This accessibility statement explains how Headlines UK makes its website usable for everyone, regardless of ability or device. It covers the standards we follow, the features we have built in, and how you can contact us if you need help or want to report a problem. For background on our editorial mission and ownership, you can read Our Story.
What accessibility standards do we follow?
We commit to meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA as our conformance target, in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the UK government’s digital service standard. Where applicable, we also align with European standard EN 301 549 on ICT accessibility. This means we aim to make our content perceivable, operable, understandable and robust for users with a wide range of disabilities, including those who use assistive technologies.
Headlines UK is operated by Sliema Media Limited, a Malta-registered company (C 84217). Our editorial independence and commitment to trustworthy journalism are set out in our editorial policy. Accessibility is part of that commitment: we want every reader to be able to access our news coverage of UK politics, business, technology, culture and public affairs.
What features are in place to help you use our site?
We have designed the site to work with keyboard-only navigation and with screen readers, voice control software and other assistive tools. All interactive elements – menus, links, buttons and form fields – can be reached using the Tab key, and a visible focus indicator shows which element is active. Text and background colours have been chosen to provide sufficient contrast, and we avoid relying solely on colour to convey information.
We support reduced-motion preferences so that animations and transitions do not cause discomfort for users with vestibular disorders. Headings are structured in a logical hierarchy, and we provide descriptive alternative text for images. Where we embed third-party content such as videos or maps, we encourage those providers to meet similar accessibility standards but cannot guarantee their conformance.
How this works in practice
Take the example of a reader who uses a keyboard and screen reader to browse our article on the latest inflation figures. When they land on the homepage, pressing Tab moves the focus through a skip-to-content link that bypasses the menu. Each headline is marked as an <h2>, and the screen reader announces the article title before reading the summary. Links to full articles are labelled clearly – ‘Read more about inflation trends’ – rather than ‘click here’. The reader can navigate to the contact page using the same keyboard shortcuts, and the focus indicator remains visible throughout.
This example is not a hypothetical: we test our site with tools such as the WAVE evaluation tool, axe DevTools and manual keyboard testing before each major release. We also review user feedback to identify and fix barriers.
What are our known limitations?
Although we aim for full WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance, some areas may present challenges. Older PDF documents linked from our archive may not be fully accessible. Some third-party widgets – such as social media feeds or interactive charts – may not meet the same standards. We are working to replace or supplement these with accessible alternatives. If you find a specific barrier, please tell us so we can address it or provide the information in another format.
We do not use automatic captcha systems that rely only on visual recognition; where verification is needed, we offer alternatives such as email confirmation. Our AI and automation policy ensures that digital tools support, but never replace, human editorial judgement – and that includes accessibility checks.
How can you report an accessibility issue or request an alternative format?
If any part of our website is difficult to use, or if you would like content in a different format such as large print, audio or easy-read, please email our accessibility team at accessibility@headlinesuk.uk. We aim to respond within five working days and to resolve issues within a reasonable time. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can follow our complaints procedure. You may also contact the Editor-in-Chief David Harwood via the contact page.
In short
Headlines UK is working towards WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance under the Equality Act 2010. We have built keyboard navigation, good contrast, reduced-motion support and clear heading structures into our site. If you encounter a problem, let us know at accessibility@headlinesuk.uk and we will put it right.