Why website accessibility matters for your charity

In the digital age, your charity’s website is one of your most powerful tools for engaging supporters, beneficiaries, and funders. But if your site isn’t accessible, you could be unintentionally excluding people from engaging with your cause. Website accessibility ensures that people of all abilities can navigate, understand, and interact with your content effectively. In this guide, we’ll explore what website accessibility is, why it matters, and how you can assess and improve your charity’s website.

What is website accessibility?

Website accessibility refers to designing and developing websites so that people with disabilities—such as visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments—can use them without barriers. Accessibility is about inclusivity, ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can interact with your website’s content.

Accessible websites use features like:

• Alternative text (alt text) for images to support screen readers.
• Clear, easy-to-read text with sufficient contrast.
• Keyboard-friendly navigation for those who can’t use a mouse.
• Captions or transcripts for audio and video content.
• Logical structure and heading hierarchy for screen reader compatibility.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), provide international standards for web accessibility. These guidelines outline how to make websites perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (often referred to as POUR).

Why website accessibility is important

1. It ensures inclusivity

Accessibility is a fundamental aspect of digital inclusion. Around 16 million people in the UK have a disability, and many rely on assistive technologies to browse the web. By making your website accessible, you ensure that people with disabilities can engage with your charity’s work, access resources, and make donations.

2. It improves user experience for everyone

Accessible design benefits all users, not just those with disabilities. Features like clear navigation, readable text, and well-structured content improve usability for older adults, mobile users, and people with temporary impairments (e.g., a broken arm or poor internet connection).

3. It boosts your website’s search performance

Search engines favour websites that are well-structured and easy to navigate. Accessibility improvements, such as proper headings, alt text, and descriptive links, also help search engines understand your content better, improving your organic rankings.

4. It helps you meet legal and ethical obligations

In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires organisations, including charities, to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people can access services. Failing to meet accessibility standards could put your organisation at risk of legal challenges and reputational damage.

Later this year (June, 2025) the European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force, requiring most digital products and services to comply with WCAG 2.1 level AA standards.

How to review your website’s accessibility

Conducting an accessibility review doesn’t require advanced technical knowledge. Below are some practical steps and tools you can use to assess your website.

1. Run an Automated Accessibility Audit

Several free online tools can scan your website for accessibility issues and provide actionable recommendations:

• WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) – Highlights issues with contrast, missing alt text, and more.
• Google Lighthouse – A built-in tool in Chrome’s DevTools that assesses accessibility and performance.
• axe DevTools – A browser extension that helps detect and fix common accessibility problems.

2. Test your website using assistive technologies

Manually testing your site with screen readers and keyboard navigation can reveal issues that automated tools might miss. Try:

• NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) – A free screen reader for Windows.
• VoiceOver – A built-in screen reader for macOS and iOS.
• Keyboard Navigation – Unplug your mouse and try navigating your website using only the keyboard (Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys).

3. Check colour contrast and readability

Poor contrast can make text difficult to read for people with visual impairments. Use tools like:

• WebAIM Contrast Checker – Tests if your text colour meets accessibility contrast standards.
• Readable.io – Evaluates readability scores and suggests improvements.

4. Review your content structure and labels

A well-structured website helps users and search engines understand your content. Ensure that:

• Headings are used in a logical order (H1, H2, H3, etc.).
• Links use descriptive text (e.g., “Donate to our cause” instead of “Click here”).
• Forms include clear labels and error messages to guide users.

5. Get feedback from real users

Nothing beats real-world testing. Engage people with disabilities in your community or network to test your website and provide feedback.

What to do next

Improving website accessibility is an ongoing process, but small changes can make a big difference. Start by implementing quick fixes such as adding alt text to images, improving contrast, and testing keyboard navigation. Then, work towards a long-term strategy that includes regular accessibility audits, staff training, and embedding accessibility into your digital design process.

By prioritising accessibility, your charity can create a more inclusive digital experience—ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can connect with your mission and support your cause.

You can learn more about website accessibility for charities from the Gov.uk website.