The verdict in three sentences
Bringing a public-sector website to WCAG 2.2 AA compliance in London costs, in 2026, between GBP 4,000 and 12,000 for the audit, then GBP 7,000 to 22,000 for remediation depending on the number of non-compliant pages. WCAG 2.2 AA is a legal requirement under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations for UK public bodies. Beyond legal and reputational risk, accessibility widens your audience and improves SEO.
The compliance budget, item by item
Compliance happens in two phases: diagnose, then fix. The audit produces a report with a compliance score; public bodies must publish an accessibility statement and reach AA conformance across core journeys.
| Item | 2026 range (GBP) | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 audit (sample) | 4,000 - 12,000 | Number of pages, complexity |
| Technical remediation | 7,000 - 22,000 | Volume of criteria to fix |
| Content editor training | 900 - 2,800 | Number of contributors |
| Accessibility statement | included | Mandatory, published on site |
| Post-remediation re-audit | 1,600 - 4,500 | Final verification |
| Accessibility maintenance | 220 - 650 /month | Keeping conformance over time |
The criteria most often failing in 2026: insufficient contrast, images without text alternatives, mislabelled forms, broken keyboard navigation, and inaccessible PDFs. PDFs alone can represent up to 30% of the work in a public body.
UK (WCAG) vs France (RGAA) comparison
Obligations differ but the underlying technical standard (WCAG) is the same. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Market | Audit | Remediation | Legal reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (UK) | 4,000 - 12,000 GBP | 7,000 - 22,000 GBP | WCAG 2.2 AA |
| Manchester (UK) | 3,500 - 10,000 GBP | 6,000 - 19,000 GBP | WCAG 2.2 AA |
| Paris (FR) | 4,000 - 10,000 EUR | 8,000 - 26,000 EUR | RGAA / WCAG 2.1 AA |
| Brussels (BE) | 3,500 - 9,000 EUR | 6,000 - 21,000 EUR | EU Directive 2016/2102 |
In the UK, non-compliance exposes public bodies to enforcement action and reputational damage; in France, fines reach EUR 50,000 per online service. The cost of compliance is almost always lower than the risk.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
James, IT director of a public body in London (120-page site, one online services portal), launches compliance work. Audit at GBP 7,500, remediation at GBP 16,000 (including GBP 5,000 for PDF rework), training for 6 editors at GBP 2,000, re-audit at GBP 2,800. Total cost: GBP 28,300, plus GBP 380/month accessibility maintenance. Against enforcement and legal exposure exceeding GBP 100,000, plus reputational damage, the investment is modest. Compliance also lifts audience by 12% (users with disabilities, seniors, mobile). The operation pays back within the first year.
FAQ
Is WCAG compliance mandatory for my organisation? Yes for UK public bodies under the accessibility regulations. You must publish an accessibility statement and meet WCAG 2.2 AA; non-compliance risks enforcement and reputational damage.
How much is the audit alone? Between GBP 4,000 and 12,000 in 2026 for a public-sector site, depending on the number of sampled pages and journey complexity (forms, portals).
Do I have to rebuild everything? Rarely. Remediation fixes the failing criteria on the existing site: contrast, text alternatives, keyboard navigation, PDFs. Budget GBP 7,000 to 22,000 by scope.
Are PDFs included? Yes, and they are often the heaviest item: up to 30% of the work. You either make PDFs accessible or republish the content as accessible HTML.
How long to become compliant? Budget 2 to 4 months: 3 to 4 weeks of audit, 6 to 10 of remediation, then re-audit and publication of the accessibility statement.
Let's scope your project. Share your page volume and whether you have portals or PDFs, and we will price a WCAG audit, remediation, and accessibility statement. 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.
