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Accessibility statement for Business tax account service

This accessibility statement explains how accessible this service is, what to do if you have difficulty using it, and how to report accessibility problems with the service.

This service is part of the wider GOV.UK website. There is a separate accessibility statement for the main GOV.UK website.

This page only contains information about the Business tax account service, available at https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/business-account.

Using this service

The business tax account lets businesses manage their taxes and other services in one place.

This service is run by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). We want as many people as possible to be able to use this service. This means you should be able to:

  • change colours, contrast levels and fonts
  • zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
  • get from the start of the service to the end using just a keyboard
  • get from the start of the service to the end using speech recognition software
  • listen to the service using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We have also made the text in the service as simple as possible to understand.

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

How accessible this service is

This service is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard.

Some people may find parts of this service difficult to use:

  • some page elements do not contain discernible text or are not descriptive enough for users to determine their function or purpose
  • some links open in new windows without warning, or are unclear about their destination
  • some page elements were not accessible to keyboard only users
  • some colour combinations are low contrast and not easy to read

What to do if you have difficulty using this service

You can contact HMRC for extra support if you need help with filling in forms or getting a different format, like large print, audio recording or Braille.

Reporting accessibility problems with this service

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this service. If you find any problems that are not listed on this page or think we are not meeting accessibility requirements, report the accessibility problem.

If you are not happy with our response

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 are not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) or the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) if you live in Northern Ireland.

Contacting us by phone or getting a visit from us in person

We provide a text relay service if you are deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment.

We can provide a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, or you can arrange a visit from an HMRC advisor to help you complete the service.

Find out how to get extra support from HMRC.

Technical information about this service’s accessibility

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

This service is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 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

On some pages the Page Titles do not follow the correct design pattern. This means that when navigating between different pages, screen-reader users will not be able to correctly identify the page, as the page title stays the same. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.2 (Page Titles). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

In some areas there are extra end HTML tags. As the HTML has not been set up correctly this can cause issues for assistive technologies as it does not display consistently across different browsers. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.1 (Parsing). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

The skip link does not function as expected in Manage Account deregistration and add a tax - Self Assessment. This can confuse users of screen reading assistive technologies, who may no longer know their location on a page when their focus lands on an unexpected component. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

A link is displayed with non-descriptive text in Account details - VAT. This is not helpful for users of screen reading assistive technologies navigating the page. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criteria 2.4.4 (Link Purpose - In Context) and 2.4.9 (Link Purpose - Link Only). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

There are several lists present that have not been marked up clearly in the business tax account. This means that users of screen reading assistive technologies may not be able to understand the correct relationship of list items. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 4.1.1 (Parsing). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

There are several instances of incorrect labelling of elements in the business tax account. This may be confusing for users of screen reading assistive technologies. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

Duplicate ID values are used in Account details - VAT. Page elements that use duplicate ID values may be overlooked by screen readers and other assistive technologies. This can make it more difficult for users of screen reading assistive technologies to enter their information. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.1 (Parsing). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

Description list elements are not structured correctly in Account details - VAT. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

A form field is displayed which has multiple label elements in add a tax - Self Assessment. This is not widely supported by assistive technologies. This can make it more difficult for users of screen reading assistive technologies to enter their information. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

There are several form field elements which are displayed but not described properly. This can make it more difficult for users of screen reading assistive technologies to enter their information. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

There is an incorrect visible focus indicator used in deregister - PAYE for employers. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.11 (Non-text Contrast). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

The colours used in remove a tax - PAYE and add a tax - Self Assessment do not meet the minimum contrast requirement. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast - Minimum). This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

When switching to the Welsh language, not all the content is translated and remains in English. This means content will be incorrectly pronounced for screen readers.This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 3.1.2 Language of Parts. This will be fixed by 1 July 2024.

How we tested this service

The service was last tested on 19 January 2022 and was checked for compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA.

The service was built using parts that were tested by the Digital Accessibility Centre. The full service was tested by HMRC and included disabled users.

This page was prepared on 15 September 2020. It was last updated on 5 February 2024.

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