Websites for UK businesses, explained
Website Accessibility Law for UK Businesses
7 November 2026
Website accessibility law for UK businesses comes mainly from the Equality Act 2010, which requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. The Act doesn't name a technical standard, but the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at level AA are the benchmark the public sector must meet, and a sensible target for any business.
Quick answer: GOV.UK says all UK service providers have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.2 AA under the 2018 accessibility regulations. Private businesses aren't bound by those regulations, but WCAG 2.2 AA is the usual yardstick.
Key Takeaways
All UK service providers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people under the Equality Act 2010.
Public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.2 AA; the 2018 regulations don't apply to private businesses.
WCAG 2.2 was published by the W3C in October 2023 and has three levels: A, AA and AAA.
Content that meets WCAG 2.2 also meets WCAG 2.1 and 2.0.
Simple checks, like alt text, contrast and keyboard use, catch many common problems.
What UK law says about website accessibility for businesses
The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful for service providers to discriminate against disabled people, and it includes a duty to make reasonable adjustments. GOV.UK's guidance on accessibility puts it plainly: all UK service providers have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.
If your website is how customers find out about you, book with you or buy from you, it's part of the service you provide.
The public sector rules
The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 came into force on 23 September 2018. They require public sector websites to meet WCAG 2.2 at level AA and to publish an accessibility statement.
Those regulations don't apply to private businesses. They're still useful to know, because they show the standard that UK government treats as the benchmark.
What WCAG is
WCAG stands for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Version 2.2 was published on 5 October 2023. It's built on four principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
Each requirement, called a success criterion, has a level. Level A is the minimum, AA is the level most organisations aim for, and AAA is the highest. Content that meets WCAG 2.2 also meets WCAG 2.1 and 2.0.
What WCAG 2.2 added
WCAG 2.2 added nine new success criteria. Some of the ones at level A and AA that most affect business websites are:
Target Size (Minimum): buttons and links should be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, with some exceptions.
Focus Not Obscured: when someone moves through the page with a keyboard, the item they're on mustn't be hidden, for example by a sticky header or a cookie banner.
Consistent Help: if you offer help, such as contact details, it should appear in the same place on each page.
Redundant Entry: don't make people type the same information twice in one process.
Accessible Authentication: logging in shouldn't depend on a memory test or puzzle without an alternative.
Simple checks you can make today
You don't need special software to spot the most common problems.
Images: every meaningful image needs alt text that describes it. Decorative images should have empty alt text.
Contrast: body text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background at level AA.
Keyboard: put the mouse away and press Tab. You should be able to reach and use every link, button and form field, and see where you are.
Headings: use one main heading and a logical order of subheadings, so screen reader users can move around the page.
Forms: every field needs a visible label, and error messages should say what went wrong.
Zoom: enlarge the page to 200% and check nothing overlaps or disappears.
Accessibility also helps everyone else
Clear headings, readable text and big enough buttons make a site easier to use on a phone, too. Many of the same fixes help with page speed and layout stability, which our guide to Core Web Vitals explains.
Accessibility is one of six essentials in our business website checklist.
When you're hiring a designer
Ask any web designer which WCAG level they build to, how they test it, and whether fixing accessibility issues is included in the price. Put the answers in the contract.
Our guide to who owns your website covers the other things to agree before work starts.
Cookie banners are a common source of accessibility problems, because they can cover content or trap keyboard users. Our guide to cookie banners and the UK rules explains when you need one at all.
If you have a question, get in touch with our team.
There is more advice on our blog.
Frequently asked questions
Is WCAG a legal requirement for private businesses in the UK?
Not by name. The Equality Act 2010 doesn't specify a technical standard. WCAG 2.2 AA is the standard set for the public sector and the usual benchmark for everyone else.
Do I need an accessibility statement?
Public sector bodies must publish one under the 2018 regulations. For a private business it's optional, but it's a helpful way to tell visitors how to get help.
What is the difference between WCAG 2.1 and 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 adds nine success criteria, such as minimum target size and focus not being hidden. It also removes 4.1.1 Parsing, which the W3C now treats as obsolete.
Can an accessibility overlay make my site compliant?
No tool can fix every problem automatically. The reliable route is to fix the underlying page: its images, contrast, headings, labels and keyboard use.
Your next step
Try the keyboard test on your homepage and your contact page today, and note anything you can't reach.
For the standard itself, read the W3C's WCAG overview.