Public sector bodies accessibility regulations
The Accessibility Regulations 2018 are standards for public sector websites and mobile apps.
The Accessibility Regulations 2018 are standards for public sector websites and mobile apps. They help to ensure that DfE products and websites can be used by as many people as possible, including those with disabilities.
They came into force on:
- 23 September 2018 for new and existing websites
- 23 June 2021 for mobile applications
This law requires public bodies to meet the latest published version of WCAG.
Why it matters in DfE
As a government department, we must follow these rules. If you create or update a website or app, it must meet the accessibility requirements.
Building accessible products and websites ensures parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders can use our online services without barriers.
Following the regulations also improves overall user experience, reduces support calls and helps us to be more inclusive.
How to meet the regulations
In practice, this means all DfE websites and mobile applications must meet WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.2 at level AA.
The DfE Accessibility and inclusive design manual supports teams to ensure they have the necessary knowledge and skills to meet the regulations. The manual provides guidance on:
- WCAG 2.2
- how to carry out internal accessibility tests
- training modules
DesignOps in DfE can also support teams to get an accessibility audit.
Content in scope
Examples of content types that must meet the regulations:
- all public-facing web pages on DfE websites and mobile apps
- all PDFs, Word files or other downloadable documents published after 23 September 2018
- existing PDFs, Word files or other downloadable documents published before this date were supposed to be accessible by 23 September 2020, but you should aim to ensure all documents are accessible, even if published earlier
Use the GOV.UK guidance for things you might not need to fix.