Accessibility audit for online forms, with report and fixes.

Why forms deserve their own audit

A form is where people have to act: enter details, choose options, upload a document, correct a mistake and submit. If one of these steps fails with a keyboard or a screen reader, the whole service fails for that person. Many problems are invisible to someone using a mouse, such as a field without a label, a button that is really a styled box, or an error shown only in red.

For UK public sector bodies, GOV.UK guidance says websites and apps must meet WCAG 2.2 AA and publish an accessibility statement. Businesses are outside those regulations, and charities are usually exempt unless, for example, they are mostly financed by public funding. Service providers still have a duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Take legal advice on how this applies in your case.

What we check

We audit against WCAG 2.2 level AA, with particular attention to the success criteria that decide whether a form can be completed:

• Labels and instructions (1.3.1, 2.4.6, 3.3.2): every field has a visible label that is linked to it in the code, not just placeholder text.
• Keyboard and focus (2.1.1, 2.4.7, 2.4.11): every control works with the keyboard, and focus is visible and not hidden behind sticky headers or banners.
• Errors (3.3.1, 3.3.3, 3.3.4): errors are described in text, linked to the field and explain how to fix them; submissions with legal or financial consequences can be checked, corrected or confirmed.
• Contrast (1.4.3, 1.4.11): text, field borders and focus indicators are strong enough to see.
• Names, roles and states (4.1.2): screen readers announce what a control is and whether it is selected, expanded or required.
• New in WCAG 2.2: target size (2.5.8), redundant entry (3.3.7), accessible authentication (3.3.8) and consistent help (3.2.6).

How we test

1. 1Scope: we agree which forms and steps are covered, including error states and the confirmation page.
2. 2Automated check: tools find missing labels and contrast failures quickly, but the GOV.UK Service Manual warns that automated testing alone misses issues.
3. 3Keyboard check: we complete every form without a mouse, including errors and uploads.
4. 4Screen reader check: with a screen reader such as NVDA or VoiceOver we check what is announced, in which order, and whether error messages make sense.
5. 5Zoom and small screens: we check the form at high zoom and on a phone-sized screen.

What you get

This follows the route GOV.UK describes for public bodies without the skills in house: a detailed audit by a third party, then a re-audit after the fixes.

• A written report: every finding with the WCAG criterion, where it occurs, why it matters and how to fix it.
• A prioritised action list that separates blockers from minor issues.
• Fixes, if you want them: we implement the changes, or brief your developers or platform supplier.
• A second check after the fixes, so you know they work.
• Input for your accessibility statement: what does not yet comply and why, in the structure of the GOV.UK sample statement.

Before and after: the demo

Our accessibility demo shows the same order form for a fictional tea shop twice. The ‘before’ version has typical faults: faint text, placeholder text instead of labels, a box that looks like a button but is not one, no visible focus, and errors shown only in red. The ‘after’ version fixes them. A built-in checker runs fourteen automated checks on the rendered form, each linked to a WCAG criterion, and shows the tab order and a simplified view of what a screen reader reads out.

The demo interface is in German, but the faults and fixes are visible without reading the text. It also shows the limits of automation: whether a form is understandable and whether complete journeys work still needs a person.

No certificates, no seals

We do not issue accessibility certificates or seals, and we do not claim them for our own work. The GOV.UK guidance for public bodies describes an audit, fixes, a re-audit and an accessibility statement; it does not mention certificates. Our report documents what we tested, when, against which criteria, and what we found. An audit is not legal advice.

Price and process

After an intro call of about 30 minutes we agree the scope, for example one application form or every form on your website, and quote a fixed price for each stage: the audit and report first, then fixes and a retest if you want them. We do not publish prices for audits.

If your forms are still PDF downloads, GOV.UK advises HTML as the first choice. Our guide PDF forms to accessible online forms explains the steps, and we build online application forms to WCAG 2.2 AA.