Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018
UK regulations requiring public sector digital services to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
Definition
The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 require public sector digital services to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. The regulations apply to most public sector websites and mobile apps and require an accessibility statement describing the service's conformance level, accessibility limitations, and remediation plans. Suppliers building or operating public sector digital services must ensure WCAG 2.1 AA compliance from the outset.
How it works in practice
WCAG 2.1 AA is the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at the AA conformance level: a comprehensive set of guidelines covering perceivable (alternative text, captions, contrast), operable (keyboard navigation, no seizure-inducing content), understandable (predictable behaviour, error identification), and robust (compatibility with assistive technology) requirements. AA is the most commonly required conformance level for public sector digital services. The regulations require accessibility audit during build, accessibility statement publication, ongoing monitoring, and complaint handling. Audit can be self-conducted using automated tools (axe-core, Wave) plus manual testing, or commissioned to a specialist accessibility consultancy. Compliance often surfaces issues late in build: keyboard navigation gaps, contrast problems, missing alternative text, form errors not exposed to screen readers. Bidders should cost accessibility audit and remediation into projects from the outset; retrofitting accessibility into a built service is substantially more expensive than designing it in. For suppliers building public sector digital services accessibility evidence (recent audit results, accessibility statement template, remediation track record) is increasingly a Selection Questionnaire topic. The regulations interact with the Equality Act 2010: inaccessible public sector digital services can attract Equality Act discrimination claims.
Common questions
What does WCAG 2.1 AA mean?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 at the AA conformance level. The guidelines have three levels: A (minimum baseline), AA (the conformance level most public sector services aim for), AAA (the highest level, often impractical for general services). AA covers perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust requirements.
Do the regulations apply to internal-facing public sector services?
Yes for many internal services. The regulations apply broadly to public sector digital services with some exceptions (live audio and video, third-party content the public sector body does not control, archived content). Internal staff intranets, HR portals, and operational tools are typically in scope.
How is accessibility evidenced in procurement?
Through accessibility audit reports (typically WCAG 2.1 AA conformance reports), accessibility statements for existing services, and named accessibility responsible for the project. Bidders should reference recent accessibility audit experience and commit to ongoing audit at defined milestones during build.