Top Accessibility Barriers in UK and Irish Council Websites — And How LocalGov Drupal Helps

A recent blog post by accessibility specialist Tom Bamford of Annertech highlights the most common accessibility barriers faced by local government websites in the UK and Ireland—issues that affect users' ability to interact with essential digital public services. Legal obligations in both countries require public sector websites and apps to meet accessibility standards, but recent monitoring by national bodies reveals several recurring challenges.

In the UK, the Government Digital Service (GDS) found widespread problems with colour contrast, lack of visible focus for keyboard users, and poor keyboard navigation—all of which hinder users with visual, motor, or cognitive impairments. Meanwhile, Ireland’s National Disability Authority (NDA) pointed to inaccessible PDFs, colour contrast failures, and missing “name, role, value” attributes for assistive technologies as the leading issues.

Despite the challenges, both countries showed progress. In the UK, 70% of websites monitored had either resolved their issues or developed short-term plans to do so. In Ireland, the share of error-free pages rose from 22.8% to 58.9% in one year. Still, experts warn that solving these problems during development—rather than in audits after launch—is the most effective approach.

Platforms like LocalGov Drupal, developed specifically for council websites, are making a difference. With accessibility baked into its core and ongoing audits supported by the LocalGov Drupal Accessibility Governance Group, the system helps councils deliver inclusive digital services from day one. Conforming to WCAG 2.2 (AA) and ATAG 2.0, the platform is gaining adoption across the UK and Ireland.

The push for accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it improves user experience and boosts search engine visibility. As councils continue to modernise, integrating accessibility from the start is key to reaching every citizen effectively.