If reading or writing makes a form difficult, contact the organization that provides the service and say which part is causing trouble. Ask what help or alternative communication method it can offer before you guess at answers or miss a deadline. Depending on the service, options may include talking through the questions, using a different format, getting help to record your answers, or applying by another route. What is available varies by organization and location.
Start by telling the service what is difficult
You do not need to explain your literacy level in detail or apologize. Describe the task in practical terms: “I’m finding this form hard to read or fill in. Can someone explain it or help me complete it?” If only one part is difficult, name it—for example, understanding a question, knowing which documents to provide, or working out how to submit the form.
Contact the organization early, preferably before a deadline or appointment. Ask it to explain unfamiliar words, tell you which sections are required, and clarify what information it needs. If you have received a letter, use the contact details on it, but check that they are appropriate for the service you need. Ask for the name or team you should speak to if the first person cannot help.
For UK benefits and pensions, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says people can tell it if they have difficulty reading letters or filling in forms. Its guidance describes alternatives such as a phone explanation, email in a suitable format, audio, larger type, and, in relevant circumstances, a home visit. Those are examples of DWP options, not a guarantee that every service offers each one. Read the DWP guidance on accessibility needs.
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Choose the kind of help that matches the task
“Help with a form” can mean several different things. Be specific about whether you want someone to explain the questions, provide information in a format you can use, write down answers you give, or help you communicate with the service. You can ask for more than one kind of help.
| What you need | What to ask for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| You can answer, but the wording is unclear | Ask someone to explain the questions or key terms, one at a time. | Ask them to explain what the question is asking without choosing an answer for you. |
| You understand the questions but writing is difficult | Ask whether a permitted supporter or staff member can record the answers you give. | Find out who may write on the form, whether they may speak to the service, and how you can review the answers. |
| The format is hard to use | Ask whether information or the form is available by phone, in person, on paper, in audio, in larger type, or in another suitable format. | Confirm that the alternative covers both the information and the steps for submitting the application. |
| You are unsure what is required or when | Ask which sections and documents are needed, the deadline, and how to submit. | Ask how to confirm the service received your application. |
The table describes requests to make, not services guaranteed everywhere. Ask the organization which options it actually provides and what arrangements are needed to use them.
Ask whether you can apply another way
If an online form is difficult, ask whether there is a phone, paper, face-to-face, or assisted route. Do not assume that an online process is the only way to access the service. The DWP, for example, says people who cannot use its online services should contact it by phone or letter and will be helped to access the service another way. That instruction concerns DWP services; other organizations set their own routes.
When you contact a service, describe the barrier rather than asking only for a particular technology. You might say, “I can explain my answers by phone, but I can’t complete the online form. Is there another way to apply?” If the organization offers an appointment, ask whether it can go through the form with you there. If travel is difficult, ask whether another arrangement is possible; a home visit is available only in relevant circumstances under the DWP guidance and should not be assumed elsewhere.
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Get help recording answers while keeping control
A friend, relative, or adviser may be able to support you, but check the service’s rules before sharing personal information or asking someone to act for you. Ask whether the helper may sit with you, write your answers, speak directly to the organization, or receive information about your case. Those permissions may be different. You should remain involved in deciding what your answers say.
The DWP asks claimants to give permission for a friend, family member, or welfare rights adviser to help. This is a practical reminder to ask how permission works rather than assuming a supporter can automatically speak for you. Keep sensitive documents and account details private from anyone you do not trust, and ask the service how it handles information when a supporter is present.
Some organizations provide a person to write answers as you give them. New Mexico Courts offer a local example: qualified self-represented court users who cannot fill out forms may request scribing. A trained court employee or volunteer reads the form, writes the person’s answers, then reads the answers back. The scribe does not give legal advice. This is a specific court service in New Mexico, not a general promise about courts or other services. Check local eligibility and availability with the relevant court. See New Mexico Courts’ scribing services information.
Ask for plain-language or accessible information
If the instructions are difficult to follow, ask whether the organization has a plain-language explanation, Easy Read information, or another format that works for you. Availability varies, and an accessible guide may help you understand the process without replacing the form itself. Ask how to use the guide alongside the application, especially if it does not cover every question.
