At Ethical Pixels®, we believe good design should work for everyone.
Accessibility isn’t just about compliance, it’s about creating digital experiences that are usable, understandable, and welcoming to all.
We build every site with accessibility in mind, and offer full Accessibility Compliance services for organisations that need to meet different formal standards or legal requirements, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) or the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
What Accessibility means
Website accessibility ensures that people of all abilities can navigate, understand, and interact with your site. That includes users with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments, as well as those using assistive technologies like screen readers, keyboard navigation, or voice input.
Accessible design benefits everyone: clearer content, better structure, easier navigation, and stronger performance across all devices.
WCAG Standards
Accessibility is guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – an internationally recognised standard developed by the W3C.
There are three levels of compliance:
- Level A: Basic accessibility; removes major barriers for many users.
- Level AA: The standard most organisations aim for; ensures usability for a wide range of people.
- Level AAA: The highest standard; suitable for specialist use cases and public-sector services.
Accessibility audits and upgrades can bring your site to the level that best suits your organisation’s needs and obligations.
The EAA and Emerging Legal Requirements
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is raising the bar for digital accessibility across the EU. From June 2025, certain websites and digital products offered within the EU must comply with accessibility standards similar to WCAG.
This affects any UK organisation serving EU users, selling products or services online, or operating across borders. We can help assess your site and advise whether compliance may soon be required, and what steps to take if so.
Are you aware of your legal obligations?
Depending on the nature of your organisation, your audience and/or any funding you might receive, you may be obliged to meet certain Accessibility requirements – usually WCAG2.2 Level AA.
Our Accessible websites
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between accessible-friendly and fully compliant?
An “accessible-friendly” site follows best practices – things like proper headings, alt text, and colour contrast – making it usable for most visitors.
A fully compliant site will have been tested against formal success criteria, often with the help of accessibility specialists and assistive technology users, and includes documentation or certification to prove it.
Is accessibility legally required?
It depends on your organisation and audience. Public sector websites in the UK must already meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.
Private sector and charity websites aren’t yet legally required to, but could still face challenges under the Equality Act 2010 if their sites exclude users with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will now require compliance for many EU-facing websites and apps (from June 2025).
Even when not legally required, it’s simply good practice. And better for business.
Can’t I just install an accessibility plugin?
Unfortunately not.
Plugins and accessibility overlays can’t fix structural or design-level issues. In many cases, they actually create new ones.
They look good to users without additional needs, but often interfere with screen readers, mislabel content, or block keyboard navigation, in turn making it more difficult for the intended audience. They also can’t fix content issues that are entirely contextual and will change over time.
True accessibility comes from thoughtful design, semantic code, and meaningful content, not automated fixes.
Does making a site accessible mean it has to look plain?
Not at all. Accessibility doesn’t limit creativity, it simply improves clarity. Many of the world’s most visually engaging websites are also highly accessible. Good UX, smart colour use, and well-structured content make a site easier to enjoy for everyone.
Is accessibility expensive?
It depends on how close your current site is to best practice.
We include core accessibility principles in every project as standard, so you’re already starting in a strong position, but you should probably expect full Accessibility compliance to come with a slightly higher price tag.
Formal compliance (WCAG-level testing, documentation, and remediation) is an additional service because it takes specialist time and testing, but we’ll always scope and quote transparently before doing any work.
How often should accessibility be reviewed?
Accessibility isn’t a one-off task. Websites change, new content gets added, and standards evolve.
We recommend reviewing accessibility at least once per year, or whenever major design or content updates are made.
We can also integrate accessibility checks into your maintenance plan for ongoing monitoring.