diff --git a/src/govuk/common.mjs b/src/govuk/common.mjs
index 22f23ddd53..ff3c537e87 100644
--- a/src/govuk/common.mjs
+++ b/src/govuk/common.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import './vendor/polyfills/Element/prototype/dataset.mjs'
 import './vendor/polyfills/String/prototype/trim.mjs'
+import './vendor/polyfills/Element/prototype/closest.mjs'
 
 /**
  * TODO: Ideally this would be a NodeList.prototype.forEach polyfill
@@ -186,3 +187,17 @@ export function normaliseDataset (dataset) {
 
   return out
 }
+
+/**
+ * Returns the value of the given attribute closest to the given element (including itself)
+ *
+ * @param {HTMLElement} $element - The element to start walking the DOM tree up
+ * @param {String} attributeName - The name of the attribute
+ * @returns {String|undefined}
+ */
+export function closestAttributeValue ($element, attributeName) {
+  var closestElementWithAttribute = $element.closest('[' + attributeName + ']')
+  if (closestElementWithAttribute) {
+    return closestElementWithAttribute.getAttribute(attributeName)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/govuk/common.unit.test.mjs b/src/govuk/common.unit.test.mjs
index 83338d5e7c..5c0ce893e1 100644
--- a/src/govuk/common.unit.test.mjs
+++ b/src/govuk/common.unit.test.mjs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * @jest-environment jsdom
  */
 
-import { mergeConfigs, extractConfigByNamespace, normaliseString, normaliseDataset } from './common.mjs'
+import { mergeConfigs, extractConfigByNamespace, normaliseString, normaliseDataset, closestAttributeValue } from './common.mjs'
 
 // TODO: Write unit tests for `nodeListForEach` and `generateUniqueID`
 
@@ -216,4 +216,38 @@ describe('Common JS utilities', () => {
       })
     })
   })
+
+  describe('closestAttributeValue', () => {
+    it('returns the value of the attribute if on the element', () => {
+      const $element = document.createElement('div')
+      $element.setAttribute('lang', 'en-GB')
+
+      expect(closestAttributeValue($element, 'lang')).toEqual('en-GB')
+    })
+
+    it('returns the value of the closest parent with the attribute if it exists', () => {
+      const template = document.createElement('template')
+      template.innerHTML = `
+        <div lang="cy-GB"><!-- To check that we take the first value up -->
+          <div lang="en-GB"><!-- The value we should get -->
+            <div><!-- To check that we walk up the tree -->
+              <div class="target"></div>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      `
+      const dom = template.content.cloneNode(true)
+      const $element = dom.querySelector('.target')
+
+      expect(closestAttributeValue($element, 'lang')).toEqual('en-GB')
+    })
+
+    it('returns undefined if neither the element or a parent have the attribute', () => {
+      const $parent = document.createElement('div')
+      const $element = document.createElement('div')
+      $parent.appendChild($element)
+
+      expect(closestAttributeValue($element, 'lang')).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.mjs b/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.mjs
index a60d90aa7e..1fb5ac3b17 100644
--- a/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.mjs
+++ b/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.mjs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import '../../vendor/polyfills/Date/now.mjs'
 import '../../vendor/polyfills/Function/prototype/bind.mjs'
 import '../../vendor/polyfills/Event.mjs' // addEventListener and event.target normalisation
 import '../../vendor/polyfills/Element/prototype/classList.mjs'
-import { mergeConfigs, normaliseDataset } from '../../common.mjs'
+import { closestAttributeValue, extractConfigByNamespace, mergeConfigs, normaliseDataset } from '../../common.mjs'
+import { I18n } from '../../i18n.mjs'
 
