Accessibility statement for the GOV.UK app
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-12)

Find out how accessible the GOV.UK app is and how to tell us about accessibility problems.

This accessibility statement applies to:
- the iOS GOV.UK beta app version 1.0.0, first published in July 2025
- the Android GOV.UK beta app version 1.0.0, first published in July 2025
This mobile application is run by the Government Digital Service. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this mobile application. For example, that means you should be able to:
- toggle between light mode and dark mode using device settings
- increase font size by at least 200%, or use the magnification or zoom features on your device
- listen to most of the app using a screen reader (including the most recent version of VoiceOver or TalkBack)
- navigate most of the app using a keyboard or switch control
We’ve also made the text as simple as possible to understand. AbilityNet (https://mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/) has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

How accessible this mobile application is

We know that some parts of the mobile application are not fully accessible.

For the Apple iOS version:
- in search results, swiping vertically or horizontally to navigate does not work in the way VoiceOver users would expect
- it’s not possible to use ‘Assistive Touch’ and iOS Reachability mode at the same time
For the Android version:
- the home page has a GOV.UK logo instead of a text heading, which may make the structure of the page harder for screen reader users to understand
- when using an external keyboard, there are several parts of the app where it’s difficult to see what’s being focused on
Feedback and contact information

Contact the GOV.UK app team (https://www.gov.uk/contact/govuk-app) if:
- you find any problems not listed on this page
- you think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements
- you need information in a different format
If you need information in a different format, include in your message:
- the title of the page in the app
- your email address and name
- the format you need - for example, plain text, braille, BSL, large print or audio CD
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) (https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/) if you live in England, Scotland or Wales
- the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) (https://www.equalityni.org/Home) if you live in Northern Ireland
Technical information about the accessibility of the GOV.UK app

The Government Digital Service is committed to making its mobile application accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

The Apple iOS and Android versions of the GOV.UK app have been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

The Apple iOS version of this mobile application is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 (https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/) AA standard.

The Android version of this mobile application is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 (https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/) AA standard, due to the non-compliance listed below.

Non-accessible content

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Home page logo instead of text heading

On the Android version of the app, the home page has a GOV.UK logo instead of a text heading, which may make the structure of the page harder for screen reader users to understand. This fails WCAG 2.2 A success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).

We plan to fix this issue by October 2025.

Difficult to see what’s being focused on when using external keyboard

When using an external keyboard on the Android version of the app, there are several parts of the app where it’s difficult to see what’s being focused on. This fails WCAG 2.2 AA success criterion 2.4.7 (Focus Visible).

We plan to fix this issue by October 2025.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

VoiceOver swipe navigation in search results

In search results on the iOS version, swiping vertically or horizontally to navigate does not work in the way VoiceOver users would expect. Swiping vertically does not navigate users from one search result title to the next. Swiping horizontally does not navigate users from the search result title to the search result description - instead, it navigates them to the next search result title.

We do not plan to fix this issue, as:
- it’s not required as part of the accessibility regulations
Issue with Assistive Touch and iOS Reachability mode

We do not plan to fix the issue with Assistive Touch and Reachability mode, as:
- it’s not required as part of the accessibility regulations
- Reachability mode is an Apple feature, and isn’t something we can technically fix
Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 18 March 2025. It was last reviewed on 1 July 2025.

The Android and iOS versions of the GOV.UK app were last tested on 2 June 2025 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.

The test was carried out by the Digital Accessibility Centre. It was tested on Android and iOS, using a range of assistive technology combinations.