What a website accessibility statement should do
An accessibility statement is not simply a declaration that a website is accessible. A useful statement tells people what level of accessibility they can expect, identifies known limitations and explains what to do if they cannot access part of the service.
For UK public sector websites and mobile apps, accessibility statements are a specific requirement under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. GOV.UK's model statement includes sections covering the scope of the statement, compliance status, inaccessible content, preparation and testing, feedback and enforcement information.
GOV.UK also says the stated compliance status should be based on recent testing. That is why our service starts with a real scan of the website rather than inserting an organisation's name into a generic accessibility statement template.
The £249 one-off service includes the scan, writing, publication of the statement, feedback mechanism setup and guidance on future updates.
Why an accessibility statement should be based on testing
A statement makes factual claims about the condition of a website. If it says a site is fully compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA, that wording should be supported by an appropriate assessment rather than assumed from the site's appearance or a single automated score.
Automated scans can identify useful problems, but W3C states that no evaluation tool alone can determine whether a website meets accessibility standards. Some criteria require human judgement or manual interaction. The scope and wording of a statement therefore need to reflect what has actually been assessed.
If a scan identifies obvious failures, the statement can describe the known limitations honestly rather than hiding them. Where deeper assurance is required, a full WCAG 2.2 accessibility audit can provide a stronger basis for the compliance status and remediation plan.
This distinction is particularly important for transactional sites. A homepage may perform well in an automated test while a checkout, booking form, account area or authentication process contains keyboard or labelling problems that are not represented by the homepage result.
Accessibility statement requirements differ by organisation
UK public sector bodies have a clear statutory requirement to publish an accessibility statement. GOV.UK provides a model statement and says that public sector websites should review and update their statement regularly, including after major changes and at least once a year.
Private sector organisations should not assume that the public sector model applies to them word for word. Their obligations depend on the services they provide, the customers they serve and the laws that apply to those activities.
The European Accessibility Act has applied in EU member states since 28 June 2025 to specified products and services, subject to its scope and exemptions. For covered services, Article 13 and Annex V of Directive EU 2019/882 require service providers to make information available explaining how the applicable accessibility requirements are met. The Directive includes areas such as ecommerce, consumer banking, certain passenger transport services, electronic communications and ebooks.
A UK business serving customers in the EU should establish which national implementation rules apply to its service rather than assuming that adding a page headed accessibility statement settles its legal obligations. Our service can prepare the website statement itself, but it is not a substitute for legal advice on whether a particular business falls within a regulatory regime.
What we put in an accessibility statement
The content depends on the organisation and the results of testing, but the statement should give users practical information rather than legalistic filler. It needs a clear scope so people know which website or service it covers and a realistic description of the current accessibility position.
Known barriers should be described specifically enough to help users. For example, saying that some form controls do not have programmatically associated labels is more useful than saying that there may be accessibility issues. Where an alternative route to information exists, the statement should explain it clearly.
For public sector statements, GOV.UK's model includes mandatory wording and information about enforcement. We follow the relevant model structure where it applies. For other organisations, we use wording appropriate to the site's circumstances and, where relevant, consider the accessibility information required for covered EU services.
The service also includes setting up a feedback mechanism so users have a defined way to report an accessibility problem. The statement is then published on the website.
Keeping an accessibility statement accurate
A statement can become outdated even when it was accurate on the day it was written. Websites change. New templates are introduced, content editors add media, plugins alter markup and third-party tools can change without notice.
GOV.UK advises public sector bodies to review accessibility statements regularly. For other organisations, reviewing the statement after significant accessibility work or material website changes is a sensible way to avoid leaving obsolete claims online.
If remediation resolves a disclosed barrier, the statement can be updated to reflect that. If a new problem appears, it should not continue claiming a level of accessibility that is no longer supported by the available evidence.
Our accessibility monitoring service costs £69 a month and includes monthly WCAG 2.2 AA scans of key pages, human review and keeping the accessibility statement current. If identified barriers need development work, see accessibility remediation.