Website accessibility for UK businesses

Accessibility is part of service quality. It helps more people understand, navigate and complete important tasks and reduces avoidable support demand.

Start with structure

Use meaningful headings, landmarks, labels and link text. A page should remain understandable when styles or imagery are unavailable.

Support keyboard and focus

Every interactive control must work without a mouse. Focus should be visible and move in a logical order, especially through menus, dialogs and validation errors.

Design for readable contrast

Text, controls and focus indicators need sufficient contrast. Do not communicate status through colour alone, and ensure zoom and reflow do not hide content.

Make forms recoverable

Use persistent labels, specific errors and a summary that takes the user to the first problem. Preserve valid input after a failed submission.

Test beyond automation

Automated checks catch only part of the problem. Combine them with keyboard testing, screen-reader sampling, zoom, reduced motion and real user feedback where possible.

Accessibility should be included in design, content and acceptance criteria—not added as a final compliance pass.