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Digital Accessibility Policy

Classification: OFFICIAL

Policy Details

Field Details
Policy Identifier JDDS-POL03
Policy Owner Head of Digital Compliance
Policy Sponsor Chief Technology Officer
Date Created 13/04/2026
Date Last Reviewed 08/06/2026
Date of Next Review 08/06/2027
Expiry When rescinded or replaced
Version 0.1

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set out the organisation’s requirements for complying with digital accessibility law and requirements. This policy supports Justice Digital, Data and Science’s commitment to inclusive, user-centred digital services and ensure compliance with cross government standards, legal obligations and recognised best practice. It contributes to effective assurance, governance, and continuous improvement across the digital portfolio.

Scope

This policy applies to all digital services delivered, operated, or significantly changed by the organisation, including new services, live services, and services undergoing transformation or major change. It applies to all delivery phases, from discovery through alpha, beta, live, and retirement. It encompasses both transactional and non-transactional services, designed for internal users within the organisation and public facing services designed for external users.

The policy applies to all staff, contractors, suppliers, and partners involved in the design, delivery, operation, or assurance of digital services on behalf of the organisation.

Policy Statements

All Ministry of Justice (MoJ) digital services must comply with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018. All internal and external digital services must meet WCAG 2.2. Level AA as a minimum standard.

All public facing services must publish and maintain an accessibility statement, which is accurate, has been reviewed within the last 12 months and clearly explains any known issues and mitigation plans.

All digital services must meet the accessibility expectations of the Service Standard, ensuring services are usable by everyone. Accessibility must be built in from the start and considered throughout all phases of the service lifecycle.

All procured digital services, platforms and tools must demonstrate compliance with accessibility requirements and provide evidence of conformance as part of procurement and assurance activities.

Documents within digital services that were published or updated after 23 September 2018 must comply with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018. Documents published before this date are exempt, unless users need them to use a service.

Principles

MoJ policies and operating procedures must provide a clear risk-based approach, providing clear, purpose driven and proportionate direction setting out how the MoJ will operate.

Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities required to ensure the effective implementation, oversight and management of the policy.

Role/Team Responsibilities
Service Owners and Product Managers Responsible for ensuring that achieving WCAG compliance and publishing an accessibility statement is written into product roadmap.
Delivery Managers Responsible for ensuring that accessibility work is undertaken in accordance with the roadmap.
Staff procuring digital services Responsible for baking accessibility requirements into contract requirements and ensuring that suppliers can evidence how they meet this requirement.
Digital Accessibility Team Will run regular accessibility training sessions to upskill staff. Provide support by conducting basic accessibility reviews and assisting with writing accessibility statements. The team can also provide support arranging, including funding, for full WCAG audits as required.
Policy Reviewers The Digital Accessibility Team will be responsible for reviewing the content of this policy annually, and any ad hoc reviews, to ensure it remains accurate and fit for purpose.

Monitoring and Compliance

The Digital Accessibility team will manage requests for Accessibility Audits (from the WCAG contract). Findings from the accessibility audits will be sent direct to the team that requested the audit for action. The monitoring team at GDS actively monitor public sector bodies websites. They escalate any identified non-compliances to the European Human Rights Commission. Members of staff and the public may at any point report accessibility issues to the monitoring team, who will then investigate your website and escalate to the EHRC if non-compliances are found. Service Assessments will be undertaken, and accessibility remediation actions will be tracked to completion. The Digital Accessibility Team will participate in the Digital Assurance Gateway process raising any medium or high-risk accessibility concerns. Accessibility risks will be added to the risk management tool by the team identifying the risk.

Exceptions

Any deviations from this policy must be formally approved by the Policy Owner. Applications to deviate from the policy must be documented and subject to risk assessment.

Breach of Policy

Policy must be adhered to, and any breaches may result in steps being taken under the MoJ Performance Management Policy.

Noncompliance to accessibility legislation may result in the MoJ incurring financial penalties, legal challenges and reputational damage.

The following policies, standards, frameworks, processes, procedures and guidance support this policy:

Review and Update

Annual Policy Review

This policy must be reviewed on an annual basis. Reviews must be conducted by the policy reviewers defined in Roles and Responsibilities, and approved by the policy owner before publication.

Questions or Feedback?

If you have any questions about this policy or the template, please contact:

Email: DigitalStandards@justice.gov.uk

Slack: [standards-team channel]

This page was last reviewed on 3 June 2026. It needs to be reviewed again on 3 June 2027 by the page owner #digital-compliance-team .