The Equality Act Covers Any Public-Facing Service
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers must make 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled customers, and an inaccessible website is increasingly treated as a failure to make one.
UK Accessibility Compliance Audit Services (Equality Act & PSBAR)
HalfAccessible delivers UK website accessibility audits for public sector bodies covered by PSBAR and private businesses managing Equality Act obligations. Every audit combines automated scanning with manual testing by CPWA-, CPACC-, and WAS-certified specialists, benchmarked against WCAG 2.2 Level AA.
Quick Answer
Accessibility Service Summary
UK website accessibility law rests on two pieces of legislation. The Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments for disabled users across all sectors, including private business websites. The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (PSBAR) goes further for public sector organizations, requiring proactive compliance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA (the standard the Government Digital Service has tested against since October 2024) and a published accessibility statement listing any content that does not yet meet the standard. The Government Digital Service monitors a sample of public sector websites and apps each year on behalf of the Minister for the Cabinet Office. A UK accessibility compliance audit benchmarked against WCAG 2.2 AA gives both public sector bodies and private businesses evidence of compliance and a clear remediation plan.
Think of this audit like a legal and technical health check for your website or product. Instead of guessing whether you meet local accessibility law, we test against the exact standard that law references and show you precisely where you stand.
- PSBAR (2018) requires UK public sector websites and apps to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA
- WCAG 2.2 replaced 2.1 as the standard GDS monitors public sector sites against from October 2024
- The Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments for disabled users across all sectors, including private business
- A public accessibility statement listing any unmet criteria is a legal requirement under PSBAR
- The Government Digital Service monitors a sample of public sector sites each year; the EHRC and ECNI handle enforcement
- An accessibility audit gives both public bodies and private businesses evidence-backed compliance documentation
10+ Years of Accessibility Experience
CPWA, CPACC and WAS Certified Specialists
Manual + Automated Testing
Screen Reader Testing
Developer-Friendly Reports
Global Accessibility Consulting
Why This Matters
Why This Compliance Standard Matters
Meeting the right legal standard protects your organization from enforcement risk and makes your product usable by more people.
Public Sector Bodies Have A Binding WCAG 2.2 AA Standard
The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 mandate WCAG 2.2 AA conformance and a published accessibility statement for government sites and apps.
The EHRC Can Investigate And Act
The Equality and Human Rights Commission can investigate complaints, issue unlawful act notices, and pursue legal proceedings — with reputational damage and lost public trust often outlasting any formal penalty.
EU Trade Adds A Second Layer Of Exposure
UK businesses selling into the EU also fall under the European Accessibility Act, so meeting only UK requirements can still leave real exposure for companies serving EU customers.
Audit Scope
What a UK Accessibility Compliance Audit Covers
We audit public websites, authenticated applications, SaaS platforms, mobile apps, documents, and design systems.
What is included
Websites
Corporate websites, marketing sites, government websites, university websites, healthcare websites, ecommerce journeys, landing pages, blogs, resource libraries, and multilingual content experiences.
Web Applications
Customer portals, admin dashboards, CRMs, internal software, enterprise workflows, complex forms, authenticated user journeys, data tables, reports, notifications, and role-based interfaces.
SaaS Products
B2B platforms, cloud software, analytics dashboards, AI applications, product onboarding flows, account settings, billing workflows, and feature-rich application screens.
Mobile Applications
Native iOS, native Android, hybrid applications, progressive web apps, orientation changes, touch targets, gestures, screen reader flows, zoom behavior, and mobile form interactions.
Digital Documents
PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint files, forms, reports, policy documents, financial statements, healthcare documents, education resources, and procurement documentation.
Design Systems
Reusable components, UI libraries, pattern libraries, design tokens, Figma components, interaction patterns, and documentation that affects many pages or product screens.
Who it is for
Public-facing teams
Marketing, ecommerce, healthcare, government, education, nonprofit, and service organizations use accessibility audits to make essential public content available to more people.
Product and SaaS teams
Product teams use audits to validate complex workflows, reduce accessibility debt, improve component libraries, and prepare for enterprise accessibility reviews.
Procurement and compliance teams
Legal, compliance, procurement, and sales teams use audit evidence to answer buyer questions, support VPAT work, and document remediation commitments.
What it covers
Website Accessibility Audits
Evaluate public websites against WCAG 2.2 AA using manual testing, automated scanning, keyboard-only navigation, and assistive technologies.
Web Application Accessibility Audits
Review authenticated user journeys, dashboards, complex forms, data tables, notifications, custom widgets, and enterprise workflows.
Mobile Accessibility Audits
Test native and hybrid applications using VoiceOver, TalkBack, keyboard alternatives, zoom, orientation changes, touch target review, and gesture accessibility checks.
PDF And Document Accessibility Audits
Assess PDFs and office documents for tagging, reading order, alternative text, bookmarks, form fields, headings, tables, and screen reader compatibility.
