This accessibility statement applies to the Apply for a maternity exemption website.
This website is run by the NHS Business Services Authority. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:
- change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
- zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate most of the website using just a keyboard or speech recognition software (Voice Control and Dragon)
- listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent version of VoiceOver)
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible, as:
- screen reader users may find it difficult getting directed to the main content of the page when the ‘skip to main content’ link is selected
- screen reader users may find it difficult to navigate through the timeout pop-up
- some links on the application cannot be opened with speech recognition directly - the ‘show numbers’ or ‘show grid’ command can be used to access the input fields instead
- the third-party authentication pages do not currently meet AA standards meaning they are not fully accessible
How to request content in an accessible format
If you need information on this website in a different format such as accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, you can contact us by:
Email: accessibility@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.
This inbox is only for accessibility queries. It is not for technical queries or IT problems. If you have a query that is not about accessibility, go to the ‘Contact us’ section of this page.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that are not listed on this page or think we are not meeting accessibility requirements, you can contact us by:
Email: accessibility@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
This inbox is only for accessibility queries. It is not for technical queries or IT problems. If you have a query that is not about accessibility, go to the ‘Contact us’ section of this page.
Contact us
For all queries not accessibility related, you can contact us by:
Email: helpwithhealthcosts@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Enforcement procedure
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’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
The NHS Business Services Authority is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 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
Screen reader users may find it difficult getting directed to the main content of the page when the ‘skip to main content’ link is selected. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) and 4.1 (Compatible).
Screen reader users may find it difficult to navigate through the timeout pop-up. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.6 (Timeouts).
Some links on the application cannot be opened with speech recognition directly. The ‘show numbers’ or ‘show grid’ command can be used to access the input fields instead This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.2.3 (Consistent Navigation).
The third-party authentication pages do not currently meet AA standards meaning they are not fully accessible because of the following issues.
Users are not able to log into the service if JavaScript is disabled. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1 (Compatible).
Some screens contain images with irrelevant or no alternative text. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).
On some pages heading structure and labels are not available. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 (Heading and Labels).
Some screens contain Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) attributes that have been applied incorrectly which causes difficulties for assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content), 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
On some screens the page title is not unique. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 (Page Titled).
The purpose of each link on the third-party login screens cannot be determined from the link text alone. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose in Context).
On the Password reset page, unlabelled form control with title is present. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content), 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.4.6 (Heading and Labels), 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions).
On the Password reset page, some elements have tab-index greater than zero. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order).
On the Password reset page, table layout is present for form fields and buttons. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 1.3.2 (Meaningful Sequences).
On the Password reset page, the presence of an inaccessible audio captcha makes it difficult to navigate. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.8 (Accessible Authentication (Minimum)).
Some elements on login screens are not contained within landmarks which makes it difficult for some screen reader users to navigate to various sections of a page. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks).
On some pages, the audio mode and reload buttons display a pop-up on mouse hover. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.13 (Content on Hover or Focus).
The timeout warning will not be displayed to the users. This will mean that the users will not be able to extend or cancel the timeout. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.2.6 (Timeouts).
Some links on the login screens cannot be opened with speech recognition directly. The ‘show numbers’ or ‘show grid’ command can be used to access the input fields instead. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.2.3 (Consistent Navigation).
We plan to fix these issues. When we publish new content, we’ll make sure it meets accessibility standards.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We’re committed to making sure this website is compliant to WCAG 2.2 ‘AA’ standard.
Every new released website will be designed, built and tested to meet ‘AA’ standards by default.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 19 September 2019. It was last reviewed on 23 July 2024.
This website was last tested on 23 July 2024 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.
The test was carried out by the NHSBSA test and development teams. The most viewed pages were tested using automated testing tools by our website team. A further audit of the website was carried out to the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.
We tested all the website screens to meet ‘AA’ WCAG 2.2 standards, using manual and automated tests.
We run each webpage through automated Wave, Lighthouse and Axe accessibility tools then manually test with screen readers (NVDA or VoiceOver) and standards checklists.
We run representative user journey tests through speech recognition software (Dragon or Voice Control).
These checklists contain standards that have been compiled using WCAG, the NHS service manual and the Government Digital Service (GDS) guidance.