The UK interpreting industry is largely unregulated, though two institutes have codes of conduct that membership is not required to follow. Freelance interpreters work without compulsory qualifications, so clients should check credentials before hiring. While bilingualism is common for interpreters, specialist skills like split attention, dealing with unknown words, and simultaneous versus consecutive interpreting modes require mastery beyond language skills alone. Formal qualifications include interpreting degrees and EU accreditation, but skills can vary widely even among graduates, with only top students considered for EU work. Proper training and experience are needed before attempting difficult EU certification tests.