The European Accessibility Act came into force in June 2025. If your business sells products or services to EU customers - even from the UK - you're likely in scope. Non-compliance means potential fines, legal action, and being blocked from EU markets.
Most UK businesses aren't ready. Many don't even know the regulations apply to them. This guide explains what's required, who's affected, and how to get your website compliant.
What the European Accessibility Act Requires
The EAA mandates that certain products and services be accessible to people with disabilities. For digital services, this means websites and apps must meet established accessibility standards.
Who's Affected
The regulations apply to businesses providing:
- E-commerce services: Online shops selling to EU consumers
- Banking services: Online banking, payment services, consumer credit
- Electronic communications: Telecommunications, messaging services
- Transport services: Air, bus, rail, and waterborne passenger transport websites
- E-books and dedicated software: Digital publishing platforms
Post-Brexit, UK businesses aren't exempt. If you sell into the EU market, you must comply with EU regulations to access those customers. The EAA specifically covers services provided to EU consumers, regardless of where the provider is based.
The Technical Standard
The EAA references EN 301 549, the European standard for ICT accessibility. For websites, this essentially means conforming to WCAG 2.1 Level AA - the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
WCAG 2.1 AA covers four principles:
Perceivable: Information must be presentable in ways all users can perceive. This includes text alternatives for images, captions for videos, and sufficient colour contrast.
Operable: Interface components must be operable by all users. This means keyboard navigation, adequate time limits, and avoiding content that causes seizures.
Understandable: Information and interface operation must be understandable. This includes readable text, predictable navigation, and help with input errors.
Robust: Content must be robust enough to work with various technologies, including assistive technologies like screen readers.
The Business Risk of Non-Compliance
Legal Consequences
EU member states must enforce the EAA through national authorities. Consequences vary by country but can include:
- Fines proportionate to the violation and company size
- Orders to remove non-compliant services from the market
- Public naming of non-compliant businesses
- Legal action from affected consumers
Market Access
Beyond legal penalties, non-compliance affects your ability to operate:
- EU marketplaces may delist non-compliant sellers
- B2B customers increasingly require accessibility compliance from suppliers
- Public sector contracts often mandate WCAG compliance
- Payment providers may assess compliance as part of merchant risk
Accessibility compliance is increasingly becoming a commercial requirement, not just a legal one. Large enterprises are adding accessibility clauses to supplier contracts, and procurement processes routinely include accessibility criteria.
Reputational Impact
Being identified as non-compliant creates reputational risk:
- Negative press coverage
- Social media criticism
- Brand association with exclusion
- Loss of customer trust
The UK Position
The UK has its own accessibility regulations for public sector websites and is developing private sector requirements. Even without direct EU sales, UK businesses face:
- Equality Act obligations (discrimination claims)
- Growing consumer expectations
- Competitive pressure from compliant rivals
- Potential future UK legislation mirroring the EAA
Common Accessibility Issues
Most websites fail accessibility audits on basic issues that are straightforward to fix.
Images Without Alt Text
Screen reader users can't perceive images without text alternatives. Every meaningful image needs descriptive alt text; decorative images need empty alt attributes to be skipped.
The fix: Audit all images and add appropriate alt text. Most CMS platforms make this easy.
Poor Colour Contrast
Text that doesn't contrast sufficiently with its background is hard or impossible to read for users with visual impairments.
The fix: Ensure text meets minimum contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text). Tools like WebAIM's contrast checker make this simple.
Missing Form Labels
Form fields without proper labels are unusable for screen reader users. Placeholder text doesn't count - labels must be explicitly associated with fields.
The fix: Ensure every form input has a proper label element or appropriate ARIA labelling.
Keyboard Navigation Failures
Users who can't use a mouse must navigate entirely by keyboard. Many sites have elements that can't be reached or operated via keyboard alone.
The fix: Test keyboard navigation thoroughly. Ensure all interactive elements are focusable and operable.
Missing Skip Links
Screen reader users must listen to navigation menus on every page unless skip links let them jump to main content.
The fix: Add a "skip to main content" link at the top of each page.
Videos Without Captions
Video content without captions excludes deaf and hard-of-hearing users.
