FOI request (FOIR-761171493)

Foreign Language Translation and Interpretation

Requested Thu 30 October 2025
Responded Tue 25 November 2025

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), I am requesting the following information regarding your council's expenditure on foreign language translation and interpretation services.

For the calendar year 2024-2025 as well as the fiscal year 2024/25, please provide the following:

1. The total amount spent on foreign language translation (written documents) and interpretation (spoken, including telephone and face-to-face) services across all council departments/services.

2. The number of foreign language translation/interpretation requests received and fulfilled in each year (for example, 2024-25, 500 requests, 450 fulfilled).

3. A list of the 15 most common foreign language translation requests received with number of requests and fulfilled (for example, Polish, 250 requests, 100 fulfilled).

4. Details of any current contracts or providers for these services, for example, provider name, contract start/end dates, total value (excluding commercially sensitive pricing). If the council uses an in-house team rather than contractors, please specify this.

For clarity, this request is limited to services for non-English spoken or written languages (for example, Polish, Urdu, Arabic). Please exclude any costs related to British Sign Language (BSL), other sign languages, Braille, or accessibility services for disabilities, unless they cannot be easily separated out within the statutory FOI cost limits. Please specify if these costs have been included.

Please provide in either .pdf, .docx or .xls spreadsheet format where possible. If any part exceeds the Section 12 cost limit, please prioritise items 1 and 2, advise on the excess, and suggest refinements.

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Response

1. £5,480.54

2. Information not held.

3. Information not held.

4. Information not held. The contract is with the East Sussex County Council interpreting framework, please visit their website for further information:

https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk