Easy Read Guidelines

 

Introduction

Accessible information is very important.

People with disabilities and health conditions need information that is:

• Easy to read

• Easy to understand

• Clear and direct

Many people do not get enough support.
Some people have no support at all.

This can make everyday things harder, such as:

• Reading letters about benefits

• Understanding bills

• Knowing what actions to take

• Understanding important deadlines

If information is not accessible, people may:

• Feel confused

• Feel frustrated

• Miss important tasks

• Not understand what is expected

---

Why Easy Read Matters

Easy Read helps make information:

• Simple

• Clear

• Accessible

Without Easy Read:

• Print may be too small

• Words may be too long or complex

• Too much information may be given at once

This can make important information very difficult to understand.

For example:

• A bill may need to be paid

• A form may need to be sent by a certain date

If a person does not understand this, it can cause serious problems.

---

Important Points About Accessibility

Not everyone learns or understands information in the same way.

It is important to:

• Ask people what works best for them

• Ask what they find accessible

• Respect individual needs

Be honest if you cannot provide something.
Always explain information clearly if someone does not understand.

If a person has support with them:

• Speak to the person directly

• But also allow their supporter to help explain

---

Making Information Clear

Information should be:

• Short

• Direct

• Easy to follow

For example:

• “You must post your benefit form tomorrow.”

Use:

• Bullet points

• Step-by-step instructions

• Numbers (1, 2, 3)

• Letters (A, B, C)

This helps people who:

• Have memory difficulties

• Find it hard to process lots of information

---

Teaching and Learning

Teaching should also be accessible.

Use:

• Simple words

• Short sentences

• Pictures or symbols

Learning is not always easy for anyone.
However, it can be much harder for people with:

• Disabilities

• Health conditions

This can affect:

• Memory

• Understanding

• Processing information

• Learning speed

---

Final Message

How information is presented makes a big difference.

Good accessible information can:

• Help people understand

• Help people make decisions

• Support independence

Always think about:

• How the information looks

• How it is written

• How easy it is to understand

Accessible information helps everyone.