The verdict in three sentences
A professional body that regulates a profession serves its members and the public: its website, member portal and online services are expected to meet WCAG 2.2 AA, under the Equality Act 2010 duty to make reasonable adjustments and, where it carries out public functions, the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. The compliance budget sits between 16,500 and 35,500 € in 2026 (about £14,000 to £30,000), with a WCAG audit at 4,000 to 8,000 €, fixes at 10,000 to 25,000 € and testing with disabled users at around 2,500 €. If you also serve members or clients in the EU, the European Accessibility Act adds fines that can reach 50,000 € per non-compliant service in some member states, such as France.
The legal framework in 2026 and the financial risk
In Scotland, the duty comes from the Equality Act 2010, and bodies performing public functions must also publish an accessibility statement under the 2018 regulations. Enforcement is handled by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and member complaints are increasingly frequent.
| Obligation | What it requires | Sanction or risk in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 AA conformance | 55 success criteria at levels A and AA | Discrimination claims, EHRC enforcement |
| Accessibility statement | Compliance level, exemptions, contact, enforcement route | Required for public-function services |
| Multi-year roadmap | Strategy, resources, team training | Expected evidence in an investigation |
| Annual action plan | Dated and budgeted fixes | Requested during a review |
| EU users (European Accessibility Act) | Conformance of services offered in the EU | Up to 50,000 € per service in France |
| Feedback mechanism | Dedicated form or email | Route to complaint and legal action |
2026 order of magnitude: a body running a public website, a member portal and an online fee payment service operates three separate services, each of which can trigger a complaint, not to mention the reputational cost with disabled members.
The detailed cost of compliance
Cost depends mainly on the number of page templates, the quality of existing code and the PDF documents to remediate. A 300-page site often relies on only 15 to 25 templates.
| Item | Low range | High range | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial WCAG audit | 4,000 € | 8,000 € | Sample of 20 to 35 pages, criterion-by-criterion report |
| Front-end and CMS fixes | 10,000 € | 25,000 € | Contrast, keyboard navigation, forms, ARIA, components |
| PDF remediation | 1,500 € | 6,000 € | 30 to 120 documents (rules, fee scales, forms) |
| Testing with disabled users | 2,500 € | 2,500 € | 5 to 6 testers: screen reader, braille display, low vision |
| Verification re-audit | 2,000 € | 3,500 € | Final conformance level for the statement |
| Content editor training | 1,200 € | 2,500 € | 1 to 2 days for the communications team |
| Total | 21,200 € | 47,500 € | With PDFs, re-audit and training |
The core of audit, fixes and user testing represents 16,500 to 35,500 €. If the site is old and runs on a CMS that is hard to fix, an accessible-by-design rebuild at 45,000 to 80,000 € is sometimes more rational than patching.
Where to start: a 4-step method
Step one, audit a representative sample: home page, member directory, fee payment form, news, contact. Step two, fix shared components first (menu, header, forms, modal windows): 20 % of fixes often resolve 60 to 70 % of failures. Step three, have critical journeys tested by disabled users. Step four, publish the statement and roadmap, then train editors so the site does not regress.
Allow 3 to 5 months in total, including 3 to 4 weeks for the audit and 8 to 12 weeks of fixes.
Mini case study
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Fiona, communications director of a professional body with 35,000 members in Edinburgh, runs three services: public website, member portal and fee payment. The 6,500 € audit reveals a conformance rate of 41 %. Fixes cost 18,000 €, remediation of 60 PDFs 3,000 €, user testing 2,500 € and the re-audit 2,500 €, for a total of 32,500 €. Conformance rises to 92 %. Spread across members, the investment represents 0.93 € per member, once, compared with the cost of a single discrimination claim, which can easily exceed 20,000 € in legal fees and settlement.
FAQ
Does a professional body have to make its website accessible?
Under the Equality Act 2010, it must make reasonable adjustments for disabled members and users, and WCAG 2.2 AA is the accepted benchmark. If it performs public functions, the 2018 regulations also require an accessibility statement.
How much does a WCAG audit cost in 2026?
Between 4,000 and 8,000 € for a sample of 20 to 35 pages. A re-audit after fixes adds 2,000 to 3,500 €.
Does the European Accessibility Act apply to a Scottish body?
Only for services offered to users in the EU, such as members practising in Ireland or France. In France, fines can reach 50,000 € per non-compliant service.
Should disabled users test the site?
It is not strictly required by WCAG, but strongly recommended for about 2,500 €. These tests reveal journey blockers that a technical audit does not always catch.
Is it better to fix or rebuild the site?
If initial conformance is below 30 % and the CMS is ageing, an accessible rebuild at 45,000 to 80,000 € is often more cost-effective. Above 40 %, fixing usually remains the better option.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your online services, your CMS and your volume of PDF documents: we will price an audit, fixes and testing programme between 16,500 and 35,500 €, over 3 to 5 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
