Appendix 1
Producing Easy Read information
A Guide for Health and other Services in Sheffield
Why is it important?
We all want and need information. The new Freedom of Information
Act (2000) and the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) now require us
to produce information that is accessible to everyone using our
services. However, people with learning and other disabilities face
extra challenges in getting the information they need. Changing the
way we write and present information can make it easier for everyone
to understand. This leaflet gives some guidance on how you might do
this and a list of resources that might help you.
Making writing more accessible can help everyone. However, we need
to remember that making writing more accessible does not replace
face to face contact and conversation. This is especially true for people
with learning disabilities who may need more time to understand the
information they are being given and to ask questions.
Making writing clearer step by step
Step 1 – Decide what your key message is
1. Know your audience
Think about who you are writing for, their abilities and their needs. This
is the key to producing accessible information. If you do the job well
you may find everyone prefers the accessible version.
2. Make information relevant
Ask what information your audience wants and needs. If you are
writing for adults then avoid inappropriately childish words or pictures.
3. Involve your audience
Wherever possible involve your audience in the creative process.
Seek the ideas and advice of people with learning disabilities to help
you write your document.
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000
4. Think about how the information will be used
Some people may need support to help them to understand written
information. Using images like photos or symbols can make this
process much easier, but it is not a substitute for face to face
conversation.
Step 2 – Keep it simple

Use clear and simple text (plain English). Use everyday language
and words that everyone can understand. Avoid jargon and
explain any special words.
Example
Use ‘going home’ rather than ‘discharge’

Make it more personal, by using words like ‘you’ and ‘we’.
Example
It is vital that service
users be consulted at
each point in the
project in order to ally
any fears they may
have about imminent
change
X
Example
We want to know
what you think


Keep your sentences short. Try to have only one main idea in each
sentence. See if any of your long sentences can be broken into
two.

Be consistent in the words you use. Use the same words and
phrases every time you talk about something.
Example
If I was writing a report about a group I could talk about ‘the
members’, ‘the group’, ‘the attendees’ or ‘the participants’.
It would be much easier to understand if I just used the same word
every time.
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000
Step 3 – Set out your document in a way that makes it easier to
understand
If reading is an effort, a page of small print is very off-putting. Many
people have visual impairments that also make reading difficult.
To make your writing easier to read:

Use larger print. At least size 12 font, with important parts or
headings in 14 (or larger if you know that the audience has a visual
impairment).

Use a clear typeface such as Arial or Univers.

Don’t use italics or fancy typefaces.

Avoid block capitals. They make text harder to read. We rely on the
ups and downs of letters to recognise words.

Underlining can also make writing harder to read. To highlight
important information use a bigger font, bold, or put it in a box.
Italics
X
Example
Block capitals and
underlining are more
difficult to read


BLOCK CAPITALS
AND UNDERLINING
ARE MORE DIFFICULT
TO READ
X

X

Break the text into short chunks with lots of white space around it.

Use a ragged right edge rather than justified or straight one.
If you justify your text so that it all lines up on both sides of the
page, it makes different sized gaps between the words. This
actually makes the text harder to read.
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000

Try to start and finish a sentence on the same page.

Don’t run text over the top of a photo or picture.

Make sure there is good contrast between typeface and paper
colour, especially if using coloured paper. Avoid yellow type.

Use bullet points and fact boxes to make your main points stand
out.

If you are writing a regular publication, keep your layout consistent.
For example, in a newsletter you should put regular columns or
similar articles in the same place in each issue. In newsletters and
magazines try to avoid running articles onto another page.
Step 4 – Use drawings, photos and symbols to make your
message clear
One of the best ways to make your writing more accessible and
attractive is to use images. This could be a drawing, symbol or
photograph. Within the same document you may need to use a photo
you have scanned in yourself, some line drawings and some common
symbols. They can help the reader visualise and understand your key
messages.

Choose the image which best helps to explain your text. It is
important that images are not just there for decoration.

