Why accessibility is important

At least 1 in 5 people have a long-term illness, impairment or disability. Many more experience temporary or situational barriers such as a broken arm or trying to read on a small screen in a busy place.

Accessibility makes it possible for everyone to find, understand and use information. Health conditions, cognitive differences and sensory impairments can all affect how easily a person can read a message or use a website. Designing accessibly makes sures no one is excluded.

View World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) series of videos showing different accessibility perspectives and the difficulties some users can face.

If you're new to accessibility, the GOV UK blog gives a clear overview of what it is and why it matters. It was published when the regulations were introduced but is still relevant.

Regulations

Accessibility standards for websites are set out by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). 

Meeting accessibility standards is a legal obligation under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. These regulations became enforceable in 2020 and aim to make sure services provided by public sector organisations are accessible. Audits are carried out and organisations can face legal, financial and reputational consequences if they don't comply.