Accessibility statement for Search for UK subsidies

This accessibility statement applies to the 'Search for UK subsidies' service.

This website is run by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • change colours, contrast levels and fonts
  • 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)

We've also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

How accessible this website is

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

  • users may not find sufficient labels or instructions for interactive content
  • assistive technology users might experience issues due to incorrect ARIA attributes
  • screen reader users may not properly understand form groupings
  • links might not clearly describe their purpose to screen reader users
  • the states of interactive elements may not be apparent to assistive technology users
  • keyboard users might struggle to bypass blocks of repeated content

Feedback and contact information

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we're not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: subsidycontrol@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Enforcement procedure

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 Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website's accessibility

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

Compliance status

The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

This website is partially compliant with the Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Sufficient labels or instructions are not present for interactive content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A).

ARIA attributes are used incorrectly, which could impact assistive technology behaviour. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A).

Form grouping is not properly represented to screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A).

Links do not describe their purpose sufficiently to screen reader users when encountered within the context of other content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A) and 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (Level AAA).

The states of interactive elements are made apparent visibly but not programmatically. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) and 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A).

Blocks of repeated content could not be bypassed by keyboard users, also affecting screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A).

Form fields were not labelled accessibly for assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A), 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A) and 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA).

Content structure was not properly represented to screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A).

Expandable menus were not marked up accessibly for assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria:

  • 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A)
  • 2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A)
  • 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A)
  • 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (Level AA)
  • 2.1.3 Keyboard (No Exception) (Level AAA)

Invisible, empty links are present which impact content structure. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria:

  • 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A)
  • 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A)
  • 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A)
  • 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A)
  • 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (Level AAA)

Interactive elements had visible text labels, but no accessible names for assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A), 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A) and 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A).

Interactive elements are contained in other interactive elements, posing issues to some users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria:

  • 2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A)
  • 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A)
  • 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A)
  • 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (Level AAA)

Changing the setting of user input components causes unexpected changes of context to occur. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 3.2.2 On Input (Level A).

Image links have no text alternative to describe their purpose to assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A), 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A) and 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (Level AAA).

Pages do not have sufficiently descriptive titles to aid screen reader users in navigating. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A).

Interactive elements were not labelled accessibly for voice activation users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A).

Headings and labels are not descriptive of topic or purpose. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA).

Content does not reflow into a single column without loss of content when highly magnified. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.4.10 Reflow (Level AA).

Text cannot be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.4.4 Resize text (Level AA).

Text does not contrast sufficiently to meet WCAG 2.2 requirements. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) and 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) (Level AAA).

Focused elements have no visible indicator for users navigating via keyboard interface. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA).

What we're doing to improve accessibility

We are working to fix the issues described above that fail to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard. We aim to fix them by 31 July 2025. We will update this page when issues are fixed.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This website was last tested on 30 October 2024. The test was carried out by Digital Accessibility Centre.

This statement was prepared on 27 January 2021. It was last updated on 03 June 2025.