Digital Accessibility Week 2026 is a cross-government online event taking place from Monday 18 May ending on Thursday 21 May which is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).
The week brings together events hosted by government departments and arm’s length bodies from across the UK public sector. The focus for 2026 is designing, developing and delivering accessible digital services, which is also the theme for GAAD this year.
Whether you are new to accessibility or already working in this space, this is an opportunity to learn, share experiences and build practical skills you can apply straight away.
Why take part?
Digital Accessibility Week is an opportunity to build confidence and capability in accessibility, whatever your role or level of experience.
Taking part can help you to:
- understand why accessibility matters and who it affects
- build practical skills you can use straight away
- learn from real examples
- discover tools, approaches and good practice that work
- connect with people working on similar challenges across the public sector
Who should attend?
Digital Accessibility Week is open to anyone working in the UK public sector, and of particular interest to:
- accessibility specialists, service designers, content designers and user researchers
- developers and testers
- product and delivery managers
- service owners
- policy colleagues involved in digital services
- anyone with an interest in digital accessibility
You do not need to be an accessibility specialist to join in the sessions.
How to get involved
You can get involved by attending live sessions throughout the week.
The live timetable will be updated as new sessions are confirmed. You are welcome to join as many sessions as you like across the week. Not all sessions will be recorded and joining requirements may vary between departments.
Please sign up to sessions using your work email address. Personal, or non-public sector email addresses will not be accepted for the majority of sessions.
Live timetable of events
Monday
10am to 1pm – Introduction to Accessibility
Home Office
An interactive course covering the basics of how and why to be accessible and inclusive. This is a non-technical primer suitable for everyone.
1:30pm to 2:30pm – An introduction to assistive software
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
An overview of three main types of assistive software:
- screen readers
- screen magnifiers and visual enhancements
- voice recognition software
3pm to 3:50pm – WCAG 3 and what it means for you
Government Digital Service (GDS)
An introduction to the future of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, how they may affect you, and what work is underway in government.
Tuesday
10am to 11am – HTML and accessibility
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
An introduction to HTML for non-coders, explaining how markup relates to accessibility.
10am to 11am – Designing with autistic people: inclusive design that benefits everyone
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Design principles for cognitive accessibility, showing how inclusive digital experiences can better support autistic users and everyone else.
12pm to 1pm – From niche to necessity: the untapped power of accessible innovation
Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
This session explores how accessibility drives innovation, not just compliance. It looks at how designing for diverse access needs leads to better digital products and services.
1pm to 2pm – Accessible services start with inclusive user research
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Why it is essential to research with users who rely on assistive technology, what we learn from lived experience, and how inclusive research improves services for everyone.
2pm to 3pm – From access to confidence: the spectrum of digital media literacy
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Ofcom
An overview of Ofcom research into digital exclusion, focusing on access, confidence and the social factors that shape online participation.
3pm to 4pm – Accessibility testing for people who do not know how to do accessibility testing
Student Loans Company (SLC)
A beginner-friendly session covering the basics of accessibility testing. This includes automated tools such as WAVE and simple keyboard testing, with practical examples of identifying barriers.
Wednesday
10am to 11am – From access to empowerment: designing banking for real lives
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Lloyds Bank
How accessible design goes beyond tools to empower people, families and genuine choice.
12pm to 1pm – Accessibility in gaming: what we can learn (how to fight blindfolded with your hands tied)
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
A look at innovation in video game accessibility, including demonstrations and practical insights that can be applied to wider digital services.
1pm to 2pm – How to test the accessibility of your service
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
An exploration of tools and assistive technology used for accessibility testing, and how to apply these practices to real services.
1pm to 2pm– Common WCAG fails
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
A comparison of the top five accessibility failures identified by the WebAIM Million and within UK government services.
2pm to 3pm – Summer holiday: an introduction to keyboard navigation
Companies House
An interactive session designed to help you understand what using digital services is like for people who cannot use a mouse.
3pm to 4pm – Running accessible meetings and events
Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
Practical guidance on running accessible meetings and events, both online and in person.
Thursday
10am to 11am – Creating an accessible PowerPoint template
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
A practical session on creating accessible PowerPoint templates using Slide Master and layouts.
11am to 12pm – The quiet magic of accessibility regulations and guidelines
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
An introduction to WCAG 2.2 and accessibility regulations, why they matter, how they are enforced, and how to encourage organisations to take them seriously.
1pm to 2pm– Accessibility in service assessments
Department for Education (DfE) and Student Loans Company (SLC)
An overview of the role of the Accessibility Assessor in service assessments and what is reviewed when assessing against the service standard.
2pm to 3pm – DfE Accessibility Statements Service
Department for Education (DfE)
A session sharing how the DfE Accessibility Statements service works and how it is used in practice.
3pm to 4pm – The One Where I Become an Accessibility Specialist
Department for Education (DfE)
How I began doing a Digital Accessibility Specialist apprenticeship, what I'm learning and how we can apply accessibility best practice.
We hope to see you there!
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