Content is provided as pre-recorded signed films through a cooperation with BSL technology company Signly. The most popular web pages are made available first. Users will be able to choose which new pages to translate as the content grows over time.

The British Deaf Association (BDA), a national charity, is increasing its calls for more recognition of the needs of the deaf community at the same time as Nationwide launches. Over 87,000 deaf persons in the UK are estimated to speak BSL as their first language, which means that many of them cannot access written English.

Only 6% of registered banking businesses offered on-demand access to online content, according to a recent assessment by the self-regulatory banking authority, the Lending Standards Board (LSB). In-branch BSL services were supplied by 65% of registered banking firms, while remote BSL access via video was provided by 59%.

The service's introduction expands upon Nationwide's current offering of accessibility services, which already includes in-branch BSL interpretation and SignVideo BSL into contact centers.

The building society is also a part of Experian's assistance Hub program, which enables users to digitally document their assistance requirements and share them with other businesses more conveniently.

Chief Customer Accessibility Officer at Nationwide, Kathryn Townsend, says: "British Sign Language is a rich, visual language." Though there are still obstacles, there has been progress with the establishment of the BSL Act, which formally recognizes BSL as the official language of England, Scotland, and Wales, and the impending introduction of the BSL GCSE. We acknowledge that accessible communication formats are not always available to BSL users, which is why we are pleased to introduce this new service as a method to better serve the deaf community and increase access to important financial information. Most importantly, our work is informed by our collaborations with deaf charities and individuals with firsthand experience.