The UK Government has opened a consultation on new digital accessibility laws for public sector websites and apps.
The new EU Directive on the accessibility of the websites and mobile apps of public sector bodies will be brought into UK law later this year.
The government will implement the new rules in UK law by passing regulations, which will place new responsibilities on public sector bodies to make their websites and apps accessible.
And it has opened a consultation to hear your views about what you’ll need to do to comply with the new rules if you’re affected by them, and how the rules should be monitored and enforced.
The new EU Directive means public sector websites and apps must become more accessible and meet minimum accessibility standards, except in cases where it will be disproportionate.
This means that public sector websites or apps must meet the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) accessibility standards (currently WCAG 2.0) at level AA.
The new directive also requires every public body to publish an accessibility statement before 23 December 2018.
We think the new regulations are a great step forward to ensure that no person with a disability or impairment faces barriers that stop them from accessing vital information and services via public sector websites and apps.
And the consultation offers a wonderful chance for you to have your views of digital accessibility heard and to shape the future of digital Britain.
Want to find out what makes a website accessible? Learn more with our free online accessibility checker and our web accessibility toolbar plugin today.
