UK Public Sector Accessibility Readiness Guide
UK public-sector accessibility readiness helps service teams identify WCAG-aligned website issues before manual review and statement updates.
This guide is for general accessibility-readiness planning. It is not legal advice, a certification, or a substitute for manual accessibility and compliance review.
Who this may apply to
- UK public-sector websites and applications
- Service teams maintaining accessibility statements
- Suppliers supporting public digital services
- Teams planning remediation before formal review
WCAG relationship
UK public-sector accessibility requirements use WCAG-based criteria for digital services. WCAG-aligned readiness signals help teams plan fixes before manual review.
What the readiness check can surface
- Heading, landmark, and page-structure signals
- Form-label and error-recovery issues
- Image alternative and link-purpose gaps
- Keyboard, focus, and skip-link readiness signals
- Contrast and responsive interaction issues
What still needs manual review
- Service-wide task testing and assistive-technology review
- Accessibility statement content and update process
- Documents, PDFs, and third-party service components
- Exemptions, timelines, and public-sector governance questions
Common readiness issues
Forms and service journeys with unclear error recovery
Navigation that is hard to operate by keyboard
Content pages without meaningful structure
Status messages and alerts that may not be announced
Low-contrast or hidden focus states
Official sources
FAQ
Who should use UK public-sector accessibility guidance?
Public-sector service teams and suppliers should use it when planning accessibility reviews, remediation, and statement updates.
Can automated checks replace a UK public-sector review?
No. Automated readiness checks are useful inputs, but manual task testing and statement review are still needed.
What does WARC help find first?
It helps identify likely issues in forms, page structure, keyboard access, text alternatives, contrast, and mobile interaction.
How should findings be used?
Use findings to prioritize remediation, prepare manual review, and inform service teams before updating accessibility documentation.
Related standards
Start with the Website Accessibility Readiness Check
Scan a public URL to find practical accessibility, usability, forms, navigation, and mobile interaction signals before planning manual review.
Run the Website Accessibility Readiness Check