Accessibility Audit Services: What Gets Tested and What You Get Back

Getting your website audited for accessibility isn’t just about ticking compliance boxes anymore. It’s about understanding exactly what barriers might be stopping your users from engaging with your brand properly. When businesses approach our team about website accessibility services for UK businesses, one of the first questions they ask is “what exactly are you going to test?” And honestly, that’s the right question to start with.

An accessibility audit service goes far beyond running your site through an automated checker. We’re talking about a methodical examination that combines technical testing, real user scenarios and detailed analysis of how your website performs across different assistive technologies. But what does that mean in practice for your business?

What Goes Into a Professional Accessibility Audit

Professional accessibility auditing is part science, part art. Our process starts with automated scanning tools that catch the obvious technical issues. Missing alt text on images. Poor colour contrast ratios. Form fields without proper labels. These tools are brilliant for the basics but they can’t evaluate user experience the way humans can.

That’s where manual testing comes in. We navigate your entire site using only keyboards. Try reading your content with screen readers turned on. Test how your forms behave when someone’s using voice control software. It’s time-consuming work but this is where we discover the real barriers that automated tools miss completely.

The scope usually covers your most important pages first. Homepage, key landing pages, product or service pages, contact forms, checkout process if you’re selling online. We don’t just test one page and assume the rest follow suit either. Different templates often have different accessibility issues.

Technical Standards and Guidelines That Matter

Most accessibility audits in the UK follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, specifically targeting Level AA compliance. These guidelines aren’t just suggestions anymore. Since 2018, UK public sector websites must meet these standards by law under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. Private sector businesses aren’t legally required to comply yet but the writing’s on the wall.

WCAG breaks down into four main principles that make websites POUR. Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust. Sounds simple but each principle contains dozens of specific criteria that need testing.

Beyond WCAG, we also consider the UK’s Equality Act 2010. While it doesn’t specify technical standards, it requires businesses to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled customers. An inaccessible website could potentially be considered discrimination under this legislation. Understanding which principles apply to your site is the first step toward identifying where the real gaps are.

The Testing Tools and Technologies We Use

Automated accessibility scanners form the foundation of any good audit. Tools like axe-core, WAVE and Lighthouse catch the obvious issues quickly. They’ll spot missing form labels, inadequate colour contrast and broken heading structures in seconds. But automated testing only catches a fraction of real accessibility issues according to Search Engine Journal.

Manual testing fills the gaps. We use actual assistive technologies that disabled users rely on daily. NVDA and JAWS screen readers on Windows. VoiceOver on Mac and iOS. Dragon speech recognition software. Switch navigation devices for users who can’t use traditional keyboards or mice.

Browser testing matters too. Accessibility features work differently across Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. What works perfectly in one browser might be completely broken in another. We test across multiple browser and assistive technology combinations to build a complete picture. The WebAIM Million report consistently finds that the majority of homepages have detectable accessibility errors, which shows why thorough cross-browser testing matters so much.

Real User Testing with Disabled Users

Here’s where accessibility auditing gets really valuable. No amount of technical testing can replace feedback from people who rely on assistive technologies every day. We work with disabled users who test websites as part of their profession. They spot usability issues that technical audits miss completely.

A screen reader user might tell us that your navigation makes perfect sense to sighted users but creates a confusing experience when heard aloud. Someone with motor disabilities might point out that your clickable elements are too small or too close together for accurate targeting. These insights are gold dust for improving user experience.

User testing also reveals how your website performs in real-world scenarios. Technical compliance doesn’t always equal good usability. Your site might pass every automated test but still frustrate users trying to complete basic tasks. That’s the difference between meeting minimum standards and creating truly inclusive experiences.

The testing scenarios we use mirror actual user journeys. Finding specific information. Completing contact forms. Making purchases. Subscribing to newsletters. We’re not just checking if features work technically – we’re evaluating whether they work well for everyone.

Common Issues Found During Audits

After hundreds of accessibility audits, certain issues crop up repeatedly. Images without alt text top the list. We’re not talking about decorative images either – critical content images that screen reader users simply can’t access.

Keyboard navigation problems come second. Many websites work fine with a mouse but become completely unusable when someone tries using Tab and Enter keys only. Dropdown menus that close unexpectedly. Buttons that can’t be reached via keyboard. Focus indicators that disappear completely.

