Accessible documents at Homes in Sedgemoor
This policy explains how accessible the documents Homes in Sedgemoor publishes on www.homesinsedgemoor.org are.
This policy explains how accessible the documents Homes in Sedgemoor publishes on www.homesinsedgemoor.org are. It covers PDFs, spreadsheets, presentations and other types of document. It does not cover content published on www.homesinsedgemoor.org as HTML; the Accessibility statement for Homes in Sedgemoor will cover that.
Using our documents
Homes in Sedgemoor publishes documents in a range of formats, including PDF documents, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Comma-separated Value spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
We want as many people as possible to be able to use those documents. For example, when we produce a document we make sure to:
- provide an HTML option where possible
- tag headings and other parts of the document properly, so screen readers can understand the page structure
- make sure we include alt text alongside non-decorative images, so people who cannot see them understand what they’re there for
- avoid using tables, except when we’re presenting data
- write in plain English
How accessible our documents are
New documents we publish and documents you need to download or fill in to access one of the services we provide should be fully accessible.
However, we know that some of our older documents (published before 23 September 2018) are not accessible. For example, some of them:
- are just scans or photocopies and are not marked up in a way that allows screen reader users to understand them
- are not tagged up properly – for example, they do not contain proper headings
- are not written in plain English
These types of documents are exempt from the regulations, so we do not currently have any plans to make them accessible.
If you need to access information in one of these document types, you can contact us and ask for an alternative format.
What to do if you cannot use one of our documents
If you need a document we’ve published in a different format:
- email customer.services@homesinsedgemoor.org
- telephone 0800 585 360
- complete a General Enquiry form online
- write to us at Homes in Sedgemoor, Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3AR
Reporting accessibility problems with one of our documents
We are always looking to improve the accessibility of our documents. If you find any problems not listed on this page or you think we are not meeting accessibility requirements, please email customer.services@homesinsedgemoor.org
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 are not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about the accessibility of our documents
Homes in Sedgemoor is committed to making our documents accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
The documents Homes in Sedgemoor publishes are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.
Non accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
- The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. Any new PDFs or Word documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
- We are not required to address documents that were not produced by Homes in Sedgemoor, unless those documents were commissioned by Homes in Sedgemoor.
- We are not required to address maps, if the map accounts for the entire contents of the document. However, where do use maps, we will ensure that any information indicated on the map is also available as a text-based alternative.
How we test our documents
We continually test samples of our documents. Tests have been carried out by a combination of external testers SiteImprove and Silktide, side by side with our own internal testing. We will continue to do this and react to results accordingly.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We will continue to assess externally sourced tools and improve upon internally developed systems to ensure that they meet accessibility requirements.
We will continue to assess the viability of addressing documents identified in the Disproportionate Burden section of this page.
This page was prepared in August 2020. It was last updated on 21st September 2020.