 /**
  * JavaScript enhancements for the CharacterCount component
@@ -24,6 +25,27 @@ import { mergeConfigs, normaliseDataset } from '../../common.mjs'
  * @param {Number} [config.threshold=0] - The percentage value of the limit at
  * which point the count message is displayed. If this attribute is set, the
  * count message will be hidden by default.
+ * @param {Object} [config.i18n]
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.charactersUnderLimitOne="You have %{count} character remaining"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're 1 character under the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.charactersUnderLimitOther="You have %{count} characters remaining"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're any number of characters under the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.charactersAtLimit="You have 0 characters remaining"]
+ *   Message notifying users they've reached the limit number of characters
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.charactersOverLimitOne="You have %{count} character too many"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're 1 character over the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.charactersOverLimitOther="You have %{count} characters too many"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're any number of characters over the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.wordsUnderLimitOne="You have %{count} word remaining"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're 1 word under the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.wordsUnderLimitOther="You have %{count} words remaining"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're any number of words under the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.wordsAtLimit="You have 0 words remaining"]
+ *   Message notifying users they've reached the limit number of words
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.wordsOverLimitOne="You have %{count} word too many"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're 1 word over the limit
+ * @param {String} [config.i18n.wordsOverLimitOther="You have %{count} words too many"]
+ *   Message notifying users they're any number of words over the limit
  */
 function CharacterCount ($module, config) {
   if (!$module) {
@@ -31,7 +53,21 @@ function CharacterCount ($module, config) {
   }
 
   var defaultConfig = {
-    threshold: 0
+    threshold: 0,
+    i18n: {
+      // Characters
+      charactersUnderLimitOne: 'You have %{count} character remaining',
+      charactersUnderLimitOther: 'You have %{count} characters remaining',
+      charactersAtLimit: 'You have 0 characters remaining',
+      charactersOverLimitOne: 'You have %{count} character too many',
+      charactersOverLimitOther: 'You have %{count} characters too many',
+      // Words
+      wordsUnderLimitOne: 'You have %{count} word remaining',
+      wordsUnderLimitOther: 'You have %{count} words remaining',
+      wordsAtLimit: 'You have 0 words remaining',
+      wordsOverLimitOne: 'You have %{count} word too many',
+      wordsOverLimitOther: 'You have %{count} words too many'
+    }
   }
 
   // Read config set using dataset ('data-' values)
@@ -58,6 +94,11 @@ function CharacterCount ($module, config) {
     datasetConfig
   )
 
+  this.i18n = new I18n(extractConfigByNamespace(this.config, 'i18n'), {
+    // Read the fallback if necessary rather than have it set in the defaults
+    locale: closestAttributeValue($module, 'lang')
+  })
+
   // Determine the limit attribute (characters or words)
   if (this.config.maxwords) {
     this.maxLength = this.config.maxwords
@@ -278,22 +319,28 @@ CharacterCount.prototype.count = function (text) {
  * @returns {String} Status message
  */
 CharacterCount.prototype.getCountMessage = function () {
-  var $textarea = this.$textarea
-  var config = this.config
-  var remainingNumber = this.maxLength - this.count($textarea.value)
+  var remainingNumber = this.maxLength - this.count(this.$textarea.value)
 
-  var charVerb = 'remaining'
-  var charNoun = 'character'
-  var displayNumber = remainingNumber
-  if (config.maxwords) {
-    charNoun = 'word'
+  var countType = this.config.maxwords ? 'words' : 'characters'
+  return this.formatCountMessage(remainingNumber, countType)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Formats the message shown to users according to what's counted
+ * and how many remain
+ *
+ * @param {Number} remainingNumber - The number of words/characaters remaining
+ * @param {String} countType - "words" or "characters"
+ * @returns String
+ */
+CharacterCount.prototype.formatCountMessage = function (remainingNumber, countType) {
+  if (remainingNumber === 0) {
+    return this.i18n.t(countType + 'AtLimit')
   }
-  charNoun = charNoun + ((remainingNumber === -1 || remainingNumber === 1) ? '' : 's')
 
-  charVerb = (remainingNumber < 0) ? 'too many' : 'remaining'
-  displayNumber = Math.abs(remainingNumber)
+  var translationKeySuffix = remainingNumber < 0 ? 'OverLimit' : 'UnderLimit'
 