Accessibility Design Reviews
Identify accessibility issues in Figma files, design systems, and component specs before development begins, reducing rework and improving handoff quality.
VPAT And Procurement Reviews
Evaluate products and prepare accessibility documentation that supports enterprise and government procurement conversations.
Issues We Identify
Accessibility Issues We Identify
Each issue is mapped to user impact, the relevant standard, severity, affected users, and practical remediation guidance.
Missing Alternative Text
Missing or inaccurate alternative text prevents screen reader users from understanding meaningful images, icons, charts, infographics, product photos, and linked graphics. We identify images that need concise alternatives, images that should be marked decorative, and complex visuals that need longer explanations.
Keyboard Accessibility
Many users navigate with a keyboard, switch device, voice control, or assistive technology that relies on keyboard behavior. We test focus order, skip links, menus, modals, tabs, accordions, custom widgets, and form flows without a mouse.
Color Contrast
Low contrast can make text, buttons, icons, form controls, and charts difficult or impossible to perceive. We evaluate contrast for normal text, large text, UI components, focus indicators, disabled states, links, and error messages.
Forms
Forms often block users when labels, instructions, required indicators, validation messages, and error handling are not accessible. We test forms with keyboard navigation and screen readers to confirm users can complete and submit successfully.
Headings And Structure
Headings, lists, landmarks, tables, and reading order help assistive technology users understand a page quickly. We identify skipped heading levels, missing landmarks, and reading-order mismatches.
Dynamic Content
Modern applications often update content without refreshing the page. We test status messages, ARIA live regions, notifications, and single-page app transitions to confirm important changes are announced correctly.
Decision Support
How To Choose The Right Accessibility Service
| Feature | Automated Testing | Manual Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Fast (minutes) | Slower (days) |
| Cost | Low | Higher, but more accurate |
| Manual WCAG Review | No | Yes |
| Keyboard Navigation | Limited | Complete |
| Screen Reader Compatibility | No | Yes |
| Logical Reading Order | No | Yes |
| Meaningful Alternative Text | No | Yes |
| Form Usability | Partial | Yes |
| Overall User Experience | No | Yes |
Helpful Statistics
- 1 in 6 people The World Health Organization estimates that roughly 1 in 6 people globally live with a significant disability, a substantial share of any organization's customers, patients, students, or employees. WHO Disability Fact Sheet →
- WCAG is the international technical baseline. WCAG is the international technical baseline. Regulations and procurement processes worldwide reference WCAG directly or indirectly when defining accessibility requirements. W3C WCAG →
- 56.1 errors per page The WebAIM Million report has found detectable WCAG failures on the large majority of home pages tested every year since the study began, most commonly low-contrast text, missing alternative text, empty links, and missing form labels. WebAIM Million →
Choose This Service If You Need
- PSBAR compliance review for public sector sites
- Equality Act reasonable-adjustment review for private business
- WCAG 2.2 AA gap analysis
- Accessibility statement preparation
- Procurement-ready VPAT and ACR documentation
- Developer-ready remediation roadmap
Audit Methodology
Our Accessibility Audit Process
A structured process gives your team clear findings, clear priorities, and a practical path to compliance.
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01
1. Discovery & Scoping
We review your platform, page count, workflows, and target standard (WCAG 2.2 AA for PSBAR or the Equality Act) to define audit scope and timeline.
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02
2. Automated Scanning
We run automated tools across the defined scope to catch code-level issues quickly, giving us a baseline before manual review begins.
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03
3. Manual Expert Testing
Certified specialists manually test keyboard navigation, focus order, forms, headings, and interactive components against WCAG success criteria.
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04
4. Assistive Technology Testing
We test with screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack), voice control, and switch access to confirm real-world usability, not just code compliance.
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05
5. Reporting & Prioritization
Findings are documented with severity, standard references, screenshots, and reproduction steps, then organized into a prioritized remediation roadmap.
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06
6. Retest & Validation
After your team implements fixes, we retest affected pages or flows to confirm issues are resolved and no new barriers were introduced.
Standards And Technologies
Standards, Assistive Technologies, And Tools
Assistive technologies
NVDA
JAWS
VoiceOver
TalkBack
Keyboard-only navigation
Browser zoom
Voice Control
Switch Control
Tools
Axe
ARC Toolkit
WAVE
Accessibility Insights
Chrome DevTools
Safari
Firefox
React
Next.js
Angular
Vue
WordPress
Drupal
Shopify
Magento
WooCommerce
Laravel
ASP.NET
Java
Flutter
React Native
Deliverables
What You Receive After The Audit
Executive Summary
A clear summary of audit scope, key risks, priority themes, and recommended next steps for stakeholders.
Accessibility Score
A practical status snapshot that helps teams understand current accessibility maturity and remediation priorities.
Detailed Issue Report
Issue-by-issue findings with screenshots, affected URLs or screens, severity ratings, standard references, and reproduction steps.
Developer Recommendations
Practical remediation guidance, code-level notes, component recommendations, and examples your developers can act on.
