This is one of the most amazing agencies I have ever worked with. They are always available to assist with any questions and provide exceptional support in every aspect
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Payment is miserable and they're dishonest. I have an MA in Interpreting and Translation and they pay 10GBP/hour, the lowest I've ever been offered. On top of that, just the 2nd time I worked for them... See more
Company replied
Code of Conduct is important as well as interpreting, that I take it seriously when I actually start. The teaching was practical and I learned lots of useful things that based on real events. I liked... See more
Company replied
I really had a good experience and I like the way they explained each and everything plus it was very informative and helpful. This was the best part of my life experience came across lots of thi... See more
Company replied
Company details
Contact info
Absolute House, 46 Hylton St, B18 6HN, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- 01212706801
- enquiries@absolute-interpreting.co.uk
- absolute-interpreting.co.uk
3.6
Average
27 reviews
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically takes over 1 month to reply
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See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Amazing Agency – Always There to Help
This is one of the most amazing agencies I have ever worked with. They are always available to assist with any questions and provide exceptional support in every aspect
April 2, 2026
Unprompted review
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Dishonest, they stop paying you their miserable pay
Payment is miserable and they're dishonest. I have an MA in Interpreting and Translation and they pay 10GBP/hour, the lowest I've ever been offered. On top of that, just the 2nd time I worked for them, they stopped paying me because they said there had been a "technical problem". I chased them up via email and phone calls multiple times over the course of 3 months and then I gave up. Their reply was always "We are awaiting for the IT department to confirm". They never apologized, never got back to me about it, always dismissive.
September 23, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for your feedback. We are genuinely sorry for the frustration and delay you experienced, particularly as this happened so early in your work with us.
We would like to clarify what happened. The missed payment was caused by a technical system error on that booking, which incorrectly marked the timesheet status and did not capture the related call log correctly. As a result, a zero value was passed through for processing, which led to the payment being missed. As soon as the issue was identified, the payment was processed.
We fully accept that the delay and the need for repeated follow-up was not acceptable, and we are sorry that our communication did not give you the reassurance you should have received.
We also want to clarify one point for transparency: remote telephone interpreting is paid on a per-minute basis, which is standard industry practice, rather than a fixed hourly rate. This means interpreters are paid for the actual call duration (for example, 50 minutes or 2 hours, depending on the booking length).
We work with a large number of interpreters each month, and while issues like this are rare, we take them seriously. We have reviewed this case and put measures in place to reduce the risk of this happening again.
We value the contribution of every interpreter we work with and regret that this experience did not reflect the standard we aim to provide
I have been working with Absolute Ltd…
I have been working with Absolute Ltd for give years now and i have been having a lovely experience working with this company for all these years .
January 27, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for your feedback and for being a valuable part of Absoute.
Unfortunately
Unfortunately, our experience with this company was extremely disappointing. Despite receiving a booking confirmation, the interpreter failed to join the meeting, leaving staff and attendees without the essential support that had been arranged.
Communication was very poor. Multiple attempts to contact the company via the emergency line and London office were unsuccessful, with calls either not connecting or being disconnected. This lack of professionalism caused unnecessary stress and disruption to an important meeting.
Based on this experience, we will not be using this service again. Reliability and communication are critical in interpreting services, and both were lacking.
Replying to your reply. I have evidence that we sent the meeting link before hand and I have an email from you apologising that the interpreter did not attend. So the meeting link was not the issue here.
January 21, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear you were disappointed.
As this is a public forum, we cannot share full booking correspondence, but we can confirm that this was a short-notice remote Spanish booking and, in order for an interpreter to join, we required the meeting link and final confirmation from your side. Our team sent multiple follow-up emails requesting this, but we did not receive the required confirmation/link until the morning of the booking.
We take reliability and communication very seriously and successfully support hundreds of bookings daily. In this case, the delay was caused by the required joining details not being provided to us in good time, which affected our ability to deliver the service as planned.
We did respond and offered assistance as soon as the concern was raised. If you would like to discuss this further, we remain happy to review the matter directly.
