Home Office ILSU panel interpreter
I am an active panel member with the Home Office Interpreter Linguist Services Unit (ILSU), interpreting at substantive and screening asylum interviews remotely and in person. In November 2025 I was awarded a Home Office Letter of Merit — commendation of outstanding achievement.
Substantive interviews
The substantive asylum interview is the pivotal moment in most asylum claims. It is long, detailed, and forensic. The interpreter's accuracy directly affects the credibility findings the decision-maker will later record. I work to the procedural standards set by the Home Office and to the professional standards required by NRPSI registration.
Practical points for solicitors
- Pre-interview briefing. A short call before the interview to confirm dialect, key terminology, and any sensitive content is welcomed.
- Dialect confirmation. If you are unsure whether your client speaks Yemeni, Sudanese, or another dialect, I can usually confirm in a 60-second call.
- Sensitive content. Torture, sexual violence, and trauma narratives require specific interpreting technique. I conduct these with the care they require.
- Continuity. Where the case progresses to appeal, I can usually continue as the interpreter through the tribunal stage if instructed by the appellant's solicitor.
Direct instruction outside the panel
I am also instructed directly by solicitors for client conferences, statement-taking, expert reports, and Further Submissions material — outside the panel route. Direct instruction often produces better continuity and better outcomes than relying on whichever interpreter the Home Office happens to assign.