Accessibility statements tell disabled people and those using assistive technology whether or not they will be able to use a website, and whether the website complies with accessibility standards. These standards are usually either:
- the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), version 2.1 or 2.2
- EN 301 549 (equivalent to WCAG version 2.1)
Accessibility statements were published on public sector websites when the EU regulations for Public Sector Bodies’ Websites and Mobile Applications came in.
Ahead of the European Accessibility Act (coming in June 2025), many private sector websites have started publishing accessibility statements.
Most accessibility statements begin with a claim about your organisation’s commitment to accessibility. The content of your accessibility statement should prove that you mean it.
The purpose of an accessibility statement
An accessibility statement is for more than stating whether a website complies with regulations. Its main purpose is to tell people who need accessibility features whether they’ll be able to use a website, and which parts of a website might not work properly with their assistive technology. It should provide a route for people to get more help if they need it.
To be useful, an accessibility statement should:
- be easy to find, clear and accessible
- be honest, and tell people how to get help
- tell people what does and does not work
- provide dates of when you will fix issues
- be reviewed and updated often
Make your accessibility statement easy to find, clear and accessible
Accessibility statements should be easy to find, from the footer of your website. Make sure people using assistive technologies like keyboard navigation, magnifiers and screen reading software can easily get to it.
It goes without saying, but follow accessibility guidelines when you write your statement. Use clear language and structural elements like headings and bullets. Make sure the content follows a logical sequence. Start with the most important things people need to know.
If the statement is a legal requirement for your organisation, you may need to follow a template.
Be honest, and tell people how to get help
Don’t claim full compliance with accessibility standards if your website is not fully compliant. And if someone contacts you pointing out an area of non-compliance, be open about that. Update your accessibility statement.
Remember that there’s no such thing as ‘fully accessible’. You can be fully compliant with accessibility standards, but this does not ensure your site is totally accessible to everyone. Give people a route to report problems, get help and request alternative formats.
If someone has problems using your website then checks your accessibility statement and the problem is not mentioned, they will lose trust in you. If they find what they can do in the meantime, and who to contact, that’s more reassuring.Lizzie Cass-Maran, Cass-Maran Consulting
Listen to feedback and make improvements to go beyond compliance. Accessibility is a journey, it’s not a destination.
Tell people what does and does not work
If your website doesn’t work well with a particular assistive technology, tell people. And tell them when you’re going to fix that.
Disabled people might come to your statement before visiting the rest of your website. It’s a place to find out what they can expect, and whether it’s worth their effort. Don’t waste disabled people’s time and energy on something that won’t work for them.
The more open and honest you are about what does and does not work, and when you’re going to fix or improve things, the more likely it is that people will trust you. It’s more helpful to tell someone that something’s broken at the moment but it will be fixed in a month’s time, than to just tell people it’s broken. It’s even worse to lie to people and cause unnecessary frustration.
Rather than claiming to be “fully accessible”, give people the information they need, so that they can make their own informed decision.Holly Tuke, RNIB Social Media Manager
Provide dates for when you’ll fix issues
You can use any non-compliance issues to build a roadmap. Add in dates for when you’re going to fix each issue. As you fix things, you’ll have a timeline of real improvements to build on, and you’ll be able to measure the effect of these improvements against website metrics.
If there’s something you know could be better, tell people. Even if you are fully compliant with accessibility standards. Add it to your roadmap. Be open and transparent. If you can’t fit this in your accessibility statement, link to your accessibility roadmap.
Review and update your accessibility statement often
Come back to your accessibility statement regularly. Update it with things you’ve fixed, and add any feedback and plans for improvement. The worst thing for someone who uses assistive technology to find on your website is an out-of-date statement. This degrades trust in your organisation and contradicts any commitments to accessibility you’ve made.
Set a review cycle for no more than a year, preferably every few months. If you have lots of things to fix, you should review your statement more frequently.
Get more information about accessibility statements
Read guidance on writing an accessibility statement from the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (Ireland), or use the Sample Accessibility Statement from GOV.UK (UK).
Content Design Ireland can help you:
- draft your organisation’s accessibility statement
- develop an accessibility roadmap
- start building an accessibility strategy
For more information, email us today at contact@contentdesignireland.ie.