How to Improve Website Accessibility on a Budget

Website accessibility sounds like a specialist field with a specialist price tag. In reality, a large share of the problems on small business sites can be fixed with careful editing and a few free tools. These website accessibility basics will help you make your site usable by more people, including those who use screen readers, keyboards, voice control or magnification, and those with low vision, colour blindness, hearing loss or cognitive differences.

A note on scope: this article is practical guidance, not legal advice or a formal audit. If your organisation has legal obligations, such as those under the Equality Act 2010 or public sector accessibility regulations, take proper advice.

Why it matters to a small business

• More customers can use your site. People with disabilities are a significant part of the population, and many others have temporary or situational limits, like a broken arm or bright sunlight on a phone screen.
• It’s good practice and may reduce legal risk. In the UK, service providers have duties not to discriminate against disabled people, and that can include online services.
• It improves overall quality. Clear headings, readable text and logical structure also help search engines and all users.

The benchmark most people refer to is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), usually at level AA. You don’t need to read all of it to make real progress.

Start with a quick audit

Spend an hour on these free checks:

1. Keyboard test. Put your mouse aside and use only the Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter and Space keys. Can you reach every link, button and form field? Can you see where you are on the page? Can you open and close menus?
2. Zoom test. Zoom the browser to 200 percent. Does the content still work without being cut off?
3. Automated scan. Run a free tool such as WAVE, axe DevTools or Lighthouse in Chrome. They catch many common issues such as missing alt text and low contrast, but not everything.
4. Screen reader spot-check. Try the built-in screen reader on your computer or phone for a few minutes on your homepage. It’s disorienting at first, but you will quickly hear where the structure is unclear.
5. Contrast check. Test your main text and button colours with a free contrast checker.

Write down what you find, then fix the biggest problems first. Automated tools only detect a portion of issues, so treat them as a starting point.

12 low-cost fixes

1. Add useful alternative text to images

Alt text describes an image for people who can’t see it. Write it to convey the purpose, not just the picture. “Team member measuring a window frame” is better than “image123”. Decorative images should have empty alt text so screen readers skip them. If a graphic contains text, the alt text should include that text.

2. Improve colour contrast

Text must stand out from its background. WCAG AA commonly requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1 for normal text and 3 to 1 for large text, with similar requirements for essential interface elements. Fixing this may only mean darkening a grey. Check text over images and buttons too. See also How to Choose Colours and Fonts for a Brand.

3. Use headings properly

Use real heading levels (H1, H2, H3) in order to create an outline of the page. Don’t pick a heading level just because of the size it makes the text. Screen reader users often navigate by headings, so a logical structure is like a table of contents for them.

4. Write descriptive link text

“Click here” and “Read more” are meaningless when read out of context in a list of links. Use text such as “Download our price list (PDF)” or “Read about our kitchen fitting service”.

5. Make everything keyboard accessible

Every interactive element should be reachable and usable by keyboard, in a sensible order, with a visible focus indicator. Don’t remove the browser’s focus outline unless you replace it with something clearer. Check that pop-ups can be closed with the Escape key and that focus doesn’t get trapped.

6. Label forms clearly

Each field needs a visible label connected to it in the code. Don’t rely on placeholder text alone, since it disappears when typing. Mark required fields clearly, give helpful error messages that say what went wrong and how to fix it, and don’t depend on colour alone to show errors.

7. Provide captions and transcripts

Videos with speech should have captions. Audio-only content should have a transcript. Many platforms generate automatic captions that you can edit; review and correct them, since errors are common. Avoid autoplaying media, or give users a way to stop it.

8. Make text resizable and readable

Use relative font sizes, allow zooming, keep line lengths manageable and avoid long blocks of justified or capitalised text. Provide enough spacing between lines and paragraphs. Don’t put key information in images of text.

9. Don’t use colour as the only signal

If a chart uses red and green lines, add labels or patterns. If required fields are red, add an asterisk or text. Links within text should be distinguishable by more than colour, such as underlining.

10. Make sure tap and click targets are big enough

Small, tightly packed buttons are difficult for people with motor impairments and for anyone on a phone. See How to Make a Website Mobile-Friendly for practical sizing.

11. Avoid content that flashes or moves unexpectedly

Avoid flashing content, which can trigger seizures for some people. Carousels and animations should have pause controls and shouldn’t move so fast that people can’t read them. Respect the “reduce motion” setting where possible.

12. Write in plain English

Short sentences, common words and clear structure help everyone, particularly people with cognitive disabilities, dyslexia or English as an additional language. Explain acronyms the first time you use them.

Choose accessible tools from the start

If you use a website builder or theme, check its accessibility claims and test it yourself. Many modern themes are accessible by default, while others are not. Plugins and widgets such as sliders, pop-ups and booking forms can introduce barriers, so test them before relying on them. When you commission a web designer or buy a template, ask how they approach accessibility. Our guide Custom Website vs Template: Which Is Right for You? covers questions to ask.

Add an accessibility statement

A short, honest statement can be helpful. It might say what standard you aim for, known limitations, how to contact you to report problems and a promise to respond. Don’t claim full compliance unless you have had it properly verified. Public sector bodies have specific requirements for statements, and others may find it useful as good practice.

Make it part of your routine

Accessibility is easier to keep than to fix later.

• Check new pages and images against a simple list before publishing
• Train anyone who edits content on alt text, headings and link text
• Re-run your free scans monthly or after major changes
• Welcome feedback from users, and act on it

When to pay for an expert

Consider a professional audit if you handle sensitive transactions, serve a large audience, have formal legal obligations, or if your site is complex. Disabled users testing your site can reveal problems that no tool will find. Budget carefully, and ask what the audit will cover and what the report will contain. For wider site quality, read Web Design Basics: What Makes a Site Work in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is website accessibility a legal requirement in the UK?
The Equality Act 2010 places duties on service providers, and public sector websites have specific regulations. How these apply to your business depends on circumstances, so seek legal advice if unsure.

Can an overlay plugin make my site accessible?
Be cautious. Quick-fix overlays often don’t solve underlying problems and may create new ones. Fixing the site itself is more reliable.

What level of WCAG should I aim for?
Level AA is the commonly used target. Start with the basics and improve over time.

Do automated tools find everything?
No. They help, but manual checks and real user testing are needed for a fuller picture.

Conclusion

You can make meaningful accessibility progress with time rather than money: test with a keyboard, fix contrast, write real alt text, use proper headings and labels, and caption your videos. Start small, keep going, and invite feedback.