Make it clear which part of the text each image relates to. You can
usually do this by putting the picture next to the text. Some people
like to use a picture for each main idea or paragraph. Try to put
the picture on the left hand side of the page if possible

Remember that you are writing for adults. Use drawings that are
age appropriate as some people may find ‘childish’ images
patronising.
Drawings and Photographs
Photographs and drawings can catch the eye. A good picture can
carry a lot of information and be very easy to ‘read’:

A drawing can show a wide range of people. For example, people
from different cultures or people with disabilities.
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000

Keep images clear and simple. Sometimes photos or drawings can
be too specific and this can be confusing. People may think you
are writing only about the specific person or place shown in the
photo. Alternatively, If the photo is too busy they may be distracted
by lots of people, or things happening in the background.

If you are writing about a specific building or person, a photo will
help people understand exactly what you are writing about.

Remember that if you want to use photos of recognisable people
you should always ask their permission.

Remember if you are going to photocopy the document then you
should make sure that the images will look the same if they are
photocopied. Photos in colour or with lots of detail do not
photocopy well.
Symbols
Symbols are everywhere we look. Symbols are used in supermarkets,
in airports, on doors, but using symbols will not automatically make
your writing easier to understand. At the moment there are very few
adults with learning disabilities who know a lot of symbols. For most
people, looking at a page of symbols would be as confusing as looking
at a page written in a foreign language.
Example
Some people are now learning how to use symbols at school and
college. Some people use them at day centres. In the future more and
more people may know a lot of symbols.
You can use computer software, for example Writing with Symbols
2000 (Widgit), to add symbols to your writing. The software lets you
type in a word and a symbol will appear above it. This can be an
excellent resource but it should be used carefully.
Library
School
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000

Don’t rely on using symbols unless you know that your audience
are confident symbol users.

Use symbols only for the key words or ideas, and try to use a
symbol that can be understood even by someone who hasn’t seen
it before.

Don’t use the same symbol to mean different things.

Do not place symbols above every word unless you know your
readers use them this way. It is often better to place symbols
alongside text in the same way as other images.

Common or obvious symbols (such as toilet, meal time, no
smoking) are useful for sign posting in buildings and when using
timetables.
Useful Resources and Reading
1. Practical Information
‘Access First: a guide on how to give written information for
people with learning difficulties’, by People First. Tel: 020 7485
6660, www.peoplefirstltd.com
‘Am I Making Myself Clear’ (Booklet) and ‘Making ourselves clear:
Mencap’s minimum standards for accessible writing’ (leaflet),
Mencap. Tel. 02076965551 www.mencap.org.uk
‘Easy Info website’, www.easyinfo.org.uk
Plain English Website (Plain English campaigns guide to design and
layout, includes lists of alternative words), www.plainenglish.co.uk
2. Resources
‘Change Picture Bank’, Change. Tel. 020 7639 4312
www.changepeople.co.uk
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000
‘Writing with Symbols 2000’ Widget software Ltd. 1999. Tel. 01223
425 558 www.widgit.co.uk
Through the Maze – information Service. www.through–themaze.org.uk
3. Further Reading
‘The informability manual’, by Wendy Gregory, HMSO. ISBN 0-11702038-9
‘Literacy through symbols: improving access for children and
adults’, by Tina and Mike Detheridge, David Fulton Publishers. ISBN
1-85346-438-X
‘Make it simple: European easy to read guidelines’, by ILSMH
European Association. www.inclusion-europe.org
‘Plain facts: information about research for people with learning
difficulties’ by Ruth Townsley and Karen Gyde, Norah Fry Research
Centre, Bristol University, Tel. 0117 9238317 www.plain-facts.org or
www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/NorahFry
‘Plain English guide’ by Martin Cutts, Oxford £3.99.
866243-2
ISBN 0-19-
Please feel free to photocopy this leaflet for others.
Further copies of the original should also be available via your local PALS
officer and the Health information and Library Service website,
www.sheffield.nhs.uk/healthlibrary or Tel. 2711197
Produced by the Sheffield Improving Health Group for People with Learning Disabilities 2003
The Information in this leaflet has been adapted from ‘Am I making Myself Clear?’ Mencap 2000