Trusted by the NHS · HM Courts · UK Councils

Translation & interpreting
the UK trusts.

Qualified, DBS-checked linguists in 300+ languages — including the rare dialects most UK agencies can’t source.

Get a free quote Our services
Built for UK clients quality-managed UK GDPR compliant 24/7 phone interpreting Home Office & UKVI accepted
300+
Languages
Incl. rare dialects
20,000+
Vetted linguists
DBS-checked
24/7
Phone interpreting
365 days a year
1 hr
Quote reply
In working hours
Last updated

Prism Linguistics is a UK translation and interpreting agency headquartered in Warrington, England, providing professional language services in 300+ languages to the NHS, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, UK local councils, UK law firms (including Duncan Lewis Solicitors) and UK businesses. Our production workflow is quality-managed and our interpreters are DBS-checked; phone interpreting is available 24/7 nationwide.

We specialise in rare African and Asian languages — Herero, Dinka, Hausa, Nuer, Susu, Zaghawa, Kinyarwanda, Tigrinya and others — that most UK agencies cannot source. For routine European languages we use the same two-linguist quality review process so every translation is checked by a second qualified linguist before delivery.

What we do

Six core services in 300+ languages

End-to-end language services for UK public-sector and enterprise clients — under one rigorous quality workflow.

Interpreting

Face-to-face, telephone (24/7), video remote and BSL interpreting. DPSI, DPI and NRPSI-registered linguists across the UK.

All interpreting services

Translation

Document, technical, legal, medical and marketing translation. Two-linguist QA on every project, rigorous quality workflow.

Translation services

Certified translation

Home Office, UKVI, HMCTS, HMPO and university-accepted certified translations with signed declaration of accuracy.

Certified translation

Transcription & subtitling

Audio & video transcription, Ofcom-compliant subtitling and SDH in 300+ languages for UK broadcasters and corporates.

Transcription

Localisation

Website, software, app and marketing localisation with native linguists and in-context QA in 300+ language markets.

Localisation

British Sign Language

NRCPD-registered BSL interpreters for the NHS, courts, employers and live events. Face-to-face and video relay.

BSL interpreting
Plain-English answers

What these services actually mean

Direct definitions of the language services UK buyers ask us about most often.

What is certified translation in the UK?
A UK certified translation is a translation accompanied by a signed declaration from the translation provider confirming the translation is true and accurate. It is accepted by the UK Home Office, UKVI, HMCTS, HMPO and most UK universities. There is no "sworn translator" register in the UK — certification is provided by a reputable translation company on its letterhead.
What is an interpreter (vs a translator)?
A translator works with written text; an interpreter works with spoken language in real time. Prism Linguistics provides both. Interpreting can be face-to-face, by phone, by video, simultaneous, consecutive or whispered (chuchotage).
What is the four-eyes principle?
The four-eyes principle (also known as two-linguist review) is the industry standard for professional translation quality: the first translator works exclusively into their mother tongue, then a second qualified linguist independently reviews the translation for accuracy, terminology and consistency before delivery. We apply this on every project.
Are your interpreters DBS-checked?
Yes. Interpreters assigned to NHS, court, police, council safeguarding and school work hold a valid Enhanced DBS certificate. We document interpreter qualifications and DBS status for every booking on request.
How it works

From enquiry to delivery in 5 steps

A simple, transparent process — whether you need a one-page certified translation or a full conference interpreting team.

  1. 1

    Tell us what you need

    Use the online quote form or call +44 (0) 20 3880 6688. Tell us the language pair, document type or interpreting setting, and your deadline.

  2. 2

    Receive a transparent quote

    A UK project manager replies within 1 working hour with pricing, timeline and any compliance notes — e.g. certified translation, DBS-checked interpreter.

  3. 3

    We assign a vetted, qualified linguist

    We match your job to a native-speaker linguist with documented subject-matter experience — legal, medical, technical, financial or marketing.

  4. 4

    Two-linguist quality review

    Every translation is reviewed by a second qualified linguist before delivery — the four-eyes principle (two-linguist review), applied on every job.

  5. 5

    Delivery and follow-up

    Files in your required format; certified hardcopies posted via tracked Royal Mail when needed. Your UK project manager stays your point of contact.

Sectors we serve

UK public-sector and enterprise specialism

Specialist linguists with hands-on experience in your industry — from immigration solicitors to NHS trusts.

Legal translation and court interpreting for UK solicitors and tribunals

Legal

Immigration, asylum, family, criminal & commercial law firms.

