Guidance

Accessibility statement for the Rural Payments service

Updated 2 March 2026

Applies to England

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is committed to making its websites accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This accessibility statement applies to the Rural Payments service.

How you should be able to use this website

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. You should be able to:

• change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
• zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We also make the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

How accessible this website is 

Some parts of this website are not fully accessible. This includes:

• keyboard focus is not visible on all pages, affecting keyboard and low‑vision users
• some interactive elements require mouse use, which affects keyboard‑only and assistive‑tech users
• some colours in status markers and date‑picker buttons do not meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) contrast
• PDFs generated by the system are not accessible to screen readers or users needing reflow
• some form labels and error messages are missing or unclear, which affects users relying on assistive technologies

We are building a new version of this service. We will factor in remaining accessibility issues to meet the WCAG 2.2 AA standard from 2026 onwards.

Feedback and contact information

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact webmaster.rpa@rpa.gov.uk. We will look into your comments and feedback.

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:

Email: webmaster.rpa@rpa.gov.uk
Call: 03000 200 301

We will get back to you in 10 working days.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

RPA is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the WCAG 2.2 AA standard due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed is not fully accessible for the following reasons.

Text alternatives

Some images do not have a text alternative. Some buttons have incorrect text alternatives. This means that people using a screen reader cannot access some information.

This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text content).

Plans to improve

We plan to add text alternatives for all images and buttons.

Use of colour and contrast

Some colours used in status markers, banners, and date-picker buttons do not have enough of a contrast.

This makes it harder for people who have a visual impairment to access some of the content.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 1.4.1 (Use of colour).

We have recently fixed:

• contrast for interactive elements, including hover states, focus states and header links - these now meet WCAG AA standard
• content that previously required horizontal scrolling at high zoom (for example, map keys, error messages) now reflows correctly at 400%

Plans to improve

We plan to:

• update remaining visual indicators to meet contrast ratios of at least 4.5:1
• make all text readable across devices, zoom levels and display variations

Keyboard navigation

Some links do not work with keyboard navigation. This means that people who use assistive technologies cannot access some information.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard).

We have recently fixed:

• essential links, buttons and document downloads so they are now accessible and operable via keyboard-only navigation
• navigation patterns so activating links that jump to content also moves keyboard focus appropriately

Plans to improve

We plan to:

• update sorting controls, search triggers, and other components that currently require mouse interaction, so they are fully operable via keyboard (focusable and actionable with the ‘Enter’ key or spacebar)
• enable sorting indicators and other state changes to be communicated to screen readers

Timing and session limits

The service currently times out without a warning or option to extend.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 2.2.1 (Timing adjustable).

Plans to improve

We plan to implement a timeout warning notification with clear messaging, an ‘extend session’ action, proper focus management, keyboard operability and ARIA roles.

Navigation and structure

Some heading levels are skipped within the service. This means that people who use assistive technologies to tab through content by headings cannot access some information.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 2.4.1 (Bypass blocks).

We have recently fixed the ‘skip to main content’ mechanism to it reliably moves focus to the main content area.

Plans to improve

We plan to rollout the updated skip-link pattern across the full service to ensure consistent behaviour and reliable focus movement in all user journeys.

Non-text content and language on page

Some non-text content (such as colour-coded status icons or symbols) do not have text alternatives, making them inaccessible to screen readers.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criteria 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value) and 1.1.1 (Non-text content).

Assistive technology cannot always determine the default language of the page.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 3.1.1 (Language of Page).

We have recently fixed:

• incorrect use of aria-pressed on non-toggle buttons across multiple components
• interactive controls now expose appropriate roles, names, and values to assistive technologies

Plans to improve

We plan to:

• explicitly set the default language in markup, and include a language-switching mechanism so users can switch between English and Welsh
• include text alternatives for all non-text indicators such as colour-coded status icons and symbols

Status messaging

Dynamic updates, such as search results or filtered content counts, are not consistently announced to screen reader users.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 4.1.3 (Status messages).

Plans to improve

We plan to:

• implement appropriate ARIA live regions (for example, role = “status”), so that updates are announced automatically without the user needing to move focus
• test with screen reader verification across browsers

Focus visibility

Some pages do not show visible keyboard focus indicators. This prevents users from knowing their current focus position, unless a screen reader is active.

This means that users who rely on visual cues when keyboard navigating are:

• at risk of selecting the wrong answer on a question page
• not able to sort or filter content

This fails WCAG 2.2 criteria 2.4.7 (Focus visible), 1.4.13 (Content on hover or focus) and 2.4.3 (Focus order).

We have recently fixed focus indicators on interactive controls so that they meet WCAG contrast requirements and are clearly visible to keyboard users.

Plans to improve

We plan to:

• update elements that reveal additional information on hover or focus so the content is visible until dismissed and usable via keyboard and assistive technology
• update interactive panels and overlays so focus moves immediately to the newly displayed element and follows a logical cycle
• adopt GOV.UK compliant focus styles (yellow background, thick black border, greater than 3:1 colour contrast)
• test across the system for consistent focus behaviour across all components

PDF accessibility

The service currently generates PDF documents which are not fully accessible.

This fails multiple WCAG 2.2 criteria, including:

• 1.1.1 (Non-text content)
• 1.3.1 (Info and relationships)
• 1.3.2 (Meaningful sequence)
• 1.4.3 (Contrast minimum)
• 1.4.5 (Images of text)

Plans to improve

We plan to replace PDFs with accessible versions of documents.

Forms labels and instructions

Some interactive controls, such as checkboxes, data entry fields and map controls, do not have clear programmatically associated labels so that screen reader users understand their purpose.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criteria 3.3.2 (Labels or instructions) and 2.4.6 (Headings and labels).

We have recently fixed search fields and other input components, so they include properly associated labels and clear instructions for input formats.

Plans to improve

We plan to add clear labels to all interactive controls.

Error messages

Where there are multiple issues, a generic error message appears. This means users are not told about the specific issues and how to fix them.

This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 3.3.3 (Error suggestion).

Plans to improve

We plan to update error messages to provide clear, actionable suggestions, especially for scenarios where users select incompatible or invalid options.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We are building a new version of this service. We will factor in remaining accessibility issues to meet the WCAG 2.2 AA standard from 2026 onwards.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 15 December 2025.

It was last reviewed 24 February 2026.

This website was last tested on 22 November 2024 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard. This test was carried out by the Government Digital Service on behalf of the Minister of the Cabinet Office as part of their role to monitor the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile applications in the United Kingdom.

We also used findings from our own testing when preparing this accessibility statement.