WCAG 2.2 AA is the new minimum accessibility standard for all UK Government public sector websites and mobile apps.
Starting from October 2024, services across the UK government will be monitored for WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.
What is WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 is the latest iteration of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and introduced additional Success Criteria. It builds on WCAG 2.1.
WCAG 2.2 was released on 5th October 2023.
There are nine additional success criteria (things that a website is expected to do to pass the new standard).
Silktide’s accessibility checker tests for all of WCAG 2.2 with automated and assisted checks. Automated checks are carried out entirely by a computer, while assisted checks guide you to areas of your website that you should check manually. Full explanations are provided inside Silktide.
For full details of the new additions, visit our WCAG 2.2 overview page.
How will UK Government websites be monitored for WCAG 2.2?
GDS, the Government Design System, monitors all Gov.uk websites and reports on accessibility failures. Until now, websites have been monitored according to the previous standards, WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
By familiarizing yourself with WCAG 2.2 and implementing its changes, you can get ahead of the new website audits and build on the work you’ve done to attain compliance with the WCAG 2.1 standards.
The UK Councils Silktide Index has been monitoring WCAG 2.2 since January 2024.
If you need help understanding WCAG 2.2, we have an in-depth video series on YouTube.
