An easy Guide to Accessibility on the web
Digital accessibility is more important than ever for all websites
The UK Government has been pushing out WCAG 2.2 level AA since 2023 which has now become the accessibility standard throughout the digital world.
This guide explores what WCAG 2.2 AA is, why it matters for your business and how to approach compliance from a practical web design and UX perspective.
What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are an internationally recognized set of standards published by the W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
They provide a shared framework for ensuring websites and digital content is usable by people with different disabilities across vision, hearing, cognitive and more.
WCAG is not just specific rules for web design but it applies to websites, apps, digital documents like PDFs, and larger digital interfaces and devices like smart TVs and even fast food kiosks.
WCAG 2.2
The 2.2 version adds more criteria designed to better support all users with additional standards to strive for. This includes taking into account:
- Cognitive and learning differences
- Touch interaction or limited mobility
- Challenges with complex interactions
- Time for authentication or multi-step actions
Each new version doesn’t replace previous versions but builds on them, so if you comply with 2.2, you satisfy 2.1 and 2.0 automatically.
What is AA level and why we strive for AAA where possible.
WCAG guidelines are divided into three levels: A – Basic, AA – Standard and AAA – Advanced
WCAG A (Basic)
Addresses fundamental barriers. Without A compliance, large groups of users may not be able to use content at all.
WCAG AA (Standard Accessibility Level)
More robust and commonly required by government and enterprise policies. AA solves many usability barriers around layout, color contrast, navigation, readability, and interactions.
WCAG AAA (Advanced)
Ideal with the greatest level of accessibility but is not always practical for all content types.
Most organisations, including government websites, aim for Level AA however AAA will become more standardised across the website.
What are the WCAG 2.2 Principles?
WCAG organizes accessibility into four foundational principles Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust (P.O.U.R.)
Perceivable
Information must be presentable to all senses.
Users should be able to perceive information in at least one way even if they cannot see, hear, or process certain formats.
This can include:
- Text alternatives for images
- Captions for video
- Sufficient colour contrast
- Text that resizes without breaking layout
- No information conveyed by colour alone
- Responsive design that adapts to zoom and screen readers
Operable
Users must be able to use all controls and navigate easily.
Users must be able to operate the interface via various devices and methods such as keyboards, touch screens, assistive devices and speech input which is becoming much more common across all devices.
Operability focuses on:
- Clear and predictable navigation
- Keyboard only controls
- Sufficient target sizes and spacing
- No overstimulating or seizure triggering content
- Ensuring users have enough time to complete actions
Understandable
Content must be clear and predictable.
Not to say your content can’t be engaging but users should not be confused or misled.
This includes:
- Consistent layout structures
- Descriptive form labels
- Error messages that explain what went wrong
- Avoiding unnecessarily complex language
- Interfaces with predictable patterns
- Simple authentication options
Robust
Content must work across technologies and sizes.
Your content should be compatible with:
- Screen readers
- Magnifiers
- Custom style sheets
- Speech recognition software
- Different browsers
- Mobile and desktop devices
We have always believed that the web should be for everyone and that accessibility isn’t just a design best practice but a key part in supporting your website visitors.
Meeting these guidelines reduces legal risk, especially for sectors like government, education, healthcare, and finance, while also opening your website to a wider audience, including older users, people with disabilities, mobile users and much more.
Beyond compliance, these standards naturally improve user experience through clearer interfaces, better readability, predictable layouts, and more intuitive forms.
You can discover more about Web accessibility services as well as our free website audit which can provide a no obligation health check on your website.
