UK charities are collectively losing up to £65 million per year in online donations due to poor web accessibility. With £6 billion worth of donations made online annually, accessibility isn't just about compliance—it's about maximising your fundraising potential while serving everyone who needs your help.
39% of charity websites need improvements to ensure those with disabilities and who are neurodiverse can access them. Yet charities perform better than most sectors, with only 36% of charity websites requiring accessibility improvements compared to 77% in travel and tourism.
What Makes Charity Websites Legally Required to Be Accessible?
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure their services are accessible to disabled people. This applies directly to charity websites and donation platforms.
For charities receiving public funding or delivering statutory services, the requirements are even stricter. UK public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and many charities receiving significant public funding or delivering statutory services often contractually agree to meet these same rigorous standards.
The European Accessibility Act, which came into force on 28 June 2025, also affects UK charities. For UK organisations, the key consideration is whether their digital content or services are offered to users in the EU. Where that is the case, accessibility requirements aligned with recognised standards such as WCAG may apply for those EU-facing services.
Even if you're UK-based, your charity website could fall under EU accessibility rules if people in the EU access your services, download your reports, or visit your content.
How Much Money Are Charities Actually Losing?
The financial impact is staggering. Research shows that 49% of disabled people are put off online donations, and with disabled people donating £1.32 billion annually online, charities could be missing out on up to £65 million per year.
The broader UK market tells the same story. About 55% of online shoppers with disabilities have abandoned purchases due to poor accessibility, leading to an estimated £120 billion loss for retailers. UK retailers are missing out on an estimated £17.1 billion annually because disabled shoppers abandon websites that are difficult to use, with almost 70% of disabled consumers clicking away from websites with accessibility barriers.
What Does WCAG 2.2 Actually Require From Charity Websites?
WCAG 2.2 was officially published in October 2023. While WCAG 2.1 remains the current requirement for UK public sector regulations, forward-thinking charities should look to WCAG 2.2.
The guidelines follow four core principles—your charity website must be:
- Perceivable: Information presented in ways users can perceive (text alternatives for images, proper colour contrast)
- Operable: Interface components must be operable (keyboard navigation, no seizure-inducing content)
- Understandable: Information and UI operation must be understandable (clear language, consistent navigation)
- Robust: Content must be robust enough for interpretation by assistive technologies
WCAG 2.2 introduces new criteria focusing on users with low vision, cognitive disabilities, and motor impairments, particularly on mobile devices. Key additions include: Focus not obscured: Ensuring interactive elements remain visible when selected by a keyboard. Dragging movements: Providing single-click alternatives to dragging actions. Target size: Ensuring buttons and touch targets are large enough (minimum 24x24 CSS pixels) to be easily tapped.
How Should Charities Prioritise Accessibility Improvements?
Start with the biggest impact areas. Most business websites fail basic accessibility tests. Common issues include: navigation problems, dropdown menus that don't work with keyboards, missing skip links, images without alt text, and poor colour contrast.
Audit Your Current Site
Fix Critical Donation Path Issues
Improve Content Accessibility
Test With Real Users
What Specific Changes Make the Biggest Difference?
The most impactful improvements often cost the least to implement:
Colour Contrast: As a minimum, charities should opt for text and background colours which meet WCAG's Level AA requirements (4.5:1 for normal-sized text and 3:1 for large text). Don't rely on your instincts for this, use colour contrast checkers to verify your compliance.
Keyboard Navigation: Many individuals who suffer from mobility impairments rely on keyboards for online browsing. This means that your website needs to be set up to maximise keyboard accessibility. Use proper tab indexing to be sure users can cycle through menus, forms, buttons, and links in a logical manner.
Alternative Text: Every image needs descriptive alt text. This is particularly crucial for impact photos and infographics that tell your charity's story.
Form Labels: Donation and contact forms must have clear, properly associated labels for every input field.
Many modern content management systems like WordPress include accessibility features by default. If you're building a new charity website, choose an accessibility-ready theme and hosting platform that supports these features.
How Can Small Charities Afford Accessibility Improvements?
Accessibility doesn't require a complete website rebuild. Getting your website accessible doesn't require a complete rebuild. Start with these priorities: Audit your current site.
Many improvements are free or low-cost:
- Adding alt text to existing images
- Improving colour contrast in your brand guidelines
- Ensuring form labels are properly coded
- Adding skip navigation links
- Using heading tags correctly
Professional accessibility audits typically cost £2,000-£5,000 for small charity websites, but many issues can be identified using free tools like Google Lighthouse or WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluator.
When Should Charities Start Planning for Compliance?
While 2026 seems distant, website changes take time. Large organisations should start planning now. Smaller businesses have more flexibility but shouldn't wait too long.
If you're planning a new website in 2025 or 2026, this is the perfect moment to build accessibility in from the start instead of paying to retrofit it later.
The enforcement timeline varies, but by 2026, stricter standards will apply to most UK business websites. If your site isn't accessible to people with disabilities, you could face legal challenges and lose customers.
Why Charity Websites Actually Perform Better Than Other Sectors
Charity and government websites are to the point with their content, with clear paragraph structures and call-to-actions. They need to get the message to their audience quickly and meet WCAG guidelines.
This mission-focused approach naturally aligns with accessibility best practices. Charities already understand the importance of inclusive communication, making the transition to accessible web design a natural evolution rather than a fundamental shift.
The charity sector is well known for supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our society. So it makes sense that many charities and not-for-profit organisations are taking the lead in tackling web accessibility to champion their causes as efficiently as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does WCAG 2.2 compliance actually cost for UK charity websites?
Basic accessibility improvements like alt text, colour contrast fixes, and form labels cost under £2,000 for most small charity websites. Professional audits range from £2,000-£5,000, while complete rebuilds for complex sites can cost £10,000-£25,000. However, many improvements can be implemented using free tools and volunteer expertise.
Will accessibility improvements affect our website's design and branding?
WCAG guidelines aren't legally mandatory for every website, they are widely regarded as best practice and should be implemented wherever possible. Following them doesn't mean sacrificing design — it's about finding the right balance to ensure your website meets the needs of all your customers. Good accessibility often improves overall design quality.
What happens if our charity doesn't make these changes by 2026?
If your site isn't accessible to people with disabilities, you could face legal challenges and lose customers. More importantly, you'll continue missing out on donations and support from disabled visitors who represent £274 billion in annual spending power.
Do small local charities really need to worry about EU accessibility laws?
Even if you're based in the UK, your site could still fall under the rules if people in the EU access your services, download your reports or visit your content. If your charity operates internationally or receives EU visitors, compliance is essential.
How can we test if our donation process is actually accessible?
Try completing a donation using only your keyboard—no mouse or trackpad. Use screen reader software or browser accessibility features. Ask people with disabilities to try your website. Their feedback is invaluable. Many universities and disability organisations offer user testing partnerships.
The reality is stark: your charity website is either welcoming everyone who wants to support your cause, or it's turning away millions in potential donations. With accessibility improvements often costing less than a month's worth of lost donations, the question isn't whether you can afford to make your website accessible—it's whether you can afford not to.
Ready to unlock your charity's full fundraising potential? Start with a basic accessibility audit of your donation pages, and discover how many supporters you might be unknowingly excluding. The £65 million question is: will your charity be part of the solution, or part of the statistic?