Simply Readable

This information was sourced from "Simply Readable" by AI.GOV.UK, https://ai.gov.uk/knowledge-hub/tools/simply-readable/?directTo=library. Licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0.

The challenge

With 1.5 million people in the UK living with a learning disability, councils must provide accessible information in Easy Read formats. Traditional methods are slow and expensive, placing unsustainable pressure on resources and risking the exclusion of vulnerable populations from vital information.

The solution

Developed by Swindon Borough Council using Amazon Bedrock, Simply Readable is an AI-powered tool that generates Easy-Read documents. Co-created with residents with learning disabilities, it features larger fonts, clear language, increased spacing, and supporting visuals to meet real user needs.

The results

• Reduced the cost of creation of 5-10 page documents from £600 to circa 7-10 pence.
• Enabled the creation of the documents to be completed in under 30 minutes, compared to weeks using traditional methods.
• Freed up social worker time, improving frontline service delivery.

Learnings / insights

• Co-designing with target users ensured the solution met real needs, ensuring greater user satisfaction.
• Open-sourcing the tool enabled its impact to be scaled across the public sector.