Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites and digital content accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. In the United Kingdom, legislation around web accessibility is governed by the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 is a UK law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of various protected characteristics, including disability. Section 21 of the Act states that service providers, including those that provide online services, must not discriminate against disabled people by providing them with a service that is not as accessible as it would be for non-disabled people.
This means that all public sector websites and mobile apps must meet accessibility standards set by the UK government’s Digital Service Standard. This standard includes guidelines on making content accessible to users with disabilities, including those with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments.
In addition to the Equality Act, the UK government also introduced the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. These regulations require all public sector websites and mobile apps to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, which is a widely recognized set of guidelines for making web content accessible.
Organizations that are not covered by the Equality Act, such as private sector organizations, are not legally required to comply with these regulations. However, it is still best practice for all websites to be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
In conclusion, web accessibility in the United Kingdom is governed by the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. These laws and regulations require public sector websites and mobile apps to meet accessibility standards, with the goal of making digital content accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Though private sector organizations are not legally bound to comply with these regulations, it is still considered best practice for them to do so.
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