Accessibility and the law
You may often hear that digital accessibility is a legal requirement in the UK, but what does that mean? Does it actually apply to you? The short answer is yes. Read on to find out why.
There isn’t just one law which covers accessibility, there are a few laws and regulations that combine to protect people with disabilities. It can be a little confusing, so here we’ll try and explain them as simply as possible.
The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018
The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 made accessibility more well-known in the UK. They require all public sector organisations to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines contain a long list of accessibility requirements for how a website or app is built and the content that goes on them.
Any existing public sector website or app should have been meeting the WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines by 23 September 2020. WCAG has since been updated to version 2.2. Any new website or app should meet them from the start. Organisations may not meet the guidelines in full; please see ‘disproportionate burden’ below.
The public sector includes central and local government, some charities, universities, NHS organisations and other non-government organisations. However, that doesn’t let other organisations off the hook. The Equality Act 2010 means all websites and apps should be accessible so you aren’t discriminating against people with disabilities.
Read more about the WCAG requirements for content creators.
The Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 covers both public and private sector organisations. It’s about treating all people in the UK equally, no matter their disability, gender, age or race. In order to meet the Equality Act, people with disabilities need to be able to use the same websites and apps as everyone else. People with disabilities should not be put at any disadvantage or excluded, and reasonable steps must be taken to ensure they can access all information. This means organisations are legally required to make their websites, apps and documents accessible.
The Equality Act doesn’t specify any accessibility guidelines, like WCAG, but in order to be accessible it is best to follow WCAG 2.2 guidelines to AA standard. You cannot just wait for a person to tell you your website isn’t accessible and fix it, it should be thought about from the start.
The European Accessibility Act
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into effect on 28 June 2025. It requires certain products and services sold in the European Union to be accessible for people with disabilities. This includes things like online shops, banking services, transport services and some digital products.
If your organisation sells these products or services to customers in the EU, you may need to meet the EAA's accessibility requirements, even if your business is based in the UK.
Reasonable adjustments
A reasonable adjustment is a change that helps remove barriers for people with disabilities. An example would be someone who uses a screen reader not being able to complete a task on a website, like buying a product or filling in a form, because it hasn’t been made screen reader compatible. This means people with disabilities could be excluded from using your website and it would be reasonable to expect this to be fixed.
If an organisation doesn’t make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to make its website or app accessible, it is considered ‘unlawful discrimination’. This means a discrimination claim could be made against them.
Disproportionate burden
Making something accessible may not always be possible straight away. The cost, practicality and resources available can all be taken into account when deciding what changes are reasonable. This may count as a ‘disproportionate burden’. It means that the benefits for people with disabilities after making these changes do not outweigh the cost for your business.
However, it is a legal requirement to complete an assessment on this and you need to show that you are taking as many steps as possible to meet accessibility requirements. Organisations are still expected to take accessibility seriously and make improvements wherever they can.
You cannot claim disproportionate burden if your organisation has simply not allocated time, budget or resources to accessibility. If you're choosing not to make your website or app accessible because it isn't a company priority or your staff haven't been trained, this would not count as a disproportionate burden and you would not be meeting your legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. Lack of knowledge is not an excuse.
Consequences
Accessibility is a legal requirement in the UK for both public and private sector organisations. If your website or app isn’t accessible, you are at risk of a discrimination claim in the UK courts. The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for upholding equality rights and laws in the UK. They can take legal action against companies in the UK with inaccessible websites and apps. Many of these claims have been settled out of court.
Accessibility isn't only about legal compliance. Inaccessible websites can prevent people from accessing information, buying products or using services. They can also damage an organisation's reputation and reduce the number of people it can reach.
Accessibility can be confusing, but there are simple steps you can follow that make a huge difference to people with disabilities. Read our accessibility blogs and tips or contact us to find out more.
Did you know?
In 2008, Target agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit after people who were blind were unable to use its website. The company also agreed to improve the accessibility of its website and provide accessibility training. Although this happened in the United States, it became one of the most well-known website accessibility cases and highlighted the legal and financial risks of inaccessible websites.
