Use this format if you’re creating an accessibility statement for a GOV.UK service (that’s a service published on a .service.gov.uk subdomain). Edit the sample statement to include information about your service, including information from your accessibility audit.
Publish the accessibility statement at a url within the .service.gov.uk subdomain - and link to it from the footer of every page of your service (not including your GOV.UK start point).
There’s a different format if you’re creating an accessibility statement for a public sector website that’s not part of GOV.UK.
You must publish your accessibility statement before you move to public beta.
Publishing an accessibility statement is part of meeting the accessibility regulations that apply to public sector websites and apps. The full name of the regulations is the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
[Note: This is a sample accessibility statement for a fictional service on GOV.UK. It contains sample wording and guidance on what to include.
Do not duplicate information in the main GOV.UK accessibility statement.]
This service is part of the wider GOV.UK website. There’s a separate accessibility statement for the main GOV.UK website.
This statement only applies to the [insert service name] service, available at [insert name of .service.gov.uk subdomain].
[Note: use this section to provide a brief, general overview of what the service allows disabled users to do. Summarise the detail covered in the ‘Technical information about this service’s accessibility’ section. If you’re not confident that something is accurate, leave it out. If you’re not confident enough to say anything specific here, leave this section out completely.]
This service is run by [name of department or organisation]. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this service. For example, that means you should be able to:
We’ve also made the text in the service as simple as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
[Note: use this section to provide information that a disabled user can act on. Use the evaluation covered in ‘Technical information about this service’s accessibility’ as your starting point, but talk about anything that might cause disabled users a significant problem - whether or not it falls below WCAG 2.1 AA standard. Try to list in order of most impact to least impact.]
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
If you have difficulty using this service, contact us by:
[Note: if your service uses other channels, such as SMS or post, include more information here about how users can get in touch about their accessibility needs.]
As part of providing this service, we may need to send you messages or documents. We’ll ask you how you want us to send messages or documents to you, but contact us if you need them in a different format. For example large print, audio recording or braille.
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this service. If you find any problems that are not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: [provide both details of how to report these issues to your organisation, and contact details for the unit or person responsible for dealing with these reports].
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).
[Note: if your organisation is based in Northern Ireland, refer users who want to complain to the Equalities Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) instead of the EASS and EHRC.]
We provide a text relay service for people who are deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment.
Our offices have audio induction loops, or if you contact us before your visit we can arrange a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter to help you complete the service in person.
Find out how to contact us [add link to contact details page].
[Note: this form of wording is legally required, so do not change it.]
[Name of organisation] is committed to making this service accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
[Note: say that the website is fully compliant if the website meets the WCAG 2.1 AA standard in full. Say that it’s partially compliant if it meets most requirements of the WCAG 2.1 AA standard. If it does not meet most requirements of the WCAG 2.1 AA standard, say that it’s not compliant.
If your website is either partially compliant or not compliant with the WCAG 2.1 AA standard, you’ll need to explain why. This will be due to one or both of the following:
non-compliances - this means the content in question is in scope of the regulations, but there’s an accessibility problem with it
an exemption - this means the inaccessible content is out of scope of the regulations, or it would be a disproportionate burden for you to make it accessible
There’s a legally required way of expressing the compliance status of your website, so do not change it. The 3 options are as follows:]
This service is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard.
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to [insert one of the following: ‘the non-compliances’, ‘the exemptions’ or ‘the non-compliances and exemptions’] listed below.
This website is not compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. The [insert one of the following: ‘non-compliances’, ‘exemptions’ or ‘non-compliances and exemptions’] are listed below.
[Note: delete the options that do not apply.]
[Note: if the service is fully compliant with the WCAG 2.1 AA standard, you can leave the ‘Non accessible content’ section out.
Otherwise, don’t change the ’Non accessible content’ heading or the ‘The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons’ sentence - they’re legally required.
Do not change the ‘Non compliance with the accessibility regulations’, ‘Disproportionate burden’ and ‘Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations’ subheadings: they’re also legally required.
But if you need to list a lot of problems, you can break these subsections up with further subheadings - for example, ‘Navigation and accessing information’ or ‘Interactive tools and transactions’.]
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
[Note: In this subsection, list:
Do not include any problems where you’re claiming disproportionate burden, or where the problem is outside the scope of the regulations (those should go in the subsections below).]
We use diagrams in the service. For example, to show users how to take a photograph of themselves so we can create an identification document for them.
Some of these diagrams do not have a text alternative, so the information in them isn’t available to people using a screen reader. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (non-text content).
We plan to add text alternatives for all diagrams by September 2020. If we add new diagrams, we will make sure they meet accessibility standards.
[Note: in this subsection list accessibility problems you’re claiming would be a disproportionate burden to fix
Bear in mind that something which is a disproportionate burden now will not necessarily be a disproportionate burden forever. If the circumstances change, your ability to claim disproportionate burden may change too.]
[Note: in this subsection list accessibility problems that fall outside the scope of the accessibility regulations.]
[Note: publishing an accessibility roadmap is optional. It’s a good idea to publish one if you want to be specific about the order you’re planning to tackle accessibility issues, and there’s no space to do so in the accessibility statement itself.]
[Note: the wording about when the statement was prepared is legally required, so do not change it.
This statement was prepared on [date when it was first published]. It was last reviewed on [date when it was last reviewed].
This website was last tested on [date]. The test was carried out by [add name of organisation that carried out the test, or indicate that you did your own testing].
You can read the full accessibility test report [add link to report].
[Note: publishing the test report is optional, but doing so may allow you to make your accessibility statement shorter and more focused.]
Page reviewed and updated.
Changed to reflect the updated sample accessibility statement and all negative contractions removed.
Clarified deadlines for services moving into public beta on or after 23 September 2019.
Added the dates by which you'll need to publish your accessibility page, depending on your circumstances.
Guidance first published