How to write accessible web content

Headings and structure in web content

Use clear, meaningful headings and lists to help people find, understand and navigate content.

This guidance explains how to use headings and lists so content works for everyone, including people using assistive technologies.

Why headings matter

Headings organise content and show how information is structured.

They help people:

scan content quickly
understand how information is organised
go straight to the section they need

This is especially important for people who:

use mobile devices or small screens
have dyslexia or cognitive impairments
use assistive tools, like screen readers, keyboards, or voice control

Assistive tools, such as screen readers, use headings like a table of contents to help people navigate content.

When headings are missing, unclear or structured incorrectly, content becomes harder to read and navigate for everyone.

Writing descriptive headings

Good headings explain what a section contains without needing the body text. They should be specific, concise and written in plain English.

Do:

use headings that clearly describe the content that follows
keep headings short and focused (under 60 characters)

Where possible:

use plain English
use words people are likely to search for
put the most important words first
use active language
use sentence case (only capitalise proper nouns)

Do not use headings that:

exist only for layout, spacing, or appearance
rely on visual styling alone (for example, bold, italics, or all caps)
are vague or generic, such as “Learn more”
repeat the same wording across multiple headings
rely on unexplained jargon, abbreviations, or acronyms
are written as questions when a statement is clearer

Do not add body text between headings unless it adds useful context.

Examples of good and poor headings

Good examples:

Apply for free school meals
What happens after you apply
Documents you need to provide

Poor examples:

Apply now
More information
Introduction

Good headings describe what users will find in the section.

Tip: Read headings in order without the body text. If they do not explain the page clearly on their own, rewrite them.

Structuring headings for accessibility

Web page headings

On web pages, the visual appearance of headings is usually set by the website developer.

Use the correct heading levels in the website editing tool so headings work with assistive technologies.

When creating web page headings:

page titles are usually heading level 1 (this may be automatic)
start content at heading level 2
use heading levels in a logical order
check heading levels when adding or moving content

Do not:

skip heading levels (for example, from heading level 2 to heading level 4)
choose heading levels based on how they look

Learn more in How to make web pages accessible.

Document headings (Word, PowerPoint)

In documents, authors control both the visual appearance and structure of headings.

Use built-in heading styles so content works for people navigating visually and with assistive tools.

Screen readers rely on the built‑in heading styles to understand document structure and move between sections.

When creating headings in documents:

use Heading 1 for the document title
use Heading 2 and 3 for sections and sub-sections
keep visual styling consistent for headings at the same level
check heading styles are correct when adding or moving content

Avoid using the Title style for document structure, as it may not be recognised consistently by screen readers or when converting documents to PDF.

You can change the appearance of heading styles without affecting accessibility, as long as the correct heading style is applied.

Learn more in How to make Word documents accessible.

PDF headings

Avoid publishing PDFs unless necessary. PDFs often have missing or incorrect headings and can be hard to navigate with assistive tools.

Heading structure is difficult to fix after creating a PDF. To make PDFs accessible:

create accessible content in the source document (for example, Word)
use proper heading styles in the source document
check headings are correctly structured and appear as expected, for example in the Navigation pane.
export the document as a tagged, accessible PDF

Learn how to do this in How to make Word documents accessible

When to use lists and paragraphs

Lists help people find and compare information. Paragraphs help people understand connected ideas.

Use a list when people need to:

find information quickly
compare items
choose between options
follow steps

Use a sentence or paragraph when people need to understand an idea, explanation or decision.

Quick check

Before using a list, ask:

Do people need to find, compare, choose, follow or remember this information?

If yes, use a list.

If no, a short sentence or paragraph will often be clearer.

Example

This works better as a paragraph:

"We will review your application and let you know what happens next. If we need more information, we will contact you before making a decision."

The information is connected and easier to understand as a complete explanation.

Less effective as a list

We will review your application.
We will let you know what happens next.
If we need more information, we will contact you before making a decision.

The list breaks up information that belongs together. A paragraph is clearer because users do not need to compare items, choose options or follow steps.

Once you have decided that a list is the right choice, use the guidance below to structure it accessibly.

Structuring lists for accessibility

Lists help people scan content, compare information and navigate pages.

Assistive technologies can identify lists and announce how many items they contain. This helps people understand structure and move through content more efficiently.

Do:

use built-in bulleted or numbered list styles
break up long sentences or paragraphs into clear points
make sure each list item can be read and understood on its own
use a sentence or paragraph instead when there is only one point

Where possible:

use lists only when items are related and equally important
keep list items short and written in plain English
limit each list item to one sentence
put the most important information at the start of each item
place links at the end of list items

Do not:

rely on visual spacing alone to show steps or actions
use manual dashes, numbers or styling instead of list tools
add spaces, images or tables between list items
include long paragraphs within a list item
use bullets to indent content that is not a list
end bullet points with commas or semicolons
end bullet points with "and" or "or" (rare exceptions may apply)

Avoid turning an entire bullet point into a link. Place links within the bullet text or at the end of the list item.

List examples and formatting

These examples show how to format lists consistently and accessibly. Use them as a reference when writing.

Bulleted lists

Bulleted lists are usually written in one of two styles:

Part of a sentence – start with a lowercase letter and do not use punctuation at the end
Complete sentences – start with a capital letter and end with punctuation

Example: List that forms part of a sentence

Use this style when a list continues from a lead-in sentence.

When a list forms part of a sentence:

use a lead-in line that ends with a colon
put shared information in the lead-in line
ensure each bullet flows naturally from the sentence
keep tense and verb forms consistent
start bullet points with lower-case letters (unless starting with a proper noun)
keep each bullet to one short sentence
avoid punctuation at the end of bullet points

Example: Complete sentence list

Use this style when each list item is a complete sentence.

Start each bullet point with a capital letter.
Finish each bullet point with a full stop (or question mark).
Keep sentences short, clear, and focused.

Example: List following a heading

Do not use a lead-in sentence.
Do not put a colon after the heading.
Use one short sentence per list item.
Start each item with a capital letter.
Finish each item with a full stop (or question mark).

Numbered lists

Use a numbered list only when the order matters.

Example: Numbered list with steps

Follow these steps to add a numbered list:

Write each step as a short, complete sentence.
Start each sentence with a capital letter.
Finish each sentence with a full stop.
Apply the numbered list style using the editing tool.

Common mistakes we see

These issues make content harder to navigate and understand, especially for people using assistive technologies.

Headings

Common issues with headings include:

using headings just for spacing or appearance
using text that looks like a heading but isn’t set up as one.
skipping heading levels (for example, going from heading 2 to heading 4).
writing vague headings, like “Introduction” or “More information”.
repeating the same heading in different sections.
using different heading levels or styles for the same type of section

Lists

Common issues with lists include:

not using built-in list tools, so assistive tools can’t read them as lists
using a list for content that isn’t really a list (for example, an address)
mixing full sentences and short phrases in the same list
making list items too long or complicated
mixing bullet points and numbered steps in the same sequence
ending list items inconsistently or using the wrong punctuation

Accessibility standards and resources

Following this guidance helps more people access council content and supports compliance with UK accessibility regulations.

For more guidance on headings and structure:

If system or format limits stop you from following this guidance, contact the Communications and Marketing team before publishing.

Last reviewed: 15 August 2026