Two in five devolved government websites not meeting accessibility requirements – PublicTechnology

Figures cited by a minister reveal that only about 60% of government websites operating outside of the core GOV.UK infrastructure meet the standards set out in the global WCAG framework

A significant proportion of websites run by the UK’s devolved national governments are currently failing to comply with accessibility requirements, research has revealed.

Work undertaken by an accessibility monitoring team based in the Government Digital Service recently “found that, for central government websites that operate independently of GOV.UK – including those run by the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments – 61% met accessibility requirements at time of assessment”, according to digital government minister Ian Murray.

This means that two in five of all the public service are failing to fulfil requirements to make services accessible for users with various conditions or disabilities – including impaired vision or hearing, motor difficulties, and learning disabilities. 

These requirements mandate that services and content must meet the standards set out in the latest version of the WCAG global accessibility guidelines.

Murray added that “the GOV.UK website is regularly tested for accessibility and central government organisations are expected to use GOV.UK for their publishing” – and that GDS is undertaking further research into the difficulties organisations face in achieving compliance.

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“In May 2026, GDS issued a survey to 10 central government departments to better understand barriers to compliance with government’s accessibility requirements,” he said. “The survey has since closed and GDS is currently considering the responses.”

Another minister, Baroness Liz Lloyd, indicated that the digital unit is also exploring how new technologies could help government improve the accessibility of its services.

“The government understands that there is potential for artificial intelligence to support people with accessibility needs, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing or face language barriers,” she said. “GDS will undertake analysis and research on how artificial intelligence and frontier technologies could improve accessibility for disabled users in digital public sector services.”

The two ministers were respectively answering written parliamentary questions from Labour MP Gordon McKee and unaffiliated peer Lord John Taylor.

Three departments recently joined forces to publish an open letter from government encouraging organisations across all sectors to improve the accessibility of their digital services. However, onlookers have raised concerns about whether the pending abolition of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology might impact government’s focus on accessibility issues.