Manchester website accessibility law - council guide
Introduction
Manchester, England requires council digital services to meet public sector accessibility expectations and to provide accessible alternatives where needed. This guide summarises the legal framework that applies to Manchester City Council websites and apps, explains practical steps to check compliance with WCAG standards, and shows how to report problems or request accessible formats. It is written for residents, council staff, and suppliers who need clear, local guidance on duties, contact points and remedies.
What rules apply
The principal UK regulations for public sector website accessibility are the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, which require an accessibility statement and conformance with WCAG success criteria where applicable. [2] Manchester City Council publishes its accessibility statement and guidance on its official site for users and web teams. [1]
How WCAG applies
Council web content should follow WCAG 2.1 AA (common public sector practice) for content published on or after the regulations' applicability dates and should document exceptions in the accessibility statement.
- WCAG target: perceive, operate, understand and robust technical principles.
- Accessibility statement: list pages not conforming and provide contact details for issues.
- Remedies: provide accessible formats on request and an accessible alternative where immediate fixes are not possible.
Penalties & Enforcement
The official guidance for public sector accessibility states duties and statement requirements but does not specify monetary fines on the published guidance pages cited here.
- Fines: not specified on the cited page.
- Escalation: first, repeat or continuing offence ranges are not specified on the cited page.
- Non-monetary sanctions: the guidance references compliance obligations; specific orders or statutory penalties are not specified on the cited page.
- Enforcer and complaints: responsibility for operational compliance sits with the council’s web/digital team and corporate officers; to report accessibility problems use the council contact methods listed in the Help and Support section below.
- Appeals and review: specific appeal routes and time limits are not specified on the cited page; consider formal complaints to the council and legal remedies under equality or administrative law where applicable.
- Defences and discretion: the regulations permit documented exemptions and technical constraints to be recorded in the accessibility statement; precise defensive provisions are not specified on the cited page.
Applications & Forms
The council does not publish a specific national form for accessibility compliance; reporting a problem or requesting a document in an accessible format is typically done via contact pages or the accessibility feedback form indicated in the council's accessibility statement. [1] If no form is available on the page, it is not specified on the cited page how a standardised form would be named or numbered.
Common violations and typical outcomes
- Missing alt text for images — outcome: required fix or accessible alternative on request.
- Poor keyboard navigation — outcome: remediation planning and code changes.
- No accessible PDF or documents — outcome: provision of accessible format on demand.
Action steps for residents and users
- Report an accessibility problem to the council via the accessibility statement contact or website feedback.
- Request the content you need in an alternative format and note the date and method of request.
- If unresolved, use the council complaints procedure and retain copies of correspondence.
- Consider seeking advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on disability discrimination rights. [3]
FAQ
- Who enforces website accessibility for Manchester City Council?
- The council's web and digital teams are responsible for operational compliance; legal duties derive from national regulations and equality law, and enforcement or remedies are pursued via council complaints and legal channels.
- How do I report an inaccessible page?
- Use the contact details in the council accessibility statement or the website feedback form and ask for the content in an accessible format.
- What standard must the council meet?
- Public sector bodies follow the Accessibility Regulations and commonly apply WCAG 2.1 AA; check the council's accessibility statement for specific conformance notes.
How-To
- Identify the inaccessible content and take screenshots or notes with the page URL and time.
- Contact the council via the accessibility statement contact details and request the content in an accessible format.
- If the council does not resolve the issue, submit a formal complaint to the council complaints team and cite your earlier request.
- If still unresolved, seek advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission or legal advice about discrimination remedies.
Key Takeaways
- Manchester council must publish an accessibility statement and follow WCAG principles where applicable.
- Report problems via the council accessibility contact and request accessible formats.
- Formal remedies and specific penalties are not listed on the council or gov.uk guidance pages cited here; follow the complaints route and consider equality advice.
Help and Support / Resources
- Manchester City Council - Accessibility statement and contact
- Manchester City Council - Contact us
- Manchester City Council - Planning and building control