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UK Public Sector

Website Accessibility for UK Government Organisations

Public sector organisations in the UK must ensure their websites and digital content are accessible to everyone. This is mandated through the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

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Recite Me works with NHS trusts, local councils, government agencies, and other public sector bodies to help build more accessible and inclusive digital environments

Hull City Council
Sefton Council Logo
Newcastle City Council

Regulatory Framework

UK Accessibility Regulations for Government Agencies

The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 apply to all UK public sector organisations and requires websites and mobile applications to comply with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Specifically, public sector bodies must:

 

Meet WCAG 2.2 AA Standards

All websites and mobile applications must comply with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. This is an internationally recognised benchmark for digital accessibility.

Identify and Address Non-Compliant Content

Organisations must actively find and remediate inaccessible content, with accessible alternatives provided where full compliance isn’t immediately achievable.

Publish an Accessibility Statement

An accurate, up-to-date accessibility statement must be published and maintained. It should reflect what was tested, what was found, and what remains outstanding.

Monitor Accessibility Continuously

PSBAR is not a one-off project. Organisations must operate a structured programme for ongoing accessibility monitoring, improvement, and documentation.

GDS Audits and Demand Notices

The Government Digital Service (GDS) team actively audits public sector websites. Flagged organisations can receive formal demand letters requiring remediation plans.

Provide Reasonable Adjustments in Digital Services

Where certain content cannot be made fully accessible immediately, organisations must ensure alternative ways of accessing information or completing tasks are available.

How We Help

Accessibility Challenges for Government Agencies that Recite Me can Resolve

For government agencies, in particular, several challenges must be addressed. Here’s how Recite Me solutions can help:

Most government websites serve people with visual impairments, dyslexia, cognitive disabilities, and residents whose first language is not English. Without the proper tools, these individuals may find it difficult to access government services. The Recite Me Assistive Toolbar provides inclusion tools such as screen readers, translations, and styling customisations to support these users.

With WCAG 2.2 Level AA a requirement for compliance with PSBAR, it can be difficult to know where to start. The Recite Me Website Accessibility Checker performs an automated scan of your entire website to identify violations and provide recommendations for fixes. Our team of accessibility experts can also assist with manual audits and internal reviews.

The Government Digital Service (GDS) team is now actively auditing public sector websites against WCAG standards. If your organisation is flagged, you could receive a demand letter or notice. Recite Me can help respond to these enquiries and formulate a plan to remediate existing accessibility issues.

Government websites often publish large volumes of PDFs and documents, but many of them are often inaccessible. The Recite Me PDF Accessibility Checker and Remediation Tool can be used to help address compliance issues at scale.

An accessibility statement should be published and updated regularly to reflect what was tested, what was found, what has been fixed and what remains outstanding. The suite of tools at Recite Me, including the web accessibility checker, consultancy services, and accessibility statement template, can help ensure this PSBAR requirement is met.

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Across Your Organisation

Key Roles Recite Me Supports Across Government

Accessibility is not owned by one team. Instead, it’s delivered by combining efforts from multiple teams across government agencies. Recite Me supports the teams who are responsible for different parts of that work.

Digital, IT and Web

Recite Me powers technology experts with the tools they need to implement accessibility across digital landscapes. Features such as structured scanning, prioritised fixes, progress tracking, and long-term accessibility monitoring are all available.

Compliance & Governance

Recite Me helps align government organisations with accessibility standards and legislation like WCAG and PSBAR. The programme can be documented to support internal governance and external audits.

Marketing & Communications

Recite Me supports public sector marketing teams with tools to create and share content in accessible formats, including translation, document support, and more.

Our Solutions

Recite Me Accessibility Solutions for the Public Sector

Recite Me is a digital accessibility platform offering a range of solutions that help government agencies make digital services more inclusive and accessible. Key solutions include:

INCLUSION

Assistive Toolbar

  • Text-to-speech with over 65 voices
  • Translation software with over 100 languages
  • Styling changes for colours and fonts
  • Focus tools, such as rulers and screen masks
  • Reading aids, such as dictionaries, page summarisers, and magnifiers

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COMPLIANCE

Web Accessibility Checker

  • Full site scanning for WCAG 2.2 violations
  • Prioritised list of accessibility fixes
  • AI-powered autofixes, code suggestions, and image alt text generation
  • Schedule future audits for long-term compliance
  • Integration with project management tools like Jira and Azure DevOps

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DOCUMENTS

PDF Accessibility Checker

  • Full website scanning to identify inaccessible documents
  • Implement AI-powered autofixes to resolve accessibility issues
  • Remediate PDF files at scale
  • Track progress and schedule future scans
  • Compliance with accessibility standards like PSBAR & EAA

Explore our PDF checker

Customers

Organisations We Work With

Recite Me works with public sector organisations across the UK, including local councils, NHS trusts, housing associations and central government bodies

Liverpool City Council Logo
  • William Costello
  • Head of Digital Strategy and Business Transformation, Liverpool City Council
Stockport Council Logo
  • Councillor Jilly Julian
  • Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Stockport Council

Download the Government Accessibility Guide

Learn more about how to make your UK government website accessible for residents.

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Resolving digital barriers

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Website build tips

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How Recite Me helps

Download Government Accessibility Guide Now

Government Accessibility FAQs

UK public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Yes, public-facing PDFs and documents must be accessible unless they fall under specific exemptions.

No, accessibility statements must accurately reflect the current accessibility status of a website and be maintained over time.

No, accessibility tools can support improvements, but organisations must still identify and remediate structural accessibility issues.

Accessibility should be monitored continuously, particularly when websites or content are updated.

The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 require UK public sector organisations to ensure their websites and mobile applications meet WCAG accessibility standards and publish an accessibility statement.

Monitoring of public sector website accessibility is carried out by the Government Digital Service, with enforcement overseen by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.