Accessibility statement

© Crown copyright 2021

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

Where we have identified any third-party copyright information, you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This accessibility statement applies to the domain moneyhelper.org.uk

This website is run by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to do the following:

• change colours, contrast levels and fonts
• zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)
• access the site on smaller devices.

We’ve also made the website text as simple to understand as we can.

AbilityNet (Opens in a new window) has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

• Some parts of the site cannot be navigated via keyboard, and some parts fail to make the keyboard focus visible.
• Some links do not behave as expected: for example, some links bring up modal dialogues instead of web pages.
• Some images have missing or inadequate alternative text, and some are not designated as either meaningful or decorative.
• Form elements and labels are not always communicated properly to assistive technologies, including when a field is required or optional.
• Some parts of the site do not convey to assistive technologies the logical structure of pages, including the relationships between labels and elements of pages or forms.
• Some parts of the site present new or updated content when appropriate, but they do not alert assistive technology that the content has changed.
• Some error messages are unhelpful, giving little or no information about exactly what is wrong or what the user needs to do to make it right; and some forms do not provide accessible interaction with error indicators and error messages.
• The use of headings throughout the site is inconsistent.
• Some links fail to indicate their purpose, usually because either they contain no link text or they are image links with missing or inadequate alt text.
• The contents of lists are not always clear to people using screen readers.
• Some parts of the website use colour as the only means of conveying information, and other parts have inadequate colour contrast in text or images.
• Some prerecorded videos provide no audio descriptions for the video content.
• Some pages contain long lists of links, large blocks of text, or whole paragraphs of italicised text.
• Some parts of the website do not work properly with pointer gestures on mobile devices.

More information on the accessibility issues appears in the section on non-accessible content below.

If you need information on this website in a different format, such as accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or Braille, feel free to contact us:

• email: accessibility@moneyhelper.org.uk
• call: +44 (0)1159 659570
• write: The Money and Pensions Service, Holborn Centre, 120 Holborn, London, EC1N 2TD
• visit: Holborn Centre, 120 Holborn, London, EC1N 2TD 

We’ll consider your request and get back to you within two days.

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that we haven’t listed on this page, or if you think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, we’d love to hear from you. Please send us an email in which you describe the problem and tell us which page you were using when it happened. Send this email to accessibility@moneyhelper.org.uk

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) (Opens in a new window)

Our offices are currently closed because of Covid-19 restrictions. Once we reopen, you will be welcome to contact us in advance, so that we can arrange reasonable accommodation for your visit. For example, you will be able to request a space with low lighting or low noise levels, or you can ask us to arrange a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. 

The Money and Pensions Service is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 (Opens in a new window) AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below. 

This section lists the key ways in which this website fails to meet the WCAG 2.1 success criteria. It includes all violations of A and AA success criteria and all issues that the independent audit found to be serious or critical. It includes minor issues only if they relate to a Level A criterion. The issues appear in sequential order of the applicable success criteria. 

Some images are not designated as either meaningful or decorative. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.1.1 (Non-text Content, Level A). We plan to ensure that all images are designated as either meaningful or decorative by 31 March 2022.  

Some links fail to indicate their purpose, usually because either they contain no link text or they are image links with missing or inadequate alt text. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.1.1 (Non-text Content, Level A); 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (in Context), Level A). We plan to update all links so that they indicate their purpose by 31 March 2022. 

Some elements in some forms have multiple labels. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.1.1 (Non-text Content, Level A); 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels, Level AA); 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A). We plan to ensure that all form elements have exactly one label by 31 March 2022.  

Some forms contain sets of related elements that are not designated as groups. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.1.1 (Non-text Content); 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels); 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A). We plan to assign groupings to each set of related form elements by 31 March 2022. 

Some prerecorded videos provide no audio descriptions for the video content. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.2.5 (Audio Description (Prerecorded), Level AA). We plan to provide audio descriptions for all prerecorded videos by 31 March 2022. 

The content and structure of lists are not always made clear to people using screen readers. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A). We plan to correct the structure of all lists by 31 March 2022. 

Some links bring up dialogue boxes instead of web pages. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A). We plan to eliminate, by 31 March 2022, the use of links for bringing up dialogue boxes.  

Some tables do not identify header and data cells properly. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A). We plan to correct the coding of all tables so that, by 31 March 2022, they identify header and data cells properly. 

Some tables are not coded as either data tables or layout tables. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, all tables are coded as either data tables or layout tables.  

The textual features of some items are designated visually instead of semantically or structurally. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A). We plan to ensure that all textual features are designated semantically or structurally by 31 March 2022. 

The use of headings throughout the site is inconsistent: some pages skip heading levels and other headings are empty. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks, Level A); 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels, Level AA); 3.2.3, Consistent Navigation, Level AA). We plan to correct the heading structure by 31 March 2022.  

