Accessibility & Vulnerable Customers

1. Our commitment

1.1 Talk4 will maintain clear, effective policies and procedures designed to ensure that customers whose circumstances may make them vulnerable are treated fairly and appropriately, and that disabled end-users can access relevant communications services on an equivalent basis as required by Ofcom rules.

1.2 Support is not limited to permanent disability. Vulnerability may be temporary, situational or change over time.

2. What vulnerability can mean

2.1 Circumstances may include disability, serious illness, bereavement, age-related needs, language/literacy difficulties, financial difficulty, domestic abuse, changes in capacity, digital exclusion, emergencies or other circumstances that make it harder to access/manage communications services.

2.2 Customers do not need to use a particular label. Tell us what help you need and we will consider reasonable support.

3. Identifying and recording support needs

3.1 Staff should take reasonable steps to recognise indications that additional support may be needed and ask proportionate, respectful questions focused on the assistance required.

3.2 We will record support needs only where necessary and lawful, limit access to staff/suppliers who need it, keep information accurate, and review/remove it when no longer needed. Sensitive health/disability information is handled under the Privacy Notice and applicable special-category data rules.

4. Accessible communications

4.1 Where required because of disability, Talk4 will provide relevant service communications in a reasonably acceptable accessible format free of charge. This may include large print, Braille, audio or another reasonable format.

4.2 Accessible-format support can apply to contracts/variations, bills, end-of-contract/annual best-tariff information and other non-marketing service communications where applicable.

5. Third-party bill management and representatives

5.1 Where required by Ofcom rules, eligible disabled subscribers can nominate another person to receive bills/enquiries or help manage/pay bills without the nominee automatically becoming liable for the debt.

5.2 Separate legal authority such as power of attorney may allow broader account decisions. Talk4 will distinguish this from ordinary third-party bill management and verify authority proportionately.

6. Priority fault repair

6.1 Where Ofcom rules apply, an eligible end-user of a fixed-line telecommunications service who has a disability and genuine need for urgent repair can receive priority fault repair as swiftly as practicable, without a charge higher than the standard fault-repair charge.

6.2 Customers who may need this support should register or tell us as early as possible so the account can be appropriately flagged.

7. Relay and emergency-access services

7.1 Talk4 will enable/support applicable Ofcom-required accessibility services for relevant services, including approved text relay services and access to emergency communications for users with hearing/speech impairments.

7.2 Where Talk4 provides relevant internet access or number-based communications services, eligible deaf BSL users must be able to access the approved emergency video relay service free of charge, including zero-rating of associated data where technically feasible and required.

7.3 Mobile SMS access to emergency services and other regulated emergency-access mechanisms will be supported where applicable. Customers should follow the registration/use requirements of the relevant emergency service where required.

8. Directory and other disability support

8.1 Talk4 will make available the disability support services required by Ofcom for the services it provides, which may include free or equivalent access to directory information for eligible disabled users and other specified measures.

9. Payment difficulty and debt

9.1 If you are struggling to pay, contact us early. We will consider reasonable repayment/support options and take proportionate, non-discriminatory steps before restricting/disconnecting services, taking account of vulnerability and essential connectivity needs where required.

9.2 We will not pressure a vulnerable customer to accept an unaffordable arrangement. We may signpost independent debt advice where useful.

10. Sales, contracts and switching

10.1 We will communicate key contract information clearly and consider additional explanation/time/support where vulnerability may affect understanding or decision-making.

10.2 Support needs should not be used to obstruct switching. Where a regulated switching process requires information about losing-provider support services, Talk4 will provide the required information.

11. Power-dependent / IP voice services

11.1 VoIP and other IP-based voice services may stop working if mains power or the internet connection fails. Where relevant, we will explain this dependency before contract and discuss reasonable resilience/backup options for customers who rely on the service for emergency or essential communications.

11.2 Customers with a genuine need should tell us so that appropriate options/support can be considered. No backup solution can guarantee availability in every event.

12. Staff training and monitoring

12.1 Talk4 will train relevant staff on vulnerability/accessibility procedures, authorised-representative handling, payment difficulty and escalation. We will monitor the effectiveness of these policies and update them when rules/services change.

13. How to request support or complain

13.1 Contact 03333 445 456 or support@talk-4.co.uk. You may also write to 38 Rothesay Road, Luton, England, LU1 1QZ. Tell us your preferred communication method/format and what assistance would help.

13.2 If you are unhappy with how support was handled, use the Customer Complaints Code. Eligible complaints can proceed to independent ADR after the applicable threshold/deadlock.