Nearly half Government websites fail accessibility standards
A new report into the accessibility of Government websites and services has concluded that only 57 per cent are meeting the minimum standards set by the Cabinet Office e-government unit.
But, 78 per cent of central government sites are achieving UK accessibility targets.
The findings are contained in new survey by Nomensa, a Bristol-based usability and accessibility consultancy.
It claims that in some cases accessibility has not been given “due recognition” and this is putting barriers in the way of people using online government services.
Leonie Watson, Nomensa’s head of accessibility said: “For all the public sector’s effort to make its online services accessible, there’s still a great deal to do.
“At a time when government expects all public sector websites to meet specific accessibility levels, it’s vital to recognise what constitutes an accessible website and fully understand the degree to which online accessibility is already being achieved.”
Twenty one per cent of the sites examined fell below the basic accessibility rating of ‘single A’. Fifty seven per cent achieved this basic level, with 21 per cent being rated higher.
