If you’re searching for a web accessibility consultant in the UK, something has probably changed for you recently. A legal query, a new procurement requirement. A client asking for a VPAT or an accessibility statement. Or the European Accessibility Act (EAA — which, yes, still applies to UK businesses selling into EU markets even after Brexit.
Whatever started it, here’s what to know before you make a decision.
What a UK accessibility consultant actually does
The work broadly falls into four areas, and it’s worth knowing which one you actually need.
Auditing
Testing a website, app or document against WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 criteria, typically Level AA. This is what most people mean when they say they need an “accessibility audit.” A proper audit combines automated tooling with manual testing, keyboard navigation, and screen reader testing. Automated tools alone catch around 30 to 40% of real issues. If the audit you’re being offered is purely tool-generated output, it’s not a full audit.
Remediation support
This is helping your development and design teams understand and fix what the audit found. This is often where the most value is. Sure somehow can raise a ticket but can they fix the issue? This is where the real value is - someone that can get into the code, understand and fix things.
Design review
This is catching accessibility problems before they’re built. It’s cheaper, faster, and much less disruptive than retrofitting. If your team is in early design phases, this is where to start.
Training and process
This is helping your team build accessibility into how they work on an ongoing basis, rather than needing an external expert every time.
Why the UK context matters specifically
The UK’s Equality Act 2010 has long required that digital services don’t discriminate against disabled users. Accessibility compliance is the bare minium and legal obligation for most organisations.
The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations also require that public sector websites and apps meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accurate accessibility statement.
For private sector businesses in the UK, the Equality Act creates a duty to make reasonable adjustments. Failing to make a website accessible to a disabled user can constitute a failure to make a reasonable adjustment. The legal exposure is real even if enforcement is less prescriptive than in the US under ADA.
What to actually look for
Ask about testing methodology, do they test manually? Do they use a keyboard? Do they use screen readers, and if so, which ones? NVDA on Windows, JAWS, and VoiceOver on macOS and iOS are the main ones. Someone who cannot answer that question clearly is not doing real accessibility work.
Look at a sample report. A good accessibility report maps each finding to a specific WCAG success criterion, explains the real world impact on disabled users, and gives developers enough information to fix it without needing a follow-up call. A poor one is basically an automated scan export.
Ask whether they’ve worked in your sector. Accessibility issues vary by context, a government digital service has different risk areas than an eCommerce checkout flow or a banking app.
What a realistic engagement looks like
For a typical 10 to 20 page marketing website, a thorough WCAG 2.1 AA audit takes a few weeks, depending on complexity. Larger applications, complex interactive components, or document libraries take longer.
If you need something ongoing, embedded support, sprint level design reviews, or in-house training - that’s usually structured as a retainer or scheduled blocks of time.
I work with clients across the UK, and most of my work is remote. If you want to talk through what you need, get in touch.