What accessible content is
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
What WCAG means
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are an international standard that help make digital content usable for more people, including those who:
- have a disability affecting how they access digital information
- use different devices or screen sizes, such as desktop or mobile
- use different web browsers or assistive technologies, like screen readers
You do not need to memorise WCAG. It provides a shared way of thinking about accessibility so content works for more people.
The latest version is WCAG 2.2, but public sector organisations in the UK are legally required to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA (W3C)
Understanding WCAG
WCAG is based on four principles, often referred to as POUR. These principles describe what accessible content needs to be like in practice.
Accessible content must be:
- Perceivable - people can see or hear the content in at least one way
- Operable - people can navigate and use the interface
- Understandable - content is clear and easy to understand
- Robust - content works reliably with the technologies people use
Together, these principles help ensure content works for a wide range of people, including those using assistive technologies.
Levels of WCAG compliance
WCAG has three levels of compliance:
- Level A – basic accessibility requirements
- Level AA – improved accessibility (the legal minimum for public sector organisations)
- Level AAA – the highest level of accessibility
Meeting Level AA ensures our websites and digital services are usable by as many people as reasonably possible.
Where it benefits a wide range of users, we may aim to meet Level AAA, for example by writing in clear, plain English.
How we follow WCAG
We use WCAG to guide decisions about both content and design.
Content accessibility
When creating web content, this can include things like:
- prioritising text, using images and video to support understanding
- writing in plain English
- structuring headings, lists and tables so assistive technologies can read them correctly
- using clear links and buttons that explain their purpose
- providing text alternatives for non‑text content, such as alt text or captions
- using web pages instead of PDFs for important information
- ensuring content works on small screens and when zoomed
- using sufficient colour contrast
Design accessibility
When designing websites and digital services, this can include things like:
- designing accessible components, such as clear headings and easy‑to‑use buttons
- providing sufficient colour contrast
- including clear focus indicators for keyboard navigation
- labelling interactive elements so assistive technologies can access them
- ensuring page structure can be understood by digital tools
- providing features such as skip links, which let people move straight to the main content
Following WCAG helps remove barriers and improves how people use our services. It also helps ensure digital content works reliably with the tools people use to access it.