Some parts of the site do not convey the logical structure of pages in a way that makes it easy for users of assistive technologies to navigate those pages. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks, Level A); 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value, Level A). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, all parts of the site fully convey to assistive technologies the logical structure of pages.

Some form fields have visible labels that are not communicated correctly (or not at all) to assistive technologies. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels, Level AA); 2.5.3 (Label in Name, Level A) ; 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, all visible labels are communicated properly to assistive technologies.  

Forms do not always convey to assistive technologies when a field is required or optional. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels, Level AA); 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A). We plan to ensure that all required and optional fields are identified to assistive technologies by 31 March 2022. 

The mobile menu does not indicate whether it is open or closed. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, the mobile menu will indicate whether it is open or closed.  

Some parts of the site present new or updated content as the user progresses through the process, but they do not alert assistive technology that the content has changed. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A); 4.1.3 (Status Messages, Level AA). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, any time the site presents new or updated content it alerts assistive technology that the content has changed. 

Some pages provide assistive technologies with the same identifier for multiple elements. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships, Level A); 4.1.1 (Parsing, Level A). We plan to ensure that every page element has its own identifier by 31 March 2022.  

Some parts of the website use colour as the only means of conveying information. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.4.1 (Use of Colour, Level A). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, all parts of the site that use colour to convey information will use at least one other means as well. 

In some places the colour contrast of text or images is too low. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.4.3 (Contrast (Minimum), Level AA). We plan to bring the colour contrast of all text and images into compliance by 31 March 2022.  

Some parts of the site require both horizontal and vertical scrolling under some conditions. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.4.10 (Reflow, Level AA). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, all pages that require scrolling at all use either horizontal or vertical scrolling, but not both. 

Some parts of the site do not adapt to increased text spacing. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 1.4.12 (Text Spacing, Level AA). We plan to ensure that the text spacing responds to all relevant user settings for the spacing of lines, paragraphs, letters and words by 31 March 2022. 

Some parts of the website cannot be accessed via the keyboard. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 2.1.1 (Keyboard, Level A). We plan to ensure that all parts of the site can be accessed via keyboard by 31 March 2022. 

Some parts of the site reuse the same link text for multiple different destinations. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (In Context), Level A). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, each instance of link text leads to only one destination.  

Some links indicate when they lead to external sites, and others do not. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (In Context), Level A); 3.2.4 (Consistent Identification, Level AA). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, all links that lead to external sites will indicate as much.

Some parts of the website fail to make the keyboard focus visible. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 2.4.7 (Focus Visible, Level AA). We plan to ensure that, by 31 March 2022, the keyboard focus will always be visible throughout the website.  

Some parts of the website do not work properly with pointer gestures on mobile devices. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 2.5.1 (Pointer Gestures, Level A). We plan to ensure that all pointer gestures work properly on mobile devices by 31 March 2022. 

Some parts of the website have navigation that is inconsistent with that of other parts. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 3.2.3 (Consistent Navigation, Level AA). We plan to update the site navigation so that it is all consistent by 31 March 2022.  

Some error messages are unhelpful, giving little or no information about exactly what is wrong or what the user needs to do to make it right. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 3.3.3 (Error Suggestion, Level AA). We plan to update the content and presentation of all error messages by 31 March 2022 so that they clearly indicate what is wrong and what the user needs to do to correct the problem.

Some forms do not return the focus to the first error on the page, and some do not allow the user to resubmit the form until all errors have been corrected. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criteria: 3.3.1 (Error Identification, Level A); 3.3.2 (Label or Instructions, Level A); 3.3.3 (Error Suggestion, Level AA). We plan to ensure that all forms handle errors in a WCAG-compliant manner by 31 March 2022.  

Some iFrames lack titles. This fails the following WCAG 2.1 success criterion: 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value, Level A). We plan to give titles to all iFrames by 31 March 2022.

Older PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software and/or keyboard navigation. This fails some of WCAG 2.1 success criteria PDF1 through PDF23. Although some of our older PDF documents are exempt from the accessibility regulation, as described in a later section of this Statement, we will address this issue going forward. Whenever we publish new PDF content, we will make sure that the information in it can be accessed using screen readers and that we also provide HTML versions of that content.

Inclusive usability testing (IUT) conducted on this website found a small number of accessibility problems that are not specifically covered by the WCAG criteria. Although these are not necessarily WCAG compliance issues, we list them here because we found them to be accessibility problems for the participants in our testing. The most common accessibility problem found in the IUT was inadequate colour contrast, which we have mentioned above.

