Creating accessible webpages and documents

We publish all content as web pages. Where appropriate, for example with policy or strategy documents, we also offer an accessible pdf. We publish as a web page first because publishing content only as pdfs:

• can make it difficult to find, maintain and use
• does not work well with assistive technologies, such as screen readers

Use the styles built into Wagtail, our content management system, or Microsoft Word, rather than manually changing the size of the text, or making it bold. Set the headings out in order and if they are numbered (for example, with long-form documents) do not skip a number.

Format your headings by choosing either main heading or subheading. Main headings are for the headings of sections, subheadings are for headings within sections.

Use the ribbon (or toolbar) in Microsoft Word to style headings as Heading 1 and Heading 2. Heading 1 is for the heading of a section, Heading 2 is for a heading within a section.

Use clear and simple language. Follow our guidance on writing good content in plain English.

Simple language makes your document accessible to people with cognitive impairments and learning disabilities.

Research shows that most users prefer simple language, including specialist audiences. This helps users to understand and process information quickly.

Where you need to use technical terms, abbreviations or acronyms, explain what they mean the first time you use them.

Users with low literacy can struggle to:

• identify the main points in large blocks of text
• concentrate on reading for long periods of time
• retain the information they’re reading as they read it

You can help people of all literacy levels understand what they need to know by:

• only including content that meets a specific user need
• organising information into manageable chunks
• using bullet points to break up long lists

We should write for quick and easy reading. It can be hard to read things like:

• capital letters
• contractions, for example ‘could’ve’
• apostrophes

Using common words and simple sentence structures can have a big impact on reading speed.

Write for and about people in a way that’s inclusive and respectful.

Familiarise yourself with the Scope social model of disability, which explains that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.

Follow government guidance about inclusive language.

Make sure all links are provided in context, at the point in the content at which they’re useful. Don’t put all the links together at the bottom of the page.

When writing a link, make it descriptive and front-load it with relevant terms instead of using something generic like ‘click here’ or ‘more’.

Generic links do not make sense out of context or tell users where a link will take them. They also do not work for people using screen readers, who often scan through lists of links to navigate a page. It’s important the links are descriptive so they make sense in isolation.

For links that lead to information rather than action, use the text about that information as the link. For example, Creating accessible webpages and documents.

Consider using the title of the page the link goes to as your link text, as this makes it easier for users to find what they're looking for.

If your link takes the user to a page where they can start a task, start your link with a verb. For example, ‘Pay your Council Tax’.

Do not use the same link text to link to different places.

Links help people scan content, so do not swamp them with too many or link to the same tool or webpage throughout your page. Link to online services first, unless an offline alternative is better for your users.

Think about the size of the link users need to select. For users with reduced motor skills, a one-word link could be very difficult to select.

You can add links anywhere in body text, but not in titles, summaries or subheadings.

Alternative text, or alt text, is read out by screen readers or displayed if an image does not load or if images have been switched off.

All images, except decorative images, must have alt text that:

• tells people what information the image provides
• describes the content and function of the image
• is specific, meaningful and concise

Use normal punctuation, like commas and full stops, so the text is easy to read and understand.

Do not:

• include the name of the photographer or person who created the image
• start with ‘Image of’, ‘Graphic of’ or ‘Photo of’
• repeat information from the page
• include extra information not on the page

Only use tables as a way of presenting data. You should not use tables as a way of formatting text on the page, because it is not accessible and can make information more difficult to understand.

If you use tables, give them a title and give rows and columns a header so users can find, navigate and understand tables. Add a caption which describes the information so users can understand what the table is showing.