Accessibility audit programme extended to local authorities

From 1 July 2026, local authorities can request an accessibility audit from the Office at no cost. The programme has been open to Commonwealth departments since 2024 and has audited 189 services in that time.

The extension follows a survey of 240 local authority services published in March, which found that 71% had never been tested with assistive technology by a person, and that 38% had no accessibility statement at all.

Audits are carried out by testers who use screen readers, magnification, speech input, and switch access daily. Findings are ranked by the barrier they create for someone trying to complete the service, not by technical severity, and retesting is free within six months.

Demand is higher than our current capacity. Audits are being scheduled 10 to 14 weeks ahead, and we prioritise requests connected to a live service that people are currently unable to complete. We are recruiting six additional testers this year.