 NHS-trusted medical translation and healthcare interpreting

Healthcare & NHS

NHS trusts, GP practices, mental-health and community services.

 UK police and HM Courts interpreting

Police & courts

HM Courts & Tribunals, UK police forces, custody & witness interviews.

 UK business translation services

Business

FTSE-listed, SMEs and global enterprises operating in UK markets.

 UK financial translation services

Financial

Banks, insurers, accountancy practices and UK fintech.

 UK media translation, subtitling and voiceover

Media

Broadcasters, agencies and production companies UK-wide.
How we’re different

Prism Linguistics vs a typical UK translation agency

What you actually get when you brief us against what a generic translation agency typically offers.

Comparison of Prism Linguistics service features against a typical UK translation agency
Feature Prism Linguistics Typical UK agency
Languages covered300+ including rare African/Asian dialects~50–100, common European
Reply to a new enquiry1 working hourSame business day
Two-linguist QA (four-eyes review)✓ On every jobOn premium tier only
DBS-checked interpreters✓ For NHS / court / police bookingsOn request
24/7 phone interpreting✓ 365 days a year✗ Business hours only
UK head office (named PM)✓ Warrington, named contactOften offshore PM
Home Office / UKVI accepted✓ Yes✓ Usually
Rare African languages✓ Herero, Dinka, Nuer, Susu…✗ Subcontracted or unavailable
Trusted across the UK public & private sectors
NHS Trusts HM Courts & Tribunals UK Law Firms UK Local Councils BBC Two-linguist QA UK GDPR
Our specialism

Rare languages most UK agencies can’t source

Where the UK pool of qualified interpreters is very small — immigration solicitors, courts and councils book us for these every week.

Herero Dinka Hausa Nuer Susu Zaghawa Kinyarwanda Tigrinya Lingala Amharic Arabic Urdu Polish Romanian Pashto Farsi
Browse all languages

A–Z language directory

All 300+ languages we work in, with a dedicated landing page for each.

Prism consistently finds us qualified interpreters in rare African languages where every other agency we’ve tried has come back empty-handed. They’ve become indispensable to our immigration tribunal work.
— Senior Solicitor · UK Immigration Law Firm
FAQ

Common questions

Answers to what UK clients ask us most often. Same questions are marked up in FAQPage schema so they can surface in Google AI Overviews and rich results.

What is Prism Linguistics?
Prism Linguistics is a UK-based translation and interpreting agency headquartered in Warrington, England. We provide translation, interpreting, transcription and localisation services in 300+ languages to the NHS, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, UK councils, UK law firms and UK businesses. Our workflow is quality-managed and our interpreters are DBS-checked.
How many languages does Prism Linguistics cover?
300+ languages and dialects, including rare African and Asian languages such as Herero, Dinka, Hausa, Nuer, Susu, Zaghawa, Kinyarwanda and Tigrinya — languages where the UK pool of qualified interpreters is very small.
Are your translations accepted by the UK Home Office and UKVI?
Yes. Our certified translations are accepted by the UK Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), HM Passport Office (HMPO) and UK universities. Each certified translation includes a signed declaration of accuracy and can be posted in hardcopy via tracked Royal Mail.
How quickly can I get an interpreter or translation?
Telephone interpreting in 300+ languages is available 24/7. Face-to-face interpreting in major UK cities can usually be arranged within 2–4 hours. Standard certified translations are typically delivered within 24–48 hours; urgent and same-day options are available.
How do you ensure translation quality?
Every translation we deliver goes through the four-eyes principle: the first translator works exclusively into their mother tongue, then a second qualified linguist independently reviews the translation for accuracy, terminology and consistency before delivery. Our linguists have documented subject-matter experience (legal, medical, technical, financial) and our information handling is UK GDPR compliant.
Which UK sectors does Prism Linguistics work with?
We serve the legal sector (immigration, asylum, family, criminal), healthcare and NHS, courts and tribunals, UK police forces, local government, financial services, media/broadcasting, and UK business across SMEs and FTSE-listed enterprises.
How much does UK translation or interpreting cost?
Translation is priced per word or per project depending on document type and language pair. Interpreting is priced per assignment based on duration, location and setting (NHS, legal, corporate). Request a free quote and we reply within 1 working hour.
Where is Prism Linguistics based?
Our UK head office is at Dallam Court, Dallam Lane, Warrington WA2 7LT, England. We operate UK-wide and have partner offices in the USA (New York) and India (Hyderabad).

Ready to brief us on a project?

Tell us what you need translating or interpreting and we’ll reply within 1 working hour with transparent pricing and turnaround.

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