The Legal Landscape of Digital Accessibility
As we move through 2025, website accessibility is no longer a 'nice to have'—it is a legal mandate for UK businesses under the Equality Act 2010. Failure to provide an accessible digital experience can lead to costly legal challenges and, more importantly, excludes a significant portion of your potential market.
The WCAG 2.2 Standard
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 are now the global benchmark. For UK businesses, targeting 'Level AA' compliance is the standard requirement. This includes focus indicators, pointer gestures, and target size minimums that ensure your site works for everyone.
Key Compliance Areas:
- Screen Reader Optimization: Ensuring semantic HTML so assistive technology can navigate your site.
- Keyboard Navigation: All site functions must be reachable via keyboard alone.
- Color Contrast: Maintaining high contrast ratios for readability.
- Alt Text: Meaningful descriptions for all visual elements.
Business Benefits Beyond Compliance
Accessible sites rank better in SEO. Search engines love clean, semantic code. Furthermore, making your site accessible expands your reach to the 1 in 5 people in the UK who have a disability, representing billions in 'Purple Pound' spending power.