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Digital NSW guidance says Easy Read may be useful for people with low literacy, including when they need service information or help with form-submission tasks. Its advice favors short sentences, one point at a time, and clear messages. That is NSW Government guidance; it does not establish that every agency elsewhere produces Easy Read versions. Read Digital NSW’s Easy Read guidance.
When someone explains a form, it is reasonable to ask them to slow down, repeat a key point, or explain a word in everyday language. You can ask the person to tell you what happens next and when, then check that you understood. For an important application, ask for a chance to review completed answers before the form is submitted. If a supporter or scribe has written them, check that the words reflect what you meant.
If a disability or health condition is also involved
Low literacy and disability are not the same thing. A person may have low literacy without a disability, or may face a reading or communication barrier related to a disability or health condition. Limited English proficiency and intellectual disability are also distinct situations; each may call for different assistance. Describe the barrier that is affecting you and ask the service about its process for adjustments if a disability or health condition applies.
Some legal protections are specific to jurisdiction and the type of organization. In the United States, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to public entities and requires appropriate steps to make communications with people with disabilities as effective as communications with others. Its regulation says: “A public entity shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with applicants, participants, members of the public, and companions with disabilities are as effective as communications with others.” The regulation also addresses auxiliary aids and services; what is necessary depends on the communication and situation, and the person’s request receives primary consideration. This is not an automatic legal entitlement based solely on low literacy, and it does not apply as a universal rule to every organization or country. Read the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA Title II regulations, including § 35.160.
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For DWP benefits and pensions, the UK guidance also describes adjustments for disability- or health-related difficulty. If that may apply, tell the service what you find difficult and ask how to request an adjustment. The applicable process and legal protections depend on where you are and which service you are using.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Prepare before you complete or submit the form
Before starting, ask the service what you need, which parts are compulsory, and how much time you have. Accessibility Standards Canada’s 2025 plain-language standard recommends that forms explain their purpose, identify what is needed before starting, place instructions where they are useful, provide help during completion, and allow paper or electronic completion. The standard is a design reference; it does not mean a particular organization follows every recommendation or offers every format. Consult Accessibility Standards Canada’s CAN-ASC-3.1:2025 standard.
- Find out what to gather. Ask which documents and details are required before you begin. If you are unsure what a request means, ask for an explanation rather than guessing.
- Confirm what must be completed. Ask which sections apply to you and whether a question can be left blank if it does not fit your situation.
- Check the deadline and route. Write down when the form is due and how the service accepts it—online, by post, in person, or by another permitted route.
- Review the answers. Read the completed form yourself if possible, or ask for the answers to be read aloud. Correct mistakes before signing or submitting.
- Keep a record. Ask how to confirm receipt and what to do if you do not receive confirmation. Keep a copy or note of what you sent and when, if you can.
Signing or submitting a form can have important consequences. If you do not understand a question, declaration, or the effect of signing, pause and ask the organization to explain it. A person helping with reading or writing is not necessarily qualified to provide specialist advice. If you need advice about legal rights, financial decisions, or another specialist matter, ask the service where to find appropriate advice in your area.
If the process is still inaccessible
If the first contact does not resolve the problem, ask for the organization’s accessibility contact, a supervisor, or its complaint procedure. Explain what you tried, what part remains difficult, and what practical change would help you complete the task. Keep dates and names where possible, along with copies of correspondence. This makes it easier to describe the issue clearly if you contact the service again.
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The DWP guidance includes a complaint route for inaccessible services or information. If you are using another service, check its own complaint and accessibility procedures; the UK process does not apply everywhere. If a deadline is close, tell the organization that and ask what you should do while the access problem is being addressed. Do not assume that requesting help automatically changes a deadline.
What to say when you contact a service
You can adapt this short script to your situation:
“I’m finding this form hard to read or fill in. I need help with [the questions / writing my answers / understanding what documents are needed]. Can you explain what support or another way to apply is available? Please tell me which sections are required, the deadline, how I can submit the form, and how I can check that you received it.”
If someone is helping you, add: “Can this person help me with the form, and what permission do you need from me?” If a disability or health condition is relevant, say so and ask how to request an adjustment. You can give only the information needed to explain the barrier and ask about the service’s next steps.
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