This accessibility statement applies to the NHS Business Services Authority website content published on the www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk domain. It does not apply to nhsbsa.nhs.uk subdomains (for example, https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-for-help-paying-nhs-costs).
This website is run by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:
- change colours, contrast levels and fonts
- zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
- listen to most of the website using a screen reader
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible, as:
- you cannot skip to the main content when using a keyboard or screen reader
- when using a keyboard to navigate our cookie banner, there is no focus indicator on the 'Analytics cookies' toggle
- some pages skip a heading level
- some pages use directional language
- not all our form controls have labels to describe their purpose
- some links do not describe where they will take the user or what the linked downloadable content is
- title text is duplicated in some of our content links
- tables do not use headings correctly
- screen readers cannot read some elements correctly, such as filters, embedded videos and social media sharing buttons
- many of our documents require a separate program to open them and are not fully accessible
- you cannot navigate this website using speech recognition software
Feedback and contact information
Contact us if you need information about this website in a different format, such as accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille. We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 5 working days.
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that are not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, you can contact us using the same email address:
Email: accessibility@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
This email address is only for accessibility queries. It is not for technical queries or IT problems. If you have a query that is not about accessibility, you can contact us by:
Email: digitalandonline@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).
If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
The NHSBSA is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.
Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations
Navigation
The ‘Skip to main content’ link does not bypass the search bar and service navigation to allow users to skip to the main content on a page. This will make navigation hard for keyboard users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks).
The tab order on our homepage service list isn’t in the correct order. This can be confusing for keyboard users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3.
When using a keyboard to navigate our cookie banner, there is no focus indicator on the 'Analytics cookies' toggle. The colour contrast when the toggle is off doesn’t meet colour contrast requirements. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.7 (Focus Visible) and 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).
When zoomed in at 200% or 400% the focus indicator isn’t visible on some menus. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 (Focus Visible).
On some pages the focus indicator relies on colour change on interactive blue buttons such as Share this page. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.1 (Use of Colour).
The tab ordering of the skip links is incorrect. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order).
Some of our pages skip a heading level. This makes navigation hard for keyboard and screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) and 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).
Some items are not marked up correctly such as lists. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships)
The search input file does not contain a label and there is no remaining visible label to guide users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels), 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
On some pages the drop down navigation shows in the incorrect place. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
Hover over text either repeats or is irrelevant to link. This fails WCAG 2.2 criterion 3.3.2 (Labels or Instruction).
Some pages use directional language to identify the visual location of an element. Users with visual disabilities may find it difficult to locate the content. Also, location of content can change depending on window or screen size. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.3 (Sensory Characteristics).
The title text is duplicated in some of our content links. This includes:
- the service name links on the NHSBSA homepage
- the skip to content links on all pages
- the Freedom of Information link in the footer on all pages
- some link buttons
This may cause difficulties for users of assistive technology. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.1.1 (Non text content) and 2.4.4 (Link Purpose In Context).
Some link text does not describe where a link will take the user, or what the downloadable linked content is. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose In Context).
Some pages have an ‘Ask us’ icon or ‘a opens in new tab’ icon that has no text alternative. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text content).
It’s not possible to navigate all pages on this website using speech recognition software. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value), 2.5.3 (Label in Name) and 4.1.3 (Status Messages).
On all accessibility statement pages hidden links show in the links menu for NVDA. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
Search
The code on the search results page does not let assistive technologies know:
- what all user interface components are for because more than one element has the same ID attribute
- when content on the page has changed if a search filter is selected
This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
Tables
Data tables on our pages are not marked up correctly. Empty data cells, such as the top-left cell in a data table, are incorrectly marked as header cells. Assistive technology users may find this confusing. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion (1.3.1 Info and Relationships).
Non-data tables are used on some pages to position content for sighted users. Screen readers may interpret them as data tables. For example, screen readers will announce column and row numbers. Screen reader users may not understand the text within the table. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 1.3.2 (Meaningful Sequence).
Videos
Some of our pages include videos which are embedded from a third-party site, such as YouTube. The video is displayed in a frame on our page which does not have a title. Screen readers cannot describe the contents of the video frame. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions).
The focus indicator isn’t always visible when tabbing through links in video. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 (Focus Visible).
The captions for our videos are automatic and may not always be accurate. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 Captions (Prerecorded).
Where a video is embedded on one of our pages, a link to download the video transcript is available.
We plan to work with our website supplier and content editors to make the NHSBSA website more accessible.
PDFs and other documents
Many of our documents require a separate program to open them and are not accessible. For example, some of them:
- are not tagged in a way that allows screen reader users to understand or navigate them
- do not have alternative text alongside informative images
- do not have correct heading structures
- do not have correct list structures
- do not have a high level of contrast between the text and background
- do not have a logical reading order
- contain complex table structures with merged cells and tables with no headings which keyboard users and screen reader users will find difficult to understand
- contain slides with missing or duplicate titles
- contain non-meaningful links
- are not written in plain English
- use directional language and colour to identify visual location of content
- include objects such as images and logos which are not in line with text
Some links to documents are not descriptive enough or do not let users know what the downloadable linked content is. For example, they do not inform the user that the link will download a PDF document. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose In Context).
We plan to make all our documents accessible or replace them with accessible HTML pages.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
JavaScript
On the search results page, the search filters aren’t accessible when JavaScript is disabled.
PDFs and other documents
Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents. We plan to either fix these or replace them with accessible HTML pages.
The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. For example, we do not plan to fix historic strategies, business plans and annual reports.
Live video
We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We’re committed to making sure this website is compliant to WCAG 2.2 ‘AA’ standard. We're currently sourcing a supplier to work with us to improve the accessibility of our website by our next statement review.
Our accessibility compliance statement will be reviewed regularly. Every newly released website will be designed, built and tested to meet ‘AA’ standards by default.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 16 September 2020. It was last reviewed on 9 December 2024.
This website was last tested on 17 October 2024 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard. The test was carried out by the Digital and Online Team.
We tested a sample of the website screens to meet ‘AA’ WCAG 2.2 standards, using manual and automated tests.
We run each webpage through automated Wave, Lighthouse and Axe accessibility tools then manually test with screen readers (NVDA) and standards checklists.
These checklists contain standards that have been compiled using WCAG, the NHS service manual and Government Digital Service (GDS) guidance.
Other NHSBSA websites
Each NHSBSA website has its own accessibility page, with details of how accessible the website is, how to report problems and how to request information in an alternative format. You can access these pages from the footer inside most websites. You can also view a list of accessibility statements for other NHSBSA websites.