This accessibility statement applies to the Check what help you could get to pay for NHS costs website.
This website is run by the NHS Business Services Authority. 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 using browser or device settings
- zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate the website using just a keyboard or speech recognition software (including the most recent version of Voice Control and Dragon)
-
listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent version of 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, as:
- screen reader users may find it difficult getting directed to the main content of the page when the 'skip to main content' link is selected
- screen reader users may find it difficult to navigate through the timeout pop-up
- some links on the application cannot be opened with speech recognition directly - the 'show numbers' or 'show grid' command can be used to access the input fields instead
How to request content in an accessible format
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, you can contact us by:
Email: accessibility@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.
This inbox is only for accessibility queries. This inbox is not for technical queries or IT problems. If you have a query that is not about accessibility, go to the ‘Contact us’ section of this page.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that are not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, you can contact us by:
Email: accessibility@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
This inbox is only for accessibility queries. This inbox is not for technical queries or IT problems. If you have a query that is not about accessibility, go to the ‘Contact us’ section of this page.
Contact us
For all queries not accessibility related, you can contact us by:
Email: helpwithhealthcosts@nhsbsa.nhs.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 Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
The NHS Business Services Authority 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
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard.
Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations
Screen reader users may find it difficult getting directed to the main content of the page when the 'skip to main content' link is selected. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) and 4.1 (Compatible).
Screen reader users may find it difficult to navigate through the timeout pop-up. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.6 (Timeouts).
Some links on the application cannot be opened with speech recognition directly - thw 'show numbers' or 'show grid' command can be used to access the input fields instead. This fails WCAG success criterion 3.2.3 (Consistent Navigation).
We plan to fix these issues. When we publish new content, we'll make sure it meets accessibility standards.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We’re committed to making sure this website is compliant to WCAG 2.2 ‘AA’ standard.
Every new released website will be designed, built and tested to meet ‘AA’ standards by default.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 12 September 2019. It was last reviewed on 7 August 2024.
This website was last tested on 31 July 2024 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.
The test was carried out by the NHSBSA test and development teams. The most viewed pages were tested using automation toold by our website team. A further audit of the website was carried out to the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.
We tested all of the website screens to meet ‘AA’ WCAG 2.2 standards, using manual and automated tests.
We run each webpage through automated Wave, Lighthouse and Axe accessibility tools then manually test with screen readers (NVDA or VoiceOver) and standards checklists.
We run representative user journey tests through speech recognition software (Dragon or Voice Control).
These checklists contain standards that have been compiled using WCAG, the NHS service manual and the Government Digital Service (GDS) guidance.