Measures also include raising more awareness of the complaints process, which will include mystery shopping checks of the language providers’ complaints process, and a review of complaints and feedback escalated from the language providers.
In addition, the new contracts will reportedly introduce a secondary spoken word supplier to reduce off-contract bookings “through the design of the lotting structure […] for bookings which cannot be fulfilled by the primary supplier.”
Interpreter Qualifications and Quality Assessment
The PSC had recommended that interpreters be qualified to a Level 6 standard to work in courts. The MoJ stated that it does “not require all interpreters to be qualified to level 6 professional interpreting qualifications for all assignments. The varying 18 levels of qualification and experience currently in place for interpreters has been developed to meet the specific and varied needs of the justice system and its users.”
As a result, the MoJ requires a Level 6 qualification for “Professional” assignments, and a Level 3 qualification for “Community” assignments (e.g., telephone interpreting or non-evidential hearings).
Regarding the quality assessment process of interpreters, the MoJ confirmed that it will “strengthen” the process to “improve confidence in the quality of interpreting delivered.” As of October 2026, this will be achieved by introducing “more risk-based sampling,” in which “the QA supplier will be required to make intelligent decisions and use a risk-based approach when completing assurance and assessment activities.”
This will be achieved “by reviewing management information and data obtained from the language providers and the MoJ. For example, this may result in interpreters who have been working in closed settings being prioritised for assessment when working in an open setting,” it stated.
On the PSC’s recommendation to publish more detailed data on quality assurance checks, the MoJ requested “more time to consider this recommendation due to the complexities involved with publishing performance statistics on the quality of independent professionals.”
Conclusions on Interpreter Remuneration
Another key concern from the PSC was interpreter remuneration, which recommended that the MoJ “should take steps to improve pay for interpreters, including the introduction of minimum pay rates for interpreters, drawing on examples such as the PAIT scheme.”
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The MoJ stated that it “disagrees with the Committee’s recommendations” to increase minimum pay rates and travel time and expenses. “[The] MoJ considered setting a minimum rate for interpreters during market engagement but concluded that the rate paid to interpreters itself was competitive when benchmarked with other government departments and other public sector authorities.”
The department reiterated that interpreters have been paid a two-hour minimum rate since October 2024, which “provides a balance between attracting and supporting interpreters to take bookings while maintaining value for money for MoJ. The data analysis conducted showed that the majority of bookings were not over two hours and therefore it would be unjustified to increase the minimum duration beyond this.”
In addition, the MoJ stated that travel time and expenses are built into prices offered by service providers as part of the contract, and that self-employed interpreters are “eligible to claim business expenses when collating their tax return which may include travel.”
However, the MoJ did confirm that the new contracts will “improve the cancellation situation for interpreters” when they come into force from October 2026. “The current cut off time of 09:00 currently will be made earlier at 12am (midnight) which means that more cancellations will fall into the ‘short notice cancellation’ category and will attract a fee payable to interpreters.”
In addition, the MoJ confirmed that pay will be linked to the Consumer Price Index “from October 2026 and annually thereafter.”
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Interpreters React
On the same day that the MoJ’s response was published, the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) published a call to strike from the UK Court Interpreter Initiative, inviting interpreters to strike on 12th and 13th June, and 17th and 18th July 2025.
The Initiative stated that it is “beyond belief how the MoJ still supports the ill process undermining the principles of fairness to all service users in the justice system.” It also stated that “the current model not only fails to deliver justice but it also jeopardises it.”
The Initiative advocates to eliminate the current agency subcontracting model and to “[go] back to the NRPSI or an agency that is prepared to make a lesser profit,” as interpreter fees “fall well below the National Minimum Wage,” and “[…] [interpreters] would actually be working at a loss should they decide to travel to a remote court.”
Among its demands to the MoJ are an increase in the minimum pay from two hours to three, a cancellation fee if a booking is canceled less than 24 hours in advance, compensation for travel time and expenses, equal terms of pay for all languages, and the removal of quality assessors, known as Mystery Shoppers.
