 21-day payment terms. The company is registered with the Department of Education for Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) provision and supports Access to Work (ATW) government funding pathways.

The company maintains ~8 staff members and has explicitly positioned itself against AI-generated BSL avatars, emphasizing human-only interpreting and regulatory compliance under the Equality Act 2010, Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, and BSL Act 2022. It holds Living Wage Foundation and FSB accreditations, and partners with complementary Deaf-led organisations including MyClearText, B.S.L. Training, and 3D Care for community engagement and cross-referrals.

Name

Interpreting Matters Ltd

Legal name

Interpreting Matters Limited

Website

https://interpretingmatters.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Interpreting Matters Ltd is a UK-based agency providing NRCPD-registered British Sign Language interpreters, deafblind interpreters, STTRs, lipspeakers, and notetakers to healthcare, legal, education, corporate, and government clients across the United Kingdom, operating since 2001.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sign Language Interpreting Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), Translation and Interpretation Services (54193)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

Keywords

• BSL interpretation services
• Sign language interpreters
• Deafblind interpreter booking
• Accessibility language services
• Interpreter agency UK

Headquarters

HQ city

Whitstable

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interpreter Booking Services: Interpreting Matters acts as an agency, booking NRCPD-registered interpreters and language service professionals for clients. They charge a percentage of the interpreter fee for administration costs. Clients (bookers) pay for interpreter services, and the company takes a margin. Fees are discussed at time of booking. Terms are strictly twenty-one days from date of invoice.
2. Access to Work (ATW) and DSA Funding: The company provides interpreters through government funding schemes including Access To Work (for disabled people in work) and Disabled Student Allowance (DSA for students). They are registered with the Department of Education to provide DSA support services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Interpreting Matters Ltd is a UK-based agency founded in 2001 that supplies NRCPD-registered British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, deafblind interpreters, and related language service professionals to organisations including theatres, universities, local authorities, deaf charities, healthcare providers, legal services, and corporate clients. The firm operates as an interpreter booking and matching agency, providing vetted human interpreters for on-site assignments and remote sessions via the BSLBeam platform.

Product overview

Interpreting Matters Ltd operates as an interpreter agency providing a portfolio of Language Service Professional offerings centered around British Sign Language interpretation and accessibility services. The core services include BSL Interpreter Service (the primary offering), Conference Interpreting, Deafblind Interpreter Service, Speech-to-Text Reporting (STTR), Lipspeaker Service, and Notetaker Service. These services are delivered by NRCPD-registered professionals and can be provided in-person or remotely via video platforms. The company also supports funding mechanisms through Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) and Access To Work (ATW) programs. Services are bookable through a booking form on the website, with freelancers recruited via a separate registration process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreting Supply of NRCPD-registered BSL interpreters to UK organisations for meetings, events, performances, and day-to-day accessibility needs across theatre, education, public sector, charity, healthcare, legal, and corporate settings.
• Deafblind Interpreting Provision of specialist interpreters qualified to support deafblind service users, supplied to organisations arranging accessible meetings, events, and appointments.
• Speech-to-Text (STT) Services Real-time speech-to-text transcription and captioning provided to organisations needing accessible communication for deaf or hard-of-hearing participants who use text-based access.
• Theatrical and Live-Event BSL Interpreting Provision of experienced BSL interpreters tailored to theatrical performances, stage productions, and live events, where timing, staging, and artistic context demand specialist interpreters.
• Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) Remote BSL interpreting delivered through the BSLBeam online booking and video platform, allowing organisational clients to access interpreters for virtual meetings, appointments, and events.

Quantifiable outcome

• UK legal compliance with Equality Act 2010, Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, and British Sign Language Act 2022

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MyClearTextminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMyClearText provides high quality on-site and remote speech-to-text reporting for deaf people. Founded by Elaine McCarthy and Orla Pearson who both trained at the only full-time stenography course in Europe. The partnership complements Interpreting Matters' service offerings by providing STTR services alongside their BSL interpreting services.
• B.S.L. TrainingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerB.S.L. Training is an acclaimed Deaf-led British Sign Language and Deaf Awareness training provider based in Maidstone, Kent. All B.S.L. Training teachers are native British Sign Language users who live in the Deaf world. The partnership supports community awareness and training connections.
• 3D CareminorStrategic or Co-development Partner3D Care (formerly B.S.L. Community) is a Community Interest Company created by Deaf people for Deaf people. Their vision is to empower Deaf people through employment, workshops, one-to-one training and peer support. Profits are reinvested into the Deaf community in Kent. The partnership connects Interpreting Matters with Deaf community initiatives.
• BSLBeamcoreTechnology or IntegrationBSLBeam is the online interpreter booking system used by Interpreting Matters to list and confirm all bookings. It is owned and run by Sherratt Rowan, an experienced RSLI. Interpreters must register with BSLBeam separately from Interpreting Matters to receive booking notifications and confirm assignments.
• NRCPD (National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deaf/Blind People)coreOthersNRCPD is the regulatory body that registers and regulates communication professionals working with Deaf and Deaf/Blind people. All interpreters provided by Interpreting Matters must be NRCPD registered or regulated. The company adheres to NRCPD Code of Conduct.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sign Solutions: UK-based BSL interpretation and language services agency offering NRCPD-registered interpreters to public and private sector clients. Directly comparable in product mix (BSL, deafblind, STTR) and UK-wide delivery model.
• DA Languages: UK-focused language services agency supplying interpreters and translators to public-sector and corporate clients. Comparable in B2B agency model and reliance on a vetted freelancer network for booking fulfilment.
• AA Language Services: UK-based interpreting and translation agency serving NHS, legal, and local authority clients. Directly comparable customer base and on-demand booking model, though broader on spoken languages than signed.

Emerging players

• MyClearText: UK-based speech-to-text reporting provider for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, partnering with Interpreting Matters. Adjacent provider offering STTR services, an overlapping but narrower capability.

Broad incumbents

• Big Word: Established UK-based language services provider offering interpretation and translation across public and private sectors. Comparable on agency-based interpreter booking and public-sector contracts, though it spans both spoken and signed languages.
• LanguageLine Solutions: Large incumbent interpretation services provider covering spoken languages and BSL across the UK and globally. Comparable as a customer-facing interpretation services agency but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.

Others

• NRCPD (National Register of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deaf/Blind People): UK regulatory body that registers BSL interpreters and related professionals. Not a competitor, but the regulatory standard-setter that Interpreting Matters' interpreter supply depends on, and an indirect ecosystem participant.

Regional players

• Action Deafness: Deaf-led charity providing communication support, advocacy, and BSL-related services. Comparable mission and community positioning, though primarily a charity rather than a commercial agency.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Interpreting Matters Ltd