Does Your Charity Legally Need an Accessible Website?

Does Your Charity Legally Need an Accessible Website? The UK Law You Can't Afford to Ignore

Here's a question that keeps charity trustees awake at night - or should do: if someone with a visual impairment tries to donate to your charity online and can't, have you just broken the law?

The uncomfortable answer? Quite possibly, yes.

Yet most UK charities don't realise their website could expose them to legal action under the Equality Act 2010. They assume accessibility is a "nice to have" - something for organisations with bigger budgets. They're wrong.

Let's untangle the charity website accessibility law UK requirements, what they mean for your organisation, and - crucially - what you can actually do about it without breaking the bank.

The Equality Act 2010: Why Your Website Is Included

The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone based on disability. And here's the part many charities miss: your website counts as a service.

If your charity provides information, accepts donations, or allows people to sign up for events online, you're delivering a service. Under Section 29 of the Act, you have a duty to make "reasonable adjustments" so disabled people can access that service.

What does "reasonable adjustment" mean in practice?

• Ensuring screen reader users can navigate your donation page
• Providing sufficient colour contrast for people with low vision
• Making forms usable without a mouse (keyboard navigation)
• Offering alternatives where needed (e.g., phone donation options)

The test is "reasonableness" - what's achievable for an organisation of your size and resources. But doing nothing is never reasonable.

Do Public Sector Rules Apply to Charities?

You may have heard about the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 (PSBAR), which require government websites to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. These regulations apply specifically to public sector organisations.

So do they apply to charities? Not directly - unless you deliver services on behalf of a public body, receive significant public funding, or are classified as a "public authority" for other reasons.

However, here's what matters: the courts increasingly use WCAG standards as the benchmark for what constitutes a "reasonable adjustment" under the Equality Act. Even if the Public Sector Bodies act doesn't technically apply to your charity, WCAG 2.2 AA compliance is becoming the de facto legal standard for all organisations.

Think of WCAG as your practical guide to staying on the right side of the law. Learn more about why accessibility matters for your organisation.

What Happens If You're Not Compliant?

Let's be honest about what's at stake.

Legal exposure. Under the Equality Act, individuals can bring claims to a County Court. Whilst large payouts are rare in the UK (unlike the US), legal costs, settlements, and the reputational damage can be significant for charities that rely on public trust.

Lost supporters. Here's a statistic that should stop you in your tracks: 70% of disabled consumers click away from inaccessible websites.

The "Purple Pound" is the collective spending power of disabled people and their households, and is worth £274 billion annually in the UK. If your donation page doesn't work with a screen reader, you're turning away supporters who want to give.

Funding requirements. Increasingly, grant funders are asking about accessibility. The National Lottery Community Fund, for instance, expects organisations to consider accessibility in digital projects. An inaccessible website could affect future funding applications.

"But We're a Small Charity - Surely This Doesn't Apply to Us?"

It does. The Equality Act makes no exemption based on organisational size.

What does scale with size is the definition of "reasonable." A national charity with a six-figure digital budget faces different expectations than a volunteer-run community group. But every organisation must take some steps.

The good news is that many accessibility improvements are neither expensive nor technically complex. Simple changes such as proper heading structure, alt text on images, sufficient colour contrast can dramatically improve accessibility at minimal cost.

The European Accessibility Act

If your charity sells products or services to people in the EU (even from the UK) you need to know about the European Accessibility Act (EAA). Enforcement began in June 2025, and it affects UK organisations trading with EU customers. This includes charities selling merchandise, tickets, or publications to EU residents. The EAA mandates accessibility for e-commerce, and non-compliance could restrict your ability to operate in EU markets.

Even if this doesn't affect you directly, it signals where accessibility law is heading globally. The direction is clear: accessibility requirements are expanding, not contracting.

What Should Your Charity Do Now?

Don't panic, but don't ignore this either. Here's a practical starting point:

Get a baseline. You can't fix what you don't understand. A quick accessibility audit will identify your most critical issues. Many agencies (including ours) offer free initial assessments.

Prioritise your donation page. This is where accessibility failures hurt most - legally and financially. Accessible donation pages yield 34% more donations on mobile, according to OneCause research.

Train your team. Accessibility isn't a one-time fix. Anyone adding content to your website needs basic awareness of accessibility principles. Read our guide on web accessibility testing to get started.

Document your efforts. Under the Equality Act, demonstrating that you've taken reasonable steps matters. Keep records of audits, improvements, and accessibility policies.

Publish an accessibility statement. Even if the Public Sector Bodies act doesn't mandate it for your charity, an accessibility statement demonstrates good faith and tells users how to request adjustments. Learn how to write a WCAG 2.2 accessibility statement that covers all the essentials.

The Bottom Line: Accessibility Is a Legal Duty and an Opportunity

Accessibility isn't a burden. It's an opportunity to reach more beneficiaries, attract more supporters, and demonstrate the values your charity stands for.

The law requires you to make reasonable adjustments. The opportunity invites you to serve everyone who believes in your mission - regardless of ability.

If you're not sure where your website stands, we offer a free, no-obligation accessibility review for UK charities. In just five minutes, you'll know your biggest risks and your quickest wins. No jargon. No pressure. Just clarity on what comes next.

Get in touch today to book your free review.