Accessibility Statement

Our commitment to accessibility

We aim to provide a website that is clear, inclusive, understandable and straightforward to use.

Accessibility is considered as part of the design, development, content and ongoing maintenance of the website, rather than as a separate feature.

We consider the different ways people may access and interact with the website, including people who use assistive technologies, navigate using a keyboard, enlarge or reflow text, use voice control, have reduced vision or colour perception, or benefit from clear and predictable content.

We will make reasonable efforts to remove barriers that prevent people from accessing our website or the information and services available through it.

Accessibility standard

Our accessibility target for this website is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA .

WCAG is an internationally recognised standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for making websites and digital content more accessible to people with disabilities.

We use WCAG 2.2 Level AA as a practical framework for the design, development and review of this website.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, references to this target should not be read as a formal claim that every page and component has been independently certified as conforming to WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

Using this website

We aim to make the website usable in a range of different ways. You should be able to:

• Navigate the website using a keyboard without requiring a mouse or touchscreen.
• Use the website with a screen reader or other assistive technology.
• Enlarge text and zoom the page without losing important content or functionality.
• Use the website at different screen sizes and orientations.
• Understand the structure of pages through logical headings and content order.
• Identify links, buttons and other interactive controls clearly.
• See a visible focus indicator when navigating using a keyboard.
• Use forms with appropriate labels, instructions and understandable error information.
• Understand meaningful images through appropriate alternative text or accompanying content.
• Access information without relying solely on colour to communicate meaning or an action.
• Use the website with reduced animation where your device or browser indicates a preference for reduced motion.

What we are doing to improve accessibility

Our approach to website accessibility includes:

• Using semantic and logically structured page content.
• Maintaining an appropriate heading hierarchy.
• Designing responsive layouts for mobile, tablet and desktop screens.
• Maintaining sufficient colour contrast between text, controls and backgrounds.
• Supporting keyboard navigation.
• Providing visible focus states for interactive elements.
• Using descriptive link and button text where practicable.
• Providing alternative text for informative images and treating decorative imagery appropriately.
• Avoiding unnecessary movement and respecting reduced-motion preferences where possible.
• Designing forms with clear labels, instructions and error information.
• Providing sufficiently large and usable interactive targets where practicable.
• Considering accessibility when new components, features and content are introduced.
• Reviewing accessibility as part of the website's ongoing maintenance rather than treating it as a one-off exercise.

Current accessibility status

This website is being developed with WCAG 2.2 Level AA as its accessibility target.

Accessibility testing and review form part of the development and maintenance of the site. Until testing of the completed website has been carried out, we do not claim that every page, component or third-party service fully conforms to WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

If we identify an accessibility issue that has a significant effect on people's ability to access information or use the website, we will record it in this statement where appropriate and work to address it.

If you encounter a problem that is not listed here, please contact us so that we can investigate it and, where reasonably possible, provide an accessible alternative.

Third-party content and services

Some parts of the website may include content, tools or services supplied by other organisations.

These may include embedded video or media, social media content, maps, booking systems or other external services.

We aim to select and implement third-party services in an accessible way wherever reasonably possible. However, we do not always have full control over the accessibility of an external service or interface.

The inclusion of a third-party service does not remove our commitment to making the information and services we provide accessible.

If an external feature prevents you from accessing information or completing an action, please contact us. Where reasonably possible, we will help you access the information or provide another way of completing the relevant action.

Information in alternative formats

If you cannot access information on this website or need it in a different format, please contact us.

We will consider the nature of your request and make reasonable efforts to provide an accessible alternative.

Depending on the information involved, this may include providing it in a different electronic format, supplying the information in another appropriate form or discussing it with you directly.

We do not charge for reasonable accessibility adjustments.

Accessibility feedback

We welcome feedback about the accessibility of this website.

If you encounter an accessibility problem, find something difficult to use or believe there is a barrier we could remove, please tell us.

When reporting an accessibility issue, it can help us investigate if you include:

• The page, content or feature you were trying to use.
• What happened or what created difficulty.
• The device and browser you were using, where relevant.
• Any assistive technology you were using, if you are comfortable providing that information.
• The format or alternative that would help you access the information, where applicable.

Please do not provide information about a disability or health condition unless you consider it necessary for us to understand and respond to your request.

We will use accessibility feedback to investigate problems and improve the website where reasonably possible.

Testing and reviewing accessibility

Accessibility is an ongoing part of maintaining this website.

We will review accessibility as the website develops, when significant new functionality is introduced and when issues are identified through testing or feedback.

Our reviews may include automated accessibility checks and manual checks of areas such as keyboard navigation, focus behaviour, page structure, colour contrast, text resizing and responsive layouts.

Where appropriate, we will also review compatibility with assistive technologies and the accessibility of important user journeys.

This statement will be updated where testing identifies significant limitations, where material changes are made to the website or where our accessibility approach changes.

The date at the top of this page shows when this statement was most recently updated.