Accessibility resources for UX designers
Accessibility is a legal requirement in the UK and a core UX skill. These resources cover WCAG guidelines, testing tools, UK legislation, and where to go deeper.
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UK accessibility law
Accessibility is not optional in the UK. Three pieces of legislation are relevant to UX designers working on digital products.
Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 (PSBAR)
Requires all UK public sector websites and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement. In scope: central government, local councils, NHS, universities, and most publicly funded bodies.
GOV.UK guidance →European Accessibility Act (EAA) — coming into UK law 2025
Extends mandatory digital accessibility requirements to a significantly wider range of private sector products and services: e-commerce, banking, transport ticketing, consumer electronics, and more. If you design products in these sectors, EAA compliance is becoming a client requirement.
Equality Act 2010
Requires organisations to make reasonable adjustments so disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage. This applies to digital services — an inaccessible website or app can constitute unlawful discrimination under the Act. Applies to all private and public sector organisations providing services to the public.
WCAG guidelines
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are published by the W3C and form the foundation of digital accessibility standards globally. WCAG 2.1 AA is the current UK legal standard for public sector. WCAG 2.2 (released October 2023) adds nine new success criteria on top of 2.1 — including improvements to focus visibility, minimum target size, and reducing the need for dragging interactions.
WCAG 2.1
UK legal standardWCAG 2.1 AA is the level required under PSBAR 2018 and the benchmark most UK organisations target. Organised around four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust (POUR). 50 success criteria at levels A and AA.
W3C WCAG overview →WCAG 2.2
Oct 2023Adds nine new success criteria to WCAG 2.1. Key additions include: Focus Not Obscured (2.4.11 and 2.4.12), Focus Appearance (2.4.13), Dragging Movements alternative (2.5.7), Minimum Target Size of 24x24px (2.5.8), Consistent Help (3.2.6), Redundant Entry (3.3.7), and Accessible Authentication (3.3.8 and 3.3.9). WCAG 2.2 AA is increasingly expected in new public sector projects.
Accessibility testing tools
No single tool catches everything. Combine automated checking with manual keyboard and screen reader testing for a meaningful audit.
axe DevTools
Browser extension
The most widely used automated accessibility checker. Available as a Chrome and Firefox extension. Runs in the browser devtools panel and surfaces WCAG violations with clear explanations and links to remediation guidance. A good first pass for any page — fast and accurate within the limits of automated checking.
WAVE (WebAIM)
Browser extension
Visual accessibility evaluator that overlays icons and indicators directly onto the page you are testing. Particularly useful for identifying missing alt text, heading structure issues, and form label problems at a glance. Complements axe — the two tools catch overlapping but not identical issue sets.
Colour Contrast Analyser (TPGi)
Desktop app
Free desktop application for checking colour contrast ratios against WCAG AA and AAA thresholds. Uses an eyedropper to sample any colour on screen — useful for checking designs in Figma, prototypes in the browser, or live products. Available for Windows and macOS.
Stark (Figma plugin)
Figma plugin
Accessibility checker that runs inside Figma. Checks colour contrast ratios, simulates colour blindness, and surfaces WCAG issues against your design files before a single line of code is written. A free tier is available; the paid plan adds vision simulation and more detailed guidance.
NVDA
Screen reader (Windows)
NonVisual Desktop Access — the most widely used free screen reader on Windows. Essential for manual accessibility testing: if you cannot navigate your product using NVDA alone, screen reader users cannot either. The most important thing to test: can a keyboard-only user reach every interactive element and complete every task?
VoiceOver
Screen reader (Mac / iOS)
Built into every Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Activate with Cmd+F5 on Mac, or via Settings > Accessibility on iPhone. The standard screen reader for testing iOS apps and macOS products. Pairing NVDA (Windows/Chrome) with VoiceOver (Mac/Safari) covers the two most common real-world screen reader + browser combinations.
Learning resources
The best accessibility resources for UX designers — from quick references to structured learning.
The A11y Project
Community-driven resource hub covering WCAG techniques, patterns, and accessible component examples. Good for quick reference when implementing specific solutions. The checklist is a practical starting point for auditing your own work.
WebAIM
Web Accessibility in Mind. One of the most authoritative sources of plain-English WCAG explanations. The WebAIM contrast checker and the WebAIM Million annual report (which audits the top one million websites for accessibility failures) are both essential reading for anyone working in digital.
Deque University — Free Introduction
Deque are the makers of axe DevTools and run one of the most respected accessibility training programmes available. The free introductory course covers digital accessibility fundamentals without requiring a paid subscription — a solid starting point before going deeper.
GOV.UK Design System — Accessibility Guidance
The GOV.UK Design System documents how the UK government approaches accessibility across its service components. Even if you are not building government services, the accessibility guidance and component examples are among the best-documented in the industry.
"Accessibility for Everyone" — Laura Kalbag
Published by A Book Apart. The most accessible (in both senses) introduction to web accessibility for designers and developers. Covers disability, perception, content, code, and evaluation in under 200 pages. Recommended for anyone who wants a solid conceptual foundation before diving into WCAG specifics.
Accessibility communities
The accessibility community is active and generous with knowledge. These are the places to ask questions, stay current, and find specialists.
A11y Slack (web-a11y)
The largest accessibility-focused Slack community. Active channels covering WCAG, ARIA, screen reader behaviour, testing approaches, and design practice. Good for specific technical questions and staying up to date with community discussion.
AbilityNet
UK charity supporting disabled people to use technology. Publishes practical guides, runs webinars, and provides accessibility assessment services. A useful resource for understanding the real-world barriers disabled users face with digital products.
RNIB Digital Resources
The Royal National Institute of Blind People publishes guidance on making digital content accessible for people with sight loss. Particularly useful for understanding how screen reader users experience digital products in practice.
UK Government Accessibility Community
Community of practice for people working on accessibility in or with UK government. Open to anyone with a .gov.uk or public sector email. Discussions on GOV.UK forums and a Slack workspace. One of the most active practitioner communities for public sector digital accessibility in the UK.
Answered directly.
What is WCAG and which level do I need?
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the internationally recognised standard for digital accessibility. There are three conformance levels: A (minimum), AA (standard), and AAA (enhanced). WCAG 2.1 AA is the UK legal standard for public sector websites under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, and is the benchmark most organisations aim for. WCAG 2.2 (released October 2023) adds nine new success criteria on top of 2.1 — the most significant additions cover focus appearance, dragging movements, and target size.
Is accessibility required by law in the UK?
Yes. Three pieces of legislation are relevant. The Equality Act 2010 requires organisations to make reasonable adjustments so disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage — this applies to digital products and services. The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 (PSBAR) requires all public sector websites and apps to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into UK law in 2025 and extends mandatory accessibility requirements to a much wider range of private sector products and services, including banking, e-commerce, and transport.
How do I test a design for accessibility?
A thorough accessibility audit uses three methods in combination. Automated tools (axe DevTools, WAVE) can catch around 30–40% of issues quickly — they are a starting point, not a complete audit. Manual testing covers what automation misses: keyboard-only navigation (can you reach every interactive element without a mouse?), screen reader testing with NVDA on Windows or VoiceOver on Mac/iOS, and checking colour contrast ratios with a tool like the TPGi Colour Contrast Analyser. The most valuable method is user testing with disabled people — which surfaces real-world friction that automated and manual checks consistently miss.
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Cohort 1 starts 5 September 2026 — limited places available. Book a free masterclass →