How accessible are UK councils? Report reveals the best and worst

LONDON. August 2024 — A new report from Qualitest, the leading AI-powered quality engineering company, reveals how UK councils rank for accessibility. This topic is a growing public concern, and efforts to make content easily available to people of all abilities have become a major focus. However, some councils leave accessibility features hidden on difficult-to-find pages, and some don’t even include content in languages other than English, such as Welsh or Irish. This leaves many users behind without a clear way to access vital content such as information on taxes, voting, healthcare services, employment services, public services, and housing. 

Qualitest used automated solutions alongside manual testers to assess UK council websites to evaluate many factors, including their accessibility, language options, and user perception. From offering content in multiple languages, to text size options and screen reader-compatible features, councils have a wide range of offerings they can provide. Which of them go the extra mile to reach every user, and which fall below the bar? 

The UK requires that all government departments, local authorities, and other public service organizations comply with GDS standards, which ensure that digital content is accessible to all users, including differently-abled users. Although most councils meet these requirements, important features are often difficult to find. No resident should struggle to access key information on UK council sites, but for many that could be the case.  

Hackney Council, along with Birmingham and Edinburgh councils, earned less-than-ideal scores. While Hackney’s accessibility page does include some helpful information and compliant features, there are no easily clickable options or toggles to adjust the site. Some features require extra searching to access them, which can be difficult extra steps for certain users. A lack of additional language support also stands out. 

On the other hand, Belfast Council is going beyond the requirements to create an easily accessible environment. A clear button on the homepage pulls up a bar where the user can immediately access settings such as screen reading, translation, text size, colour contrast, and screen mask. The button beside it pulls up an accessibility page where users can easily find additional services such as video relays for sign language users, braille plaques, and inclusive tourism information. The page advises that live video streams do not have captions and some older documents are not compatible with a screen reader, but offers services to provide special help by request, and a place to send feedback and report problems. Liverpool, Tower Hamlets, and Rhondda Cynon Taf councils, among others, also receive top marks in this area. Councils that go above and beyond set the national standard, facilitating an environment where every user has simple access. 

Qualitest also evaluated the overall user experience (UX), which encompasses ease of use, mobile compatibility, average user opinion, performance, and accessibility. These factors can greatly affect differently abled users. Brighton & Hove received the highest marks (9.08/10 average), followed closely by Leicester (9.07), and Nottingham (9.0). Kirklees (6.38), Newcastle upon Tyre (6.81), and Derry (7.12) fell to the bottom of the ranking. 

While English is the most spoken language in the UK, other languages and dialects are also culturally and regionally important. However, many council sites only feature English content. And in many cases where they do include additional language support, the feature is hidden behind other tools that the average user might not be able to easily find. 

Cultural pride and efforts to revive the UK’s myriad of rich languages and dialects such as Welsh and Irish have greatly risen in the past years. However, some councils in particular fall flat in this area: Belfast, Glasgow, and Bristol councils are among those that offer no content in Irish, Welsh, or any other non-English language. Some are ahead of the curve, such as Kirklees and Brighton & Hove councils, which feature a Google Translate integration to offer live translation of the content to 60 languages. All Welsh councils ask the user to choose between English and Welsh before accessing the sites. 

Web accessibility has greatly improved in the last few years, but there is still important work to be done. The number of people with disabilities is rising, and so are expectations to accommodate them. Hitting or exceeding accessibility standards is imperative. UX quality engineering, consistent testing and evaluation with a service like Qualitest, is becoming imperative. Diligent testing that utilizes both automated solutions and manual testers, what Qualitest specializes in, helps organizations ensure they are meeting the highest standards, catering to every user. 

Check out the full report and ranking here.