Reporting an accessibility problem on a public sector website

You have a right to use (or ‘access’) online public sector information and services. This means that public sector websites and mobile apps should be easy to use, including if you’re using:

• assistive technology like a screen reader or speech recognition software
• browser customisations like increasing magnification or changing colours

Organisations that are legally required to improve their website and app accessibility include:

• local councils
• central government bodies
• NHS and most higher education institutions

Some non-government organisations, for example nurseries, are exempt.

Accessibility problems you might have

The website or app might have accessibility problems if you cannot:

• navigate pages with your mouse or keyboard
• click on small links or buttons
• read PDF documents with assistive technology
• read text if you cannot change the size or colour
• understand the text if it’s not in plain English
• understand audio or video if there’s no transcript or captions
• understand images if there’s no alternative or descriptive text

How to report an issue

Public sector organisations should publish an accessibility statement on their website or app. The statement should tell you how:

• accessible the website or app is
• the organisation plans to solve any issues
• to request an alternative format like large print or audio recording
• to report a problem so it can be fixed

If you report a problem to the organisation, they should tell you what action they will take and when. Organisations are allowed some time to fix a problem if it’s difficult or costly.

Further help and advice

You can contact Equality Advisory Support Service if you:

• cannot find an accessibility statement or report the issue on the organisation’s website
• are not satisfied with the organisation’s response

If you’re in Northern Ireland, contact Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.