What an incompetent bunch
What an incompetent bunch ! You have to chase them for your payslip& pay and not once did they get it right! I guess they try to hold back as much money as they can ! The training is bad, the tutor was either 15 mins late or a no show yet he is quick to say “ if you don’t turn your camera on, I’ll kick you out “ . They also pay peanuts.
December 10, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We are sorry to hear that this was your experience, as it does not reflect the standards we aim to deliver.
For clarity, camera use during training is a compliance requirement for identity verification and attendance purposes, and this is a standard part of our process. Our training is delivered by a highly experienced and qualified senior trainer with over 25 years of experience. So we respectfully deny your comment regarding the training.
In relation to payments, unlike most providers, we operate two payment runs each month and process payments in line with our agreed schedule. We take payment accuracy seriously and do not withhold payments as claimed.
We appreciate that concerns can sometimes arise, and if there is a specific issue regarding a payslip, payment, or training session, we are always happy to review it properly through our formal support channels.
As this is a public platform, we cannot comment on individual account details here, but we remain happy to investigate any genuine concern directly.
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My experience with Absolute…
My experience with Absolute Interpreting has been consistently negative. They impose fines on interpreters for situations outside of their control, don’t reimburse travel expenses as agreed, and frequently cancel bookings at the last minute without consideration for the time already invested.
They also demand proof for things that simply cannot be proven, which feels unreasonable and unprofessional. On top of that, their communication is extremely poor, emails go unanswered, information is unclear, and getting support when issues arise is nearly impossible.
December 9, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
After a thorough review, we’re unable to locate any account, booking history, or interpreter profile in our system that matches your details. We also noted this same wording has been posted as a similar review for another provider, which raises concerns that this may not reflect a genuine experience with our company.
For clarity: our policies are in place to protect patients and clients. When an interpreter confirms an assignment and then does not attend despite reminders and courtesy calls, there can be serious consequences for the patient, so penalties may apply in line with our published terms. Travel reimbursement is processed according to the agreed booking terms, and any disputes are handled through our documented process.
If you believe this review relates to a real booking, please contact us directly with the date, location, and reference details so we can investigate and resolve it promptly.
Balanced Feedback After Resolution Discussion
After further communication with the company, I would like to update my review to reflect a more balanced perspective.
To be fair, several of the issues I previously raised were acknowledged. My face-to-face rate was increased from £15 to £17 per hour, and a £100 goodwill bonus was authorised. Although this was handled with some delay, I do appreciate that Mr Emal personally contacted me and dealt with the matter professionally and respectfully.
However, there are still important concerns.
Firstly, the cancellation policy. Compared with more established agencies I work with, where there are no strict penalty clauses, Absolute requires several days’ notice (around five days). In practice, unexpected circumstances can arise within 2–3 days, and being penalised in such situations can feel disproportionate for freelancers.
Secondly, the pay structure. While the face-to-face rate was increased, remote interpreting appears to remain in the region of £13–£15 per hour, which in my opinion does not adequately reflect the demands of the role.
Remote interpreting is particularly challenging:
you often cannot see the speakers,
audio quality may be inconsistent,
there may be technical disruptions,
and the level of concentration required is extremely high.
Working long hours under such conditions is demanding professional work. In my view, a fair rate for qualified interpreters should be at least around 20 pence per minute (or higher) in order to properly reflect the skill, responsibility and cognitive effort involved.
Thirdly, regarding NRPSI documentation: although invoices and general confirmations were provided, I was still not issued with a formal breakdown of hours by language (e.g. Russian – X hours, Ukrainian – X hours), despite providing examples of how other agencies structure this documentation. This remained an important factor for me.
Overall, the company has shown willingness to engage in dialogue, which I respect. However, considering the cancellation policy, the level of remote pay, and the documentation issue, my experience has been mixed.
For these reasons, I believe 3 out of 5 stars is a fair rating.
December 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for your review.
We are sorry that you feel this way, but several of the points in your review are not accurate.
For clarity:
Following our discussions, your face-to-face rate was increased from £15 to £17 per hour (a 13.33% increase).
A £100 bonus was also authorised as a goodwill gesture in recognition of your professionalism and the quality of your work.
We acknowledged that your experience with HR was not handled as it should have been, and this was raised internally.
