We write using plain English so that everyone can understand us.

If people can’t understand what we say, they can’t follow our advice.

We have an obligation to make our content accessible to everyone who needs it.

Why use plain English

Plain English is better for people who have literacy difficulties.

“1 in 6 adults has literacy difficulties in Ireland. The OECD Adult Skills Survey shows that 17.9% or about 1 in 6, Irish adults are at or below level 1 on a 5-level literacy scale... At this level a person may be unable to understand basic written information.” - National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA)

Research shows that everyone prefers plain English, no matter their level of education or reading ability. Read this post and linked research on the UK's Government Digital Service blog.

Content Design London - Readability guidelines

The language we use

1. We write so everyone can understand us
2. We use plain English
3. We use the same words as our users
4. We check our content is easy to read and understand
5. We don’t use jargon
6. We explain technical terms
7. We use plain English for technical medical and legal content

Plain English principles