Compliance-Ready Documentation
Findings organized to support accessibility statements, VPAT and ACR documentation, and procurement or legal review.
Optional Retest Report
Validation evidence after remediation, showing which issues were fixed and what remains open.
Industries
Healthcare
Accessibility audits for patient portals, provider websites, medical forms, telehealth journeys, and healthcare documents.
Government
Audits for public services, citizen portals, forms, documents, and procurement requirements.
Banking
Audits for financial journeys, statements, account dashboards, authentication flows, reports, and high-risk transactional experiences.
SaaS
Audits for B2B products, dashboards, analytics, onboarding, admin settings, and enterprise procurement readiness.
Education
Audits for university websites, LMS experiences, EdTech platforms, digital documents, admissions journeys, and student services.
Retail
Audits for ecommerce product pages, carts, checkout, filters, account flows, promotions, and customer support journeys.
Proof points
Certified Accessibility Expertise
HalfAccessible brings CPWA, CPACC, and WAS accessibility expertise to audits, remediation support, documentation, and product guidance.
Developer-Friendly Reporting
Reports are written for action. Developers receive clear reproduction steps, expected behavior, affected users, standard mapping, and remediation guidance.
Cross-Border Experience
We support businesses operating across multiple regulatory regions with a single audit benchmarked to the highest applicable standard.
Practical Turnaround
Audit scope is tailored to your product and priorities so your team receives useful findings without unnecessary reporting overhead.
Checklist
Accessibility Audit Checklist
- Page title is unique and descriptive
- Headings follow a logical structure
- Landmarks identify major page regions
- Keyboard users can reach every interactive element
- Focus order matches the visual and logical order
- Visible focus indicators are clear
- No keyboard traps are present
- Links and buttons have meaningful accessible names
- Images have appropriate alternative text
- Text and UI components meet contrast requirements
- Forms have labels, instructions, and accessible error handling
- Dialogs, menus, tabs, and accordions expose state correctly
- Tables include appropriate headers
- Media includes captions or transcripts
- PDFs include tags and a logical reading order
- Mobile screens support zoom, orientation, and large touch targets
- Authentication flows are accessible
- Reports include standard references and remediation guidance
Ready to Meet UK Accessibility Standards?
Whether you are a public sector body preparing for a Government Digital Service review or a private business documenting Equality Act reasonable adjustments, our certified specialists will identify every real accessibility barrier and hand your team a prioritized, developer-ready roadmap. Quick audits start at $500, complete audits at $2,000.
Request an Accessibility Auditget in touch
Know where you stand. Know what to work on next.
Tell us what you’re working on and where you need support. Our accessibility specialists can help with audits, remediation, VPAT/ACR, accessible development, and ongoing compliance.
Let’s find the barriers before your users do
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UK Website Accessibility Audit Services (Equality Act & PSBAR) FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about UK Website Accessibility Audit Services (Equality Act & PSBAR).
Does UK law require WCAG compliance?
PSBAR requires public sector websites and apps to meet accessibility requirements, and GOV.UK guidance sets WCAG 2.2 Level AA as the standard to meet. The Equality Act 2010 does not name WCAG explicitly but is interpreted through it in practice, since WCAG 2.2 AA is the accepted evidence of reasonable adjustment for digital services.
What is PSBAR and who does it apply to?
PSBAR is the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. It applies to UK public sector organizations, including government departments, councils, universities, and NHS bodies, requiring WCAG 2.2 AA compliance and a published accessibility statement.
Do private UK businesses have to meet the same standard as government sites?
PSBAR itself only binds public sector bodies. Private businesses are covered by the Equality Act 2010 instead, which requires reasonable adjustments rather than a named technical standard, though WCAG 2.2 AA is the practical benchmark used to demonstrate compliance. If you also sell into the EU, the European Accessibility Act may apply too; see our EAA guide.
What must a UK accessibility statement include?
A PSBAR accessibility statement must list any content that does not yet meet WCAG 2.2 AA, explain why, and describe the plan to fix it. It should also explain how users can report problems or ask for content in another format, link to the enforcement procedure, and record any “disproportionate burden” claim, where fully meeting the standard would cost too much relative to the organization’s size and resources. It must be kept up to date as issues are resolved. GOV.UK publishes a sample accessibility statement and guidance on publishing one.
Who enforces PSBAR compliance?
The Government Digital Service (GDS) monitors compliance on behalf of the Minister for the Cabinet Office by testing a sample of public sector websites and apps each year (see its monitoring guidance and how GDS tests). GDS sends the organization a report of its findings, allows 12 weeks to fix issues and report back, then retests. Enforcement sits with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in England, Scotland and Wales and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI).
How much does a UK accessibility audit cost?
HalfAccessible offers a $500 Quick Accessibility Audit for smaller sites and a $2,000 Complete Audit for full-site or application coverage, plus custom enterprise pricing for larger platforms. See our pricing page for details.