The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 require UK public sector organisations to make their websites and apps accessible and to publish an accessibility statement. The deadlines have long passed, so for in-scope bodies this is an active, monitored obligation. This page explains who is covered, the standard, the statement requirement, how the rules are enforced, and how to comply.
Introduced in 2018, the regulations set specific accessibility requirements for the websites and mobile applications of UK public sector bodies, together with a duty to publish and maintain an accessibility statement. They remain in force as UK law and are tied to the international WCAG standard, so the technical requirement updates as WCAG itself is updated.
The regulations apply to UK public sector bodies — including central government, local government, and the NHS — and cover their public-facing websites and mobile apps as well as intranets and extranets. There are some exemptions: certain types of content (for example, some pre-recorded media published before the rules applied), some non-governmental organisations, and mobile apps aimed only at defined groups such as employees or students. If you are unsure, the safest assumption for a public-facing public sector service is that it is in scope.
In-scope websites and apps must meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA. The regulations are designed to follow the current version of WCAG, and the Government Digital Service began monitoring against WCAG 2.2 in October 2024 (previously WCAG 2.1 AA). As with all WCAG-based laws, conformance means content that is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for people using assistive technologies.
Publishing an accessibility statement is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. Each in-scope website and app must publish a statement using the required UK template, which must set out:
An inaccurate or missing statement is itself a compliance failure, independent of the underlying accessibility of the service.
| Service | Deadline (passed) |
|---|---|
| New public sector websites | 23 September 2019 |
| Existing public sector websites | 23 September 2020 |
| Public sector mobile applications | 23 June 2021 |
Because all deadlines have passed, compliance is already mandatory and actively monitored — there is no remaining grace period.
The regulations are monitored and enforced through several routes rather than fixed fines:
Corpowid is an end-to-end digital accessibility and compliance partner — not a standalone overlay. We combine AI automation with expert human remediation to bring your websites, apps, and documents to WCAG 2.2 AA, keep them there with continuous monitoring, and provide audit-ready reporting and a maintained accessibility statement aligned with the regulations.
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The 2018 regulations apply to UK public sector bodies, including central and local government and the NHS, covering their websites, mobile apps, intranets, and extranets. Some content and some organisations are partly or fully exempt.
Public sector websites and apps must meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA. The regulations track the current version of WCAG, and the Government Digital Service has monitored against WCAG 2.2 since October 2024.
Yes. Each in-scope website and app must publish an accessibility statement following the required UK template, describing its compliance status, any non-accessible content, how to request alternatives, and how to complain.
The Government Digital Service monitors compliance and can publicly name organisations with inaccurate statements. The EHRC (and ECNI in Northern Ireland) can investigate, issue notices, and take legal action, alongside the Equality Act 2010 duty to make reasonable adjustments.
Yes. All public sector websites had to comply by 23 September 2020 and mobile apps by 23 June 2021, so compliance is already required and actively monitored.
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