What accessible content means

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Learn about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the guidelines we use to make our websites more accessible to more people.

On this page

What WCAG mean

To make our content more accessible, we follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

WCAG are an international set of standards that explain how to help people access the web. This includes people with:

  • disabilities that affect their ability to access digital information
  • different devices or screen sizes, like desktop and mobile phones
  • different user tools, like web browsers or technologies that help people access digital information in more than one way

WCAG 2.2 (W3C) is the latest version of the guidelines.

Understanding WCAG

WCAG is a list of criteria specifically designed to consider a particular need. They fit into one of the following four categories:

  • Perceivable - people need to be able to perceive content with at least one of their senses
  • Operable - people must be able to navigate content, and the interface, using more than one tool
  • Understandable - people with varying abilities need to be able to understand the content
  • Robust - content must be compatible with the different technologies people are using

Government Digital Service explains the POUR principles in this 3 minute YouTube video

Levels of WCAG compliance 

There are three levels of compliance with WCAG 2.2:

  • Level A - Basic
  • Level AA - Intermediate 
  • Level AAA - Advanced 

Level AA is our minimum legal requirement. Meeting this level means our websites work for as many people as reasonably possible.

The government gives an overview of the AA requirements in Understanding WCAG 2.2 (GOV.UK). 

We will aim to meet level AAA where it benefits a wide range of our users. For example, by presenting content so its easy to read in plain English (W3C). 

What WCAG means we should do

When writing and publishing web content, WCAG means we do things like: 

  • Adopt a text-first approach to web content, using images and videos in support of (not instead of) real text content.
  • Give appropriate alternatives to non-text content like images, videos or audio - for example, if images don't load or using video captions.
  • Use simple plain English so that content is easier to understand.
  • Set up headings, lists and tables correctly so digital tools people use work with our content.
  • Write meaningful links and buttons so people understand where links go. 
  • Use good colour contrast for people who find it hard to see colours or who view content in different ways, like high contrast or dark mode.
  • Ensure a flexible page layout and reading order so content can still be read on small screens or when zoomed or resized.

When designing websites, WCAG means we do things like:

  • Design visual elements with accessibility in mind - for example, by creating easy to tap buttons, using clear fonts and headings or using good colour contrast.
  • Make sure digital tools can read a page correctly - for example, by adding coding to headings, lists and labels.
  • Ensure good focus indication to give visual clarity when navigating by keyboard.
  • Label interactive elements like buttons and form fields so they can be accessed by a keyboard and follow a logical sequence.
  • Provide ‘skip links’ to jump to the main content for people using a screen reader or keyboard to navigate content.

By meeting WCAG, we can:

  • improve the experience for all users
  • remove common barriers people face with inaccessible websites
  • make the website work better for users of AI tools or assistive technology (like screen readers used by people with visual impairments)