Accessibility
Equality Act 2010 reasonable adjustments, WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and making your site usable for everyone.
The Equality Act 2010 requires UK service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled users. The European Accessibility Act does not apply to UK private-sector commercial websites post-Brexit, but WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical standard the courts and the EHRC look to. Public-sector bodies have a stricter obligation under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018. Selling into the EU? The EAA has been enforceable across member states since 28 June 2025 — see our country guides for thresholds.
Key facts
- •The Equality Act 2010 applies to UK service providers — disability-discrimination claims are claim-driven (private right of action), not regulator-driven
- •Public-sector bodies must comply with the 2018 Accessibility Regulations, monitored by the Cabinet Office
- •96.3% of the top 1 million websites have detectable accessibility errors (WebAIM 2024)
- •The most common issues are missing alt text, low contrast text, empty links, and missing form labels
- •Accessibility overlays and widgets do not make websites accessible, multiple lawsuits have confirmed this
What we check
- ✓Automated WCAG 2.1 AA testing with axe-core
- ✓Color contrast ratio verification
- ✓Alt text presence on all meaningful images
- ✓Keyboard navigation and focus management
- ✓Form label associations and ARIA attributes
Web accessibility: good vs. bad examples
Images without alt text
Product photos and banner images with empty or missing alt attributes. Screen readers announce these as "image" or skip them entirely, making the content inaccessible to visually impaired visitors. WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.1.1 requires text alternatives for all non-decorative images.
Descriptive alt text on images
Every meaningful image has alt text that describes its content: "Chef preparing pasta in restaurant kitchen" rather than "IMG_4521" or "photo". Decorative images use empty alt attributes (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Low contrast text
Light grey text (#999) on a white background, or white text on a pastel-coloured banner. WCAG 2.1 AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Low contrast makes content unreadable for people with low vision.
Sufficient colour contrast
Body text uses dark colours (#1a1a1a or similar) on light backgrounds, meeting the 4.5:1 ratio. Buttons and links have distinct hover/focus states. Colour is never the only way to convey information (e.g. error states also use icons or text).
Form fields without labels
Contact or signup forms that use placeholder text as the only label. When a user starts typing, the placeholder disappears and they can no longer see what the field is for. Screen readers cannot identify unlabelled fields.
Properly labelled form fields
Every input field has a visible <label> element linked via the for/id attribute. Placeholder text is used as a hint, not a replacement. Required fields are marked with both visual and programmatic indicators.
Relying on an accessibility overlay
Installing a widget like AccessiBe or UserWay instead of fixing actual accessibility issues. Courts in the US, UK and EU have ruled that overlays do not make websites accessible. They can actually make things worse by interfering with real assistive technology.
Native accessibility built into the design
Semantic HTML (headings, landmarks, lists), keyboard-navigable menus, visible focus indicators and skip-to-content links. These built-in features work with all assistive technologies without needing third-party plugins.
Images without alt text
Product photos and banner images with empty or missing alt attributes. Screen readers announce these as "image" or skip them entirely, making the content inaccessible to visually impaired visitors. WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.1.1 requires text alternatives for all non-decorative images.
Low contrast text
Light grey text (#999) on a white background, or white text on a pastel-coloured banner. WCAG 2.1 AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Low contrast makes content unreadable for people with low vision.
Form fields without labels
Contact or signup forms that use placeholder text as the only label. When a user starts typing, the placeholder disappears and they can no longer see what the field is for. Screen readers cannot identify unlabelled fields.
Relying on an accessibility overlay
Installing a widget like AccessiBe or UserWay instead of fixing actual accessibility issues. Courts in the US, UK and EU have ruled that overlays do not make websites accessible. They can actually make things worse by interfering with real assistive technology.
Descriptive alt text on images
Every meaningful image has alt text that describes its content: "Chef preparing pasta in restaurant kitchen" rather than "IMG_4521" or "photo". Decorative images use empty alt attributes (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Sufficient colour contrast
Body text uses dark colours (#1a1a1a or similar) on light backgrounds, meeting the 4.5:1 ratio. Buttons and links have distinct hover/focus states. Colour is never the only way to convey information (e.g. error states also use icons or text).
Properly labelled form fields
Every input field has a visible <label> element linked via the for/id attribute. Placeholder text is used as a hint, not a replacement. Required fields are marked with both visual and programmatic indicators.
Native accessibility built into the design
Semantic HTML (headings, landmarks, lists), keyboard-navigable menus, visible focus indicators and skip-to-content links. These built-in features work with all assistive technologies without needing third-party plugins.
Related guides
Does the European Accessibility Act Apply to Your Business?
The EAA became enforceable in June 2025. Find out if it applies to your business, what it requires and what happens if you don't comply.
EAA Penalties: What Happens If Your Website Isn't Accessible
The European Accessibility Act is enforceable. Here are the penalties for non-compliance and what enforcement looks like in practice.
EHRC Investigations of Websites: When and How They Trigger
How the EHRC investigates UK website accessibility under the Equality Act 2006. Section 21 unlawful-act notices, what triggers them and how to respond.
Equality Act 2010 damages: Vento bands for websites
Equality Act 2010 damages for UK website accessibility claims. Vento bands for injury to feelings plus actual losses. Civil damages, not regulatory fines.
Equality Act 2010: Website Accessibility for UK Businesses
Equality Act website accessibility UK: section 20 reasonable adjustments, section 29 services duty, WCAG 2.2 AA as evidence of reasonableness.
Free UK Accessibility Statement Template 2026 (WCAG 2.2 AA)
Free UK accessibility statement template (WCAG 2.2 AA), copy-paste ready. Covers Equality Act 2010 reasonable adjustments and EHRC enforcement.
WCAG 2.2 AA in UK law: how it fits Equality Act 2010
WCAG 2.2 AA is not UK statute for private firms but is the benchmark UK courts and the EHRC apply under the Equality Act.
Website accessibility and the Equality Act 2010
The EAA does not apply in the UK. Equality Act 2010 anticipatory duty, WCAG 2.1 AA as the de facto benchmark, EHRC enforcement and the public-sector PSBAR.
5 quick accessibility wins for UK small business sites
Five concrete fixes that take hours, not weeks, to implement and align your site with WCAG 2.1 and the Equality Act 2010.
Accessibility Statement: What It Is and How to Write One
An accessibility statement shows your commitment to an accessible website. Here's what to include and a template you can use.
Website Accessibility Overlays vs. Real Compliance
Accessibility overlays promise a one-click fix but don't deliver. Learn why they fail and what actually works.
Hotel Website Accessibility: EAA Booking Rules
Hotel booking systems need to work for everyone. Here's how to make your hotel website accessible and meet EAA requirements.
PSBAR 2018: Accessibility Rules for Public Sector Suppliers
PSBAR 2018 makes UK public sector bodies meet WCAG 2.2 AA and publish accessibility statements. What suppliers and procurement teams need to know in 2026.
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