The fix: Add accurate captions to all video content. Auto-generated captions are a start but usually require editing for accuracy.
Most accessibility issues aren't technically complex. They're oversights - things that weren't considered during design and development. Fixing them is often straightforward once identified.
The Compliance Process
Step 1: Accessibility Audit
Before fixing anything, understand your current state:
Automated testing: Tools like axe, WAVE, or Lighthouse catch obvious issues quickly. They identify perhaps 30-40% of accessibility problems.
Manual testing: Human review catches issues automation misses - logical reading order, meaningful alt text, usable interactions.
Assistive technology testing: Testing with actual screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and other assistive tools reveals real-world usability.
A professional audit provides a prioritised list of issues with remediation guidance.
Step 2: Remediation Planning
Not all issues are equal. Prioritise based on:
- Severity: How much does this barrier affect users?
- Frequency: How often do users encounter this issue?
- Effort: How complex is the fix?
- Risk: What's the legal exposure?
Create a realistic remediation timeline. Complex issues may require development work; simple issues can often be fixed immediately.
Step 3: Fix and Test
Address issues systematically:
- Fix highest-priority issues first
- Test each fix individually
- Retest affected areas for regressions
- Document changes for compliance records
Step 4: Ongoing Compliance
Accessibility isn't a one-time project:
- New content must meet standards
- Site changes must be tested
- Regular audits catch emerging issues
- Staff training prevents recurring problems
Build accessibility into your development and content processes rather than treating it as periodic remediation.
Accessibility Statements
The EAA requires businesses to publish accessibility statements covering:
- Compliance status (full conformance, partial conformance, or non-conformance)
- Any accessibility limitations and alternatives
- Contact information for accessibility issues
- Feedback mechanism for reporting barriers
This statement must be easily findable - typically linked from the footer of every page.
Building Accessibility Into New Projects
If you're building a new website or making significant changes, build accessibility in from the start:
Design Phase
- Choose colour palettes that meet contrast requirements
- Design for logical content structure
- Plan keyboard navigation patterns
- Include accessibility in user experience testing
Development Phase
- Use semantic HTML
- Implement proper ARIA where needed
- Test with screen readers during development
- Include accessibility in code review
Content Phase
- Write descriptive alt text for images
- Structure content with proper headings
- Provide captions for media
- Write clearly and simply
Launch and Beyond
- Conduct pre-launch accessibility audit
- Include accessibility in QA processes
- Train content editors on accessible content
- Monitor and maintain compliance
Retrofitting accessibility is always more expensive than building it in. If you're planning a new website or major redesign, insist on accessibility from the start.
The Investment
Accessibility compliance costs vary widely based on site size, complexity, and current state.
Audit Costs
- Simple sites (under 20 pages): £500-1,500
- Medium sites (20-100 pages): £1,500-4,000
- Large or complex sites: £4,000-10,000+
Remediation Costs
Highly variable based on:
- Number and severity of issues
- Whether issues require content changes or code changes
- Internal capacity vs. external support needed
- Complexity of existing codebase
Minor issues (content changes, alt text, contrast): Often achievable with internal resources and minimal cost.
Moderate issues (form improvements, navigation fixes): £2,000-8,000 typical for external remediation support.
Major issues (fundamental structure problems, page builder limitations): May require significant redevelopment.
ROI Considerations
Beyond compliance, accessibility often improves:
- SEO (search engines value accessible structure)
- Conversion rates (usable sites convert better)
- Mobile experience (accessibility and mobile overlap significantly)
- Brand perception (inclusive brands resonate with consumers)
Getting Started
If you're unsure about your compliance status:
- Run a basic automated test (WebAIM WAVE is free) to get a sense of obvious issues
- Commission a professional audit for complete picture
- Prioritise remediation based on risk and effort
- Implement fixes systematically
- Establish ongoing processes
Don't wait for enforcement action. Getting compliant now is cheaper and less disruptive than responding to complaints or legal pressure.
Concerned about your website's accessibility compliance? Our web development team provides accessibility audits and remediation services for UK businesses. Get in touch for an initial assessment.