UK website accessibility law

Businesses and charities: the Equality Act

The Equality Act 2010 applies to anyone providing goods or services to the public in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 does the same job. Neither names a technical standard for websites, but WCAG 2.2 Level AA is the usual measure of whether a site is accessible.

The duty is “anticipatory”: you're expected to think ahead about what disabled people need, not wait until someone complains. Disabled people can take a claim to court, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission can take action too.

Public sector websites

Councils, schools, universities, NHS bodies and other public sector organisations are covered by the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. Their websites and apps must meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA and have an accessibility statement that lists what doesn't work yet. The Government Digital Service monitors public sector sites. You can write a statement with our free accessibility statement generator.

Selling to the EU

If you sell to consumers in the EU, for example through an online shop, the European Accessibility Act may apply to you as well, even though the UK isn't in the EU.

How to check your website

1. Scan every page. Alleviator checks your whole site against WCAG 2.2, at desktop and phone sizes, and lists each problem with the page it's on and a screenshot. One page is free.
2. Fix the biggest problems first. The fix guide puts them in order and explains each in plain words, with steps for your website builder. If someone else built your site, send them a developer link with time estimates, or ask us to fix it.
3. Check what a scan can't. Some criteria need a person, like whether captions are accurate. Your report includes a guided checklist for them.
4. Keep a record. Paid plans build an accessibility statement, a draft conformance report in the VPAT® format buyers ask for, and a dated history of what you've fixed.
5. Keep checking. Websites change. Paid plans rescan every week and email you about new problems.

What we don't promise

We won't tell you a scan makes your site compliant. Some criteria always need a person to check. What we can do is show you exactly what's wrong, help you fix it, and give you a statement and a dated record of the work. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

• Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)
• GOV.UK: Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
• The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018

Checked in October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we'll fix it.