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The internet is changing and becoming more accessible
The internet is increasingly at the centre of our public life.
Information, banking, shopping and government services are all now delivered online.
Ten years ago, the internet had a more niche role in our lives, so there were less well-defined standards for how we publish content online.
But now - due to the rapid growth of online platforms - accessibility has become ever more important.
If we do not ensure that content published online is accessible for all users, we run the risk of discriminating against those with specific needs, or disabilities.
Public Health England has a responsibility to publish accessible documents
The UK Government has committed to making GOV.UK a website that can be accessed by all users.
This includes people with disabilities - but also users who are using software other than Microsoft Office, or people with temporary requirements (like working in low light conditions).
This work is being implemented across all government departments.
At Public Health England, we need to make changes to ensure our publications are accessible. For example, by publishing HTML pages instead of PDF documents.
If we don't make documents accessible, we are breaking the law
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has made it illegal for public bodies to publish inaccessible publications.
In addition, the Equality Act 2010 says that digital services must be accessible to everyone who needs it - and this includes attachments, images and infographics.
In 2019 there have been several cases where public and private sector bodies were sued for breaching accessibility guidelines. GOV.UK is under a great deal of scrutiny.
Publishing inaccessible content risks reputational damage and legal action for PHE.
Making GOV.UK pages and documents accessible benefits all users
Making our pages and publications accessible has a time and effort cost associated to it.
It means that we need to find new ways of doing things.
Re-think how we design and publish long-standing documents.
But it makes GOV.UK better to use for everyone. User research shows that accessible websites are overwhelmingly preferred by all users, not just those with disabilities.
They are:
- easier to use
- simpler and more straightforward to navigate
- compatible with all kinds of software