SERVICE STANDARD · POINT 5

Make sure everyone can use the service

Accessibility is a baseline requirement, not a nice-to-have. If people cannot perceive, operate, or understand your service, it is not available to them — regardless of how well it works for others.

Build for accessibility from the start — WCAG 2.2 AA is the baseline for government services. Test with assistive technologies and with people who have disabilities. Accessibility is not a polish pass at the end.

Government services target WCAG 2.2 AA as a minimum. That means semantic HTML, sufficient contrast, keyboard operability, screen reader compatibility, and content that does not rely on colour alone. Accessibility should be designed in from Alpha, not audited only at the end of Beta.

Automated scans catch only a fraction of issues. Testing with assistive technologies and with disabled users remains essential.

How teams usually demonstrate this

  • Accessibility testing throughout delivery, not only pre-launch
  • Issues logged and prioritised with user impact in mind
  • Design system components used consistently for accessible patterns
  • Assisted digital routes for users who cannot use the digital service independently

Phases where this often matters

See also delivery phase guides and how frameworks fit together.

Related standard points

← Point 4: Make the service simple to usePoint 6: Have a multidisciplinary team →

Point 5 of the Service Standard is published by the Government Digital Service on GOV.UK. Content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. UCD Services explains the standard in its own words and is not affiliated with GOV.UK or the Government Digital Service.