Insight
Accessibility as a legal requirement: GDS launches new awareness campaign
Posted on 10th September 2019
The UK Government Digital Service is campaigning to raise awareness of new digital accessibility regulations that will come into effect on 23rd September. As part of this, GDS has launched a new website to explain the process and deadlines for implementation.
Public sector websites published on or after 23rd September 2018 must be compliant by 23rd September 2019, and any websites due to be published after this date must be compliant before going live. Websites published before 23rd September 2018 must be compliant by 23rd September 2020, whilst apps must meet regulations by 23rd June 2021.
GDS has described the four step process for companies to ensure their online services are fully compliant and accessible:
- Understand how the regulations will impact their organisation
- Check the accessibility of their websites
- Make a plan to fix any problems they find
- Publish an accessibility statement
The Government Digital Service suggests a variety of ways of checking the accessibility status of websites, and a systematic method of finding solutions to their accessibility shortcomings. It also includes instructions for how to construct your ‘accessibility report’ and has examples of issues that website owners might not need to fix at all.
If you would like to find out more about the new regulation, you can read the full guidance here.
You can access the main campaign website here.
