Frequently asked questions

An accessibility check tells you how well your digital product (website, app) performs for people who have disabilities and may use assistive devices to access the content.

Accessibility improves products and services for everyone.

Accessibility regulations are always developing, and it is best to future-proof your website and build accessibility in from the start, rather than retrofitting later, which can be rushed or applied poorly.

It is shown that accessibility benefits organisations by boosting brand image, demonstrating strong social responsibility (CSR), and giving them a competitive advantage.

75% of disabled people and families leave brands’ websites due to poor access. (AbilityNet)

80% of consumers prefer to buy from brands that demonstrate inclusivity and social impact.

High-profile companies have faced lawsuits and reputational fallout for failing on accessibility.

Accessibility is a legal requirement (EU Accessibility Act 2025, Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2018, Equality Act 2010).

Accessibility improves products and services for everyone (e.g., captions originally designed for Deaf viewers are now provided as standard).

The Purple Pound (£274 billion in the UK) and older adults (controlling 70% of disposable income) represent untapped markets. Excluding them is excluding customers.

Accessible organisations demonstrate strong corporate social responsibility (CSR), which boosts brand image, trust, and competitive advantage.

Future-proofing now avoids rushed compliance later when regulations tighten further

No. Accessibility improves products and services for everyone. Accessible design drives innovation and broader product adoption: features like voice recognition, predictive text, and captions were originally created for disabled users but are now mainstream.

See W3C The Business Case for Digital Accessibility.

Inclusive design enhances user experiences universally.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international standards from the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) that provide a framework for making websites and digital content accessible to everyone, especially people with disabilities (visual, hearing, motor, cognitive).

They matter because they ensure inclusivity, meet legal requirements (like the EU Accessibility Act), improve user experience for all (e.g., better SEO, lower support costs), and are good business, benefiting over 1.3 billion people with disabilities globally.

An automated test relies upon software to scan the website for errors and accessibility issues. Manual tests involve human testers, often with lived and learned experiences of disability, who will test specific sections of a website to assess if it is accessible.

It is believed that Automated tools only catch around 30% of accessibility issues.

Passion4Social combines automated testing with manual testing by disabled professionals who bring lived experience and authentic insight. Our reports provide actionable strategies, not just checklists.

Automation is a starting point, but genuine accessibility requires human validation. For example, just conducting a spellcheck doesn’t guarantee the quality of the writing.

Involving lived experience testers reduces risks of reputational harm and ensures authentic usability.

Case studies show our lived experience testers uncover real barriers that automated scans miss.

Clients gain confidence knowing their digital spaces are tested by people who actually use assistive technology.

Projects that combine automation with human testing see faster adoption and fewer complaints. Industry research confirms human-centred testing provides the most reliable accessibility outcomes.

There isn’t any difference! It’s simply a language choice. We’ve chosen to use ‘checks’ because it suits our tone of voice better as a brand.

Audit sounds very formal and has associations for us with more unpleasant processes, for example, a tax audit.

We recommend getting an initial check done, then revisiting that at regular intervals, as the environment is continually changing and so are the needs of users, alongside technology evolving and providing more opportunities for development.

We normally advise checking your website at least once annually.

It is your responsibility. Even if you subcontract your web development and maintenance services to an external partner or agency.

When procuring or tendering for a new website, always check your potential providers’ accessibility credentials and expertise.

Firstly, run an accessibility check to assess what needs to be improved on your website.

A good accessibility partner will provide a report which ranks the improvements by priority so that you know where to start.

Some of the changes may be within the content, some may be technical.

Once you have made some improvements, re-check the website to assess the accessibility. Repeat this process and embed it into your annual processes. Aim to get feedback from disabled users as part of the checks, and also on a regular basis.

We recommend starting with an accessibility check, which will be conducted according to the legal requirements and frameworks.

Any non-compliance will be flagged up.

Many clients start with a single service (like a check) and build up over time.

Our staged approach