In relation to your NRPSI hours evidence, payslips were initially sent to you, but we also confirmed that a full worked-hours history is held by our compliance team and should have been provided more clearly.
We have always valued your work as one of our strongest Russian-Ukrainian interpreters, and we made genuine efforts to resolve your concerns directly and fairly.
As this is a public platform, we cannot share the full correspondence here, but we do not accept the way the situation has been characterised in this review.
I have been working as a BSL…
I have been working as a BSL Interpreter Interpreter for over twenty-five years and have experienced a range of interpreting agencies. Absolute interpreting are very professional and I am always happy to work for them. All the staff are helpful including the finance department which is also very efficient.
October 6, 2025
Unprompted review
Training
I have learnt a lot during this training, somethings I was not sure had become more clearer. Furthermore to tutor was clear and spot on with the issue we might face.
October 8, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
It was a real pleasure to have you with us at the training. best of luck!
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Code of Conduct is important as well as…
Code of Conduct is important as well as interpreting, that I take it seriously when I actually start. The teaching was practical and I learned lots of useful things that based on real events. I liked the trainer's passion! Thank you.
October 7, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
It was a real pleasure to have you with us at the training. Best of luck and we look forward to working with you.
Great tutorial
Professional and friendly tutor, willing to explain and help everyone.
October 7, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
It was a real pleasure to have you with us at the training. Best of luck!
wonderful experience on learning new things
very professional and very passionate on training new interpreter.
October 7, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Dear Interpreter, thank you for your kind feedback. We very much appreciate it.
Clear and dynamic information
Clear and dynamic information. Fun and engaging!
October 7, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for sharing your feedback and appreciation. We do value and appreciate your feedback.
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Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
It was a real pleasure to have you with us at the training. Best of luck!
I have been working with Absolute…
I have been working with Absolute interpreting for almost 8 months and I am pleased to have joined this agency. I get regular work both remote and in person bookings. We did have a bit shaky start but to be fair to them, it was due to my oversight not reading their terms and conditions properly. Their HR lady really explained it well, and here we are, I have completed 231 bookings so far. Highly recommend
February 4, 2025
Unprompted review
What an awful company
What an awful company! Translation is based on communication, but they never replied any of my e-mails, failed to contact me in time, and seemingly they feel no responsibility for their employees and clients.
October 2, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for your review. Having been able to verify your email via TrustPilot, we would like to clarify that we have a full record of extensive communication with you, including 18 separate correspondences regarding your application to work as an interpreter. As with all applicants, we are required to follow strict due‑diligence and compliance procedures, and we are unable to engage services until all required documentation is provided.
While we understand this may have been disappointing, the statements made in this review do not accurately reflect our communication or processes.
I worked as a freelancer on July 26
I worked as a freelancer on July 26, 2025. I had completed copy typing of 70 pages and submitted on time. They have created my bank account on Jac-Pay online, and asked me to pay $25 for international verification code for releasing my salary, which was nothing but fraud. They cheated me of my payment. Never go to this company for any work.
July 26, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you for your review.
We do not recognise this claim and have no record of the assignment or payment arrangement described.
For clarity, Absolute Interpreting and Translations Ltd does not ask freelancers/translators to pay us any fee (including “verification” fees) in order to release payment. We also do not require translators to cover internal transfer costs. If a third-party platform (for example, PayPal or another payment provider) applies its own charges, that is outside our control.
This review appears to relate either to a scam/impostor using our name or to a matter not connected to our company.
If you believe someone has contacted you while pretending to represent us, please report it and contact us directly through our official channels so we can investigate.
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Understand the meaning of the words and…
Understand the meaning of the words and how to act and work
May 12, 2025
Unprompted review
Absolutely great
Absolutely a great reliable company to work for. You can set your own hours of work as it is flexible, either remotely or face to face. They provide online training sessions which is really helpful for the interpreters . Payments are on time as well
May 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Absolute Interpreting and Translations
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're really glad to hear that you're enjoying the flexibility and support we aim to provide. It's great to know that our training sessions have been helpful and that you're finding the work both reliable and rewarding. once again, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us.
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