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2019.
Recite Me guide to help public sector bodies comply with new accessibility laws

Media Release

1 July 2019

Recite Me guide to help public sector bodies comply with new accessibility laws

Web accessibility and language software company Recite Me has created a guide to help public sector bodies including understand and comply with new public sector web accessibility regulations.

The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No.2) Accessibility Regulations 2018came into force for UK public sector bodies in September 2018.

These regulations set new website and mobile app accessibility standards that public sector bodies including housing associations, universities, local authorities and NHS bodies must follow,

Some types of public sector organisations (and specific types of content) are exempt, such as charities (unless they provide services that are essential to the public or aimed at people with disabilities).

The regulations implement theEU directive on the accessibility of public sector bodies' websites and mobile applicationsinto UK law.

In order to comply new public sector websites (published on or after the regulations came into force in September 2018) must follow the principles ofWorld Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 accessibility Level AA standardsby 23 September 2019.

Existing websites must follow the principles of the WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards by 23 September 2020.

The guide is available now viaRecite Me's websiteand it gives a summary of the regulations, plus information about what public sector bodies need to do to comply and how Recite Me can help.

To make a website or mobile app accessible public sector bodies must ensure as many people as possible, including people with disabilities, can use it to do what they need to do.

One in five people in the UK have a disability. This number is rising as the UK has an ageing population and most disabilities are acquired with age.

So the older we live, the more likely we are to become disabled.

But evidence shows that most public sector websites don't meet accessibility standards. This means they are inaccessible for people with disabilities.

For example, arecent studyfound that only 60% of UK local authority websites' home pages are accessible to people with disabilities

The new regulations are set to change this and the guide by Recite Me will be a useful tool for public sector bodies to help them comply with the laws.

Recite Me Founder and CEO Ross Linnett said:

"Public sector bodies must take action now to ensure their websites and apps comply with the requirements and deadlines set out in the new public sector accessibility regulations.

"The guide Recite Me has created will give public sector bodies a very clear idea of what the regulations cover and what needs to be done to comply with them, by when.

"Although complying with the new regulations may be challenging, having an accessible website that follows the principles of WCAG 2.1 global web accessibility guidelines is a great way for public sectorbodies to reach a wider audience."

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

For more information about Recite Me please contact Catherine Grinyer:  

Email: catherine@bigvoicecommunications.co.uk  

Mobile: 07713 248387 

About Recite Me

1. Recite Me is an innovative Cloud based web accessibility solution which allows website visitors to customise websites the way they need it to work for them.

2. Around one in every five people in the UK has a disability and they can often face barriers like inaccessible websites that prevent them from taking an active part in life.

3. Recite Me's innovative software makes websites accessible through a unique range of features including: text to speech functionality, dyslexia software, zoom and page masking, an interactive dictionary, a translation tool with over 100 languages.

4. Ross Linnett is the CEO and Founder of Recite Me and is available for interview or comment. Ross was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult and founded Recite Me because traditional ‘assistive technology' was limited to only one computer.

5. A live demonstration of the Recite software is available:www.reciteme.com/contact/trial