Form accessibility causes major headaches too. Labels that aren’t properly associated with input fields. Error messages that don’t make sense or can’t be found by screen readers. Required fields that aren’t marked as required. Complex forms can become impossible to complete without sighted assistance.

Colour contrast issues are everywhere. Text that looks fine on a bright monitor becomes unreadable in different lighting conditions or for users with visual impairments. The minimum contrast ratio is 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, but many websites fall well short of these standards.

Video and audio content without captions or transcripts creates barriers for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. Auto-playing media causes problems for screen reader users and people with cognitive disabilities. Time-based content needs careful handling to be truly accessible.

These issues often multiply across different page types. What works on your homepage might break completely on product pages or in your checkout process. E-commerce sites built with WooCommerce development need particular attention to cart and checkout accessibility.

Understanding Your Audit Report

A professional accessibility audit report should tell a story, not just list technical violations. We structure our reports around user impact rather than technical jargon. Each issue gets explained in plain English with examples of how it affects different user groups.

Priority levels help you understand what needs fixing first.

• Critical issues that completely block access for certain user groups
• Major issues that significantly reduce usability for assistive technology users
• Minor issues that create inconvenience but do not prevent access entirely

This tiered approach helps you allocate development resources where they will have the biggest impact first.

The report includes specific recommendations for each issue found. Not just “fix this problem” but detailed guidance on how to implement the changes. Code examples where relevant. Design recommendations when the issue stems from visual choices. Content guidance for editorial problems.

Screenshots and videos help illustrate problems that might be hard to understand from text descriptions alone. Seeing how a screen reader interprets your navigation differently than visual users provides valuable context for development teams.

Implementation timelines give realistic expectations about fixing different types of issues. Simple HTML changes might take hours. Redesigning complex interactive elements could take weeks. Planning these fixes alongside your regular development cycle prevents accessibility work from becoming disruptive.

The Business Value of Professional Auditing

Professional accessibility auditing isn’t just about compliance, though that’s increasingly important as regulations tighten. It’s about understanding your actual audience and removing barriers that prevent people from becoming customers.

The disabled community represents significant spending power. In the UK, disabled people and their families control an enormous share of household spending according to the disability charity Scope. That’s a market segment you can’t afford to exclude accidentally.

Accessibility improvements often benefit everyone, not just disabled users. Captions help people watching videos in noisy environments or quiet offices. Good colour contrast makes content easier to read for everyone. Clear navigation helps all users complete tasks more efficiently.

Search engines appreciate accessible websites too. Many accessibility features overlap with good SEO practices. Alt text helps search engines understand images. Proper heading structures improve content organisation. Clean semantic HTML performs better in search results. If you’re also focusing on conversion rate optimisation, accessibility improvements often boost conversion rates by making user journeys smoother.

The audit process often reveals broader usability issues that impact all users. Complex forms that confuse screen reader users probably confuse everyone else too. Navigation that’s difficult to use with a keyboard is likely frustrating with a mouse as well.

What Happens After the Audit

The audit report is just the beginning. Implementation planning comes next and this is where many businesses struggle. Accessibility improvements need to integrate with your existing development processes without causing major disruptions.

We typically recommend a phased approach. Start with critical issues that completely block access. These often have simple fixes but massive impact. Quick wins build momentum and demonstrate commitment to the broader team.

Content management system considerations matter hugely here. WordPress development projects need different approaches than custom-built systems. The CMS you use affects which fixes are practical and which require workarounds.

Training becomes important once initial fixes are implemented. Content creators need to understand how their choices affect accessibility. Developers need guidelines for maintaining standards in future updates. Marketing teams need to consider accessibility in campaigns and social media content.

Ongoing monitoring prevents regression. Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix, it’s an ongoing commitment. New content, design changes and feature additions can introduce fresh barriers. Regular testing catches these issues before they impact users.

Some businesses choose to implement accessibility features gradually while others prefer full overhauls. Both approaches can work but require different resource allocations and timelines. The audit report provides the roadmap but your team decides the pace of travel.

The goal isn’t perfect compliance, it’s continuous improvement toward truly inclusive experiences. And that starts with understanding exactly what’s preventing your website from working for everyone who wants to use it.