WordPress plugin

Accessibility statement

How to generate, configure, and display an accessibility statement with AccessYes. Covers the built-in statement generator, linking to an existing statement, and display options.

Updated

In this article: What an accessibility statement is, when one is required, and how to create and display one using AccessYes. Covers the built-in generator, linking to an existing statement, and the two widget display options.

An accessibility statement is a public document that explains your site’s current conformance with accessibility standards, identifies any known issues, and gives visitors a way to report problems or request accessible formats. AccessYes includes a built-in generator and a widget integration so visitors can access your statement directly from the accessibility menu.

What is an accessibility statement?

An accessibility statement typically covers:

  • Which accessibility standard the site aims to meet (usually WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 at Level AA)
  • The current conformance status (fully conformant, partially conformant, or non-conformant)
  • Any known accessibility issues and planned remediation dates
  • How visitors can contact you to report an issue or request accessible content
  • A reference to any third-party components or content outside your control

Statements vary in detail and format. Regulators in some regions publish required templates. In others, any clear, honest statement is acceptable.

When is an accessibility statement required?

Public sector websites (UK and EU)

In the UK, the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 require public sector websites to publish an accessibility statement and review it at least annually. Statements must follow the government’s model template (for UK public sector) or the EU Web Accessibility Directive equivalent.

In the EU, the Web Accessibility Directive (EU 2016/2102) has the same requirement for public sector bodies. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which came into force in June 2025, extends accessibility requirements to a broader range of private sector organisations and products.

Private sector websites

Private sector websites in most jurisdictions are not legally required to publish an accessibility statement in the UK or EU. However:

  • It demonstrates good faith effort, which can be relevant in litigation
  • The EAA requires accessibility statements for in-scope private sector entities from June 2025 onwards
  • It gives visitors with access needs a clear way to contact you, reducing friction and complaints
  • Many procurement processes for B2B sites require a statement

Creating a statement with the built-in generator

AccessYes includes a statement generator that produces a formatted statement you can publish on your site.

  1. In your WordPress admin, go to AccessYes → Accessibility Statement
  2. Fill in the fields:
    • Organisation name — your company or site name
    • Website URL — the URL of the site the statement covers
    • Contact email — the email address visitors should use to report issues or request help
    • Conformance status — choose from: Fully conformant, Partially conformant, or Non-conformant
  3. Click Generate statement

AccessYes creates a formatted statement page with the information you provided. The statement includes standard sections for conformance, contact details, and the date of the last review.

Tip

Most privately operated sites should choose Partially conformant unless they have completed a full accessibility audit and confirmed AA conformance. Claiming full conformance without an audit is a risk — if a visitor encounters a barrier, an inaccurate statement makes the situation harder to defend.

The generated statement is a starting point. You should add any known issues, list specific pages that have been tested, and set a review date. The generator produces the structure; the honest content is yours to add.

Linking to an existing statement

If your site already has an accessibility statement published elsewhere, you do not need to use the generator. Instead:

  1. Go to AccessYes → Accessibility Statement
  2. Select Link to existing statement
  3. Paste the URL of your statement page

AccessYes saves the URL and uses it for the widget integration.

Displaying the statement in the widget

Once a statement URL is configured, you choose how it appears in the widget:

A “Accessibility statement” link appears in the widget footer. Clicking it opens your statement URL in a new tab. This is the simpler option and adds minimal visual weight to the widget.

Inline panel

The widget displays the statement text directly inside the widget panel, accessible via a button in the footer. Visitors can read the statement without leaving the page. This option requires the statement to be short enough to read comfortably in a panel.

Both options display the statement only if a URL has been saved. If no URL is configured, neither option appears in the widget.

Keeping your statement up to date

An outdated accessibility statement is worse than none — it signals that accessibility is not actively maintained. Review your statement:

  • After any significant redesign
  • When you identify and fix a known issue
  • Annually as a minimum (required for public sector sites)
  • When the EAA or other regulations introduce new requirements applicable to your organisation

Update the date in the statement whenever you revise it, and check that the contact email remains active.