Accessibility and the law
The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 states that public sector websites published before 23 September 2018 must be compliant with accessibility regulations by 23 September 2020.
According to the Government Digital Service (GDS) this means that all public sector websites must:
- meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) to level AA
- make websites and apps perceivable, operable, understandable and robust
- publish an accessibility statement
GDS has published detailed guidance for Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies.
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The internet is changing and becoming more accessible.
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As the internet has become increasingly central to our public life - with banking, shopping, and public sector services all delivered online - it's important that people with disabilities can use these websites, or we risk excluding them.
In recent years, GOV.UK has been adapted to make it more accessible for all users, and government departments are expected to make sure that the documents and publications we are publishing are in line with the Digital Service Standard.
This goes beyond making sure that pages can be used by people with disabilities - it includes other considerations, such as making sure that all documents are published in open formats so that you don't need to own a copy of Microsoft Office.
If we don't make documents accessible, we are breaking the law
It is the law that all content is accessible to users, no matter the severity of their disability, temporary or permanent.
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Because accessibility is becoming such an important issue, organisations and individuals will make their voices heard if a website is publishing information that is inaccessible. There have been numerous cases of lawsuits being filed against companies in the UK and US in the last two years.
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This means the old ways we used to design and publish documents now need to be changed. It is important that we do this work to ensure that we uphold the reputation of PHE.
Accessible websites are ultimately better for users
We've talked about accessibility in terms of compliance, but research suggests that in the long run, users overwhelmingly prefer to use accessible websites.
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- more straightforward to navigate
- compatible with a range of software - not just Microsoft Office
- easy to read on multiple devices
- simple to quickly scan and learn the relevant information
This means that accessibility isn't about customising GOV.UK so that it's acceptable to use for people with disabilities - accessibility is about finding new ways to publish information that ultimately benefits everyone.
Watch Web accessibility perspectives: explore the impact and benefits for everyone short videos (all videos are subtitled).
Now you know why accessibility matters, find out what things we need to make accessible
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We hope this article was useful.
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