-  return 'You have ' + displayNumber + ' ' + charNoun + ' ' + charVerb
+  return this.i18n.t(countType + translationKeySuffix, { count: Math.abs(remainingNumber) })
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.unit.test.mjs b/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.unit.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..82a788d2c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/govuk/components/character-count/character-count.unit.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/**
+ * @jest-environment jsdom
+ */
+
+import CharacterCount from './character-count.mjs'
+
+describe('CharacterCount', () => {
+  describe('formatCountMessage', () => {
+    describe('default configuration', () => {
+      let component
+      beforeAll(() => {
+        // The component won't initialise if we don't pass it an element
+        component = new CharacterCount(document.createElement('div'))
+      })
+
+      const cases = [
+        { number: 1, type: 'characters', expected: 'You have 1 character remaining' },
+        { number: 10, type: 'characters', expected: 'You have 10 characters remaining' },
+        { number: -1, type: 'characters', expected: 'You have 1 character too many' },
+        { number: -10, type: 'characters', expected: 'You have 10 characters too many' },
+        { number: 0, type: 'characters', expected: 'You have 0 characters remaining' },
+        { number: 1, type: 'words', expected: 'You have 1 word remaining' },
+        { number: 10, type: 'words', expected: 'You have 10 words remaining' },
+        { number: -1, type: 'words', expected: 'You have 1 word too many' },
+        { number: -10, type: 'words', expected: 'You have 10 words too many' },
+        { number: 0, type: 'words', expected: 'You have 0 words remaining' }
+      ]
+      it.each(cases)(
+        'picks the relevant translation for $number $type',
+        function test ({ number, type, expected }) {
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(number, type)).toEqual(expected)
+        }
+      )
+
+      it('formats the number inserted in the message', () => {
+        expect(component.formatCountMessage(10000, 'words')).toEqual('You have 10,000 words remaining')
+        expect(component.formatCountMessage(-10000, 'words')).toEqual('You have 10,000 words too many')
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('i18n', () => {
+      describe('JavaScript configuration', () => {
+        it('overrides the default translation keys', () => {
+          const component = new CharacterCount(document.createElement('div'), {
+            i18n: { charactersUnderLimitOne: 'Custom text. Count: %{count}' },
+            'i18n.charactersOverLimitOther': 'Different custom text. Count: %{count}'
+          })
+
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(1, 'characters')).toEqual('Custom text. Count: 1')
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(-10, 'characters')).toEqual('Different custom text. Count: 10')
+          // Other keys remain untouched
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(10, 'characters')).toEqual('You have 10 characters remaining')
+        })
+
+        it('uses specific keys for when limit is reached', () => {
+          const component = new CharacterCount(document.createElement('div'), {
+            i18n: { charactersAtLimit: 'Custom text.' },
+            'i18n.wordsAtLimit': 'Different custom text.'
+          })
+
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(0, 'characters')).toEqual('Custom text.')
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(0, 'words')).toEqual('Different custom text.')
+        })
+      })
+
+      describe('lang attribute configuration', () => {
+        it('overrides the locale when set on the element', () => {
+          const $div = document.createElement('div')
+          $div.setAttribute('lang', 'de')
+
+          const component = new CharacterCount($div)
+
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(10000, 'words')).toEqual('You have 10.000 words remaining')
+        })
+
+        it('overrides the locale when set on an ancestor', () => {
+          const $parent = document.createElement('div')
+          $parent.setAttribute('lang', 'de')
+
+          const $div = document.createElement('div')
+          $parent.appendChild($div)
+
+          const component = new CharacterCount($div)
+
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(10000, 'words')).toEqual('You have 10.000 words remaining')
+        })
+      })
+
+      describe('Data attribute configuration', () => {
+        it('overrides the default translation keys', () => {
+          const $div = document.createElement('div')
+          $div.setAttribute('data-i18n.characters-under-limit-one', 'Custom text. Count: %{count}')
+
+          const component = new CharacterCount($div)
+
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(1, 'characters')).toEqual('Custom text. Count: 1')
+          // Other keys remain untouched
+          expect(component.formatCountMessage(10, 'characters')).toEqual('You have 10 characters remaining')
+        })
+
+        describe('precedence over JavaScript configuration', () => {
+          it('overrides translation keys', () => {
+            const $div = document.createElement('div')
+            $div.setAttribute('data-i18n.characters-under-limit-one', 'Custom text. Count: %{count}')
+
+            const component = new CharacterCount($div, {
+              i18n: {
+                charactersUnderLimitOne: 'Different custom text. Count: %{count}'
+              }
+            })
+            expect(component.formatCountMessage(1, 'characters')).toEqual('Custom text. Count: 1')
+            // Other keys remain untouched
+            expect(component.formatCountMessage(10, 'characters')).toEqual('You have 10 characters remaining')
+          })
+        })
+      })
+    })
+  })
+})