Accessibility

Our aim is that no one visiting the site should be excluded from a significant piece of content or experience because of a disability or because of the device or browser they are using to view the site.

The site has been built to an AA accessibility standard, as defined by the W3C initiative. Put simply, this means that the most common barriers for disabled users will not be found on this site.

We also provide an accessibility toolbar on the site. This software provides every online user with the tools they need to create a unique experience.

Some of our resources are also available in accessible formats, including accessible PDFs, audio, BSL, Easy Read and large print, from our Resource Centre.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website.

This means that you can:

• Change contrast levels
• Modify the font, colours, line height or spacing of text
• Zoom in up to 200% without text spilling off the screen
• The text will reflow in a single column when you change the size of your browser window
• Navigate the website using just a keyboard
• Translate the website into a different language
• Listen to the website using a screen reader

We provide assistive technology, enabling all websites visitors to customise their experience through a range of option to suit their online accessibility and language needs.

The Recite Me toolbar

The Recite Me toolbar provides text to speech functionality, fully customisable styling features, reading aids and a translation tool with over 100 languages, including 35 text to speech voices and many other features.

Easy Read content

We aim to make our website content as accessible and easy to understand as possible. To further support this, we offer some webpages in Easy Read, ensuring everyone can access important information in a simplified format.

• What is a smart meter?
• The Priority Services Register 
• Energy company complaints process

Additionally, we offer Easy Read leaflets, which you can download or have printed for free. Browse all of our Easy Read leaflets here.

British Sign Language (BSL) translation technology

We are committed to ensuring that everyone can access information about smart meters. As part of this, we’re exploring innovative British Sign Language (BSL) translation technologies. We’ve added video BSL interpretation to the following webpages:

• What is a smart meter?
• The Priority Services Register
• Energy company complaints process

Whilst we try to maintain a high standard of accessibility on our website, there are some known limitations. These are documented below.

• Some videos may not have captions

Also, the accessibility tool ignores form fields by default. These are ignored to ensure there is no interaction on personal data entered onto a site via form fields.

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you encounter content that you cannot access, then please contact us using the details below and we will provide you with an accessibility alternative.

0203 019 1056

Any feedback we receive will be dealt with by the Website Manager and we aim to get back to you within 48 hours (if a response is requested).

If you are not happy with how to respond to issues you have raised with us about the accessibility of our website, then contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS). The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for ensuring websites meet accessibility standards.

We may make use of third-party resources that embed content in our website. Wherever possible we will ensure these are conformant.

We aim for conformance with the WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1) at level AA. This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons:

• Known elements within the website do not conform to 1.3.1 and 4.1.2 making it difficult for assistive technology to convey information successfully
• Known elements on smaller screens do not conform to 1.4.12: AA and 1.4.4: AA making it difficult for the visually impaired to read
• Elements included from remote sources fail to comply with 2.1.1: A and 4.1.2

We aim to fix these on an ongoing basis.