Some assistive technologies used for adjusting screen appearance do not work when the screen reader is on. This can cause problems for some people who use assistive technologies to help them perceive and understand content.

Some pages contain long lists of links or large blocks of text, which some people can find overwhelming. This can make it difficult for some people, such as people with dyslexia or attention disorders, to absorb and understand the content. Although this doesn’t fall under any WCAG 2.1 success criteria, System Concepts recommend “breaking up content and making it easy to skim read” (www.system-concepts.com/insights/accessible-content-for-cognitive-impairments (Opens in a new window)). We plan to break up long lists of links and large blocks of text, to make them easier to skim-read.

The white background can create glare for some users, and dark mode with white text creates glare for other users. This can make it difficult for some people to read and understand the content. Although this doesn’t fall under any WCAG 2.1 success criteria, the British Dyslexia Association advise using a “light (not white) background” (www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/employers/creating-a-dyslexia-friendly-workplace/dyslexia-friendly-style-guide (Opens in a new window)). We plan to investigate this issue further and consider changing our white background to a very light colour.

Some users find the “pink” (magenta) colour of text to be difficult to read against the white background of the page. Although this colour combination passes contrast checking (https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/?fcolor=C82A87&bcolor=FFFFFF), we will consider increasing the contrast slightly, so that we can keep the overall “look” of the magenta whilst making this text more legible for such users. 

The smallest text that is common throughout the site is too small for some users to read. These users have to increase it using the browser’s “zoom in” function. We are aware that there is a fairly large difference in size between the smallest and largest text on the site, and we will look into increasing the smallest size slightly. 

Some popups and banners continually intrude into the interaction. One (“Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper”) completely blocks some smartphone users from proceeding past it; another one (“Got a pension question?”) appears on each new page to which the user navigates, even after the user has closed it on a previously seen page. We will find the causes of such interaction blockers and will take steps to prevent them from impeding the user’s progress. 

This website contains embedded tools that are hosted on our legacy codebase. Most of the accessibility issues listed here are concerning that content. To date, we have not had the resources or funding to rebuild the tools within MoneyHelper.org.uk. We have a plan for rebuilding these tools to improve accessibility for our users when resources and funding become available. Having assessed the costs of compliance with regard to those tools, we understand that at this time, compliance in accordance with regulation would impose a disproportionate burden.

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services.

Any new PDF, Word or Excel documents we publish will meet accessibility standards. Before publishing new content as a PDF, Word or Excel document, we will make sure that that alternative format is necessary, as advised by GDS

This website underwent a full third-party accessibility audit in April 2021, a second, partial audit in June 2021, third-party inclusive usability testing (IUT) in May 2021, and another audit in July 2021. This accessibility statement has been prepared to reflect the results of those assessments, also taking into account the issues that we resolved before the most recent audit. 

This statement was prepared on 27/05/2021. It was last reviewed on 25/10/2021.

This website was last tested via audit on 07/07/2021 and via inclusive usability testing (IUT) on 25/10/2021. The audit and testing were carried out by Nexer Digital Ltd (Opens in a new window)

The pages to audit were chosen on the basis of the following user journeys:

1. Contact MoneyHelper
2. Find Pension information and self-assess their own pension
3. Investigate high-level information relating to Pension benefits
4. Book a telephone appointment with Pension Wise
5. Find further guides and videos from MoneyHelper
6.  Access and use the available letter templates
7. An extra sample of pages (Accessibility Statement, Cookie Policy), as guided by the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) (www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/conformance/wcag-em (Opens in a new window))

The audit assessed the following pages and functions:

• Homepage
• Search results
• “Talk to us live” component
• Contact form (Microsoft form)
• Pensions landing
• Pensions calculator tool
• Benefits landing
• Pension Wise landing
• Book a free Pension Wise appointment
• How to book a phone appointment
• Taking your whole pension pot in one go
• How to fill in a Self Assessment tax return
• Letter templates
• Word documents
• Excel document
• Accessibility statement
• Cookie policy

The audits used the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines V2.1, levels A and AA, to determine how accessible the selected pages are. 

The October 2021 testing also involved inclusive usability testing, an empirical process that involves people with disabilities, varied digital skills, and specific technology access needs. This testing employed the following tasks:

1. Find and use the “Travel Insurance Directory Tool”

2. Find and use the “Stamp Duty Calculator”, “Land and Buildings Transaction Tax Calculator” or “Land Transaction Tax Calculator”

3. Navigation and search (Coronavirus store cards)

4. Find “Contact us for guidance on pensions” and “Talk to us live” 

5. Find Pension Wise and book appointment

The testing uncovered some accessibility issues that do not map directly to the WCAG 2.1 criteria but affect the ability of people with disabilities and/or special access needs to use the site, and we have listed them in this statement.