The verdict in three sentences
For a public body in London, WCAG 2.2 AA compliance is a legal duty under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, monitored by the Government Digital Service (GDS) and enforced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. An initial audit at EUR 3,500-7,000 followed by an accessible rebuild at EUR 35,000-80,000 usually takes a site from 35-50 % conformance to above 90 %. The real exposure is not the project cost but a missing or misleading accessibility statement and roadmap, which GDS checks and residents can report in minutes.
What the law actually requires from a public body in 2026
The 2018 Regulations require councils, NHS trusts, universities and agencies to meet WCAG 2.2 level AA on websites, intranets, extranets and mobile apps. GDS monitors a sample of sites every year and issues a report with a 12-week deadline to fix issues. For a London borough or arm's-length body, scope covers the main site, transactional portals, staff intranets and published documents.
| Requirement | Expected content | Frequency | Risk if missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance status | "Fully / partially / not compliant" in the statement | Permanent | GDS finding, EHRC referral |
| Accessibility statement | Conformance level, exemptions, contact | Updated after each audit | GDS finding, EHRC referral |
| Multi-year roadmap | 3-year plan, budget, owners | Every 3 years | Weak legal defence |
| Annual action plan | Fixes scheduled for the year | Yearly | Complaints, legal claims |
| Conformance audit | Sample of 15-25 representative pages | At least every 3 years | Statement invalid |
| Feedback route | Form or email to report a barrier | Permanent | Equality Act claims |
Unlike the French RGAA regime with its EUR 50,000 fine per service, UK enforcement relies on GDS monitoring, EHRC action and Equality Act 2010 claims, where damages and legal costs can quickly exceed EUR 20,000 per case. Several hundred public sites receive GDS monitoring reports each year (order of magnitude 2026), and the most frequent finding is an outdated or generic accessibility statement.
What compliance costs: audit, rebuild, maintenance
Budget depends on the number of page templates, the volume of PDFs and third-party modules (maps, booking, payments). Ranges below reflect 2026 procurements through G-Cloud and Digital Outcomes frameworks in Greater London.
| Service | Small body | Borough / trust | Large authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial WCAG audit | EUR 3,500 | EUR 5,000 | EUR 7,000-10,000 |
| Fixing the existing site | EUR 9,000-17,000 | EUR 17,000-35,000 | EUR 35,000-70,000 |
| Full accessible rebuild | EUR 35,000-45,000 | EUR 50,000-80,000 | EUR 100,000-200,000 |
| PDF remediation (per 100 files) | EUR 3,000 | EUR 3,000 | EUR 3,000 |
| Content editor training (1 day) | EUR 1,400 | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,800 |
| Maintenance and annual re-audit | EUR 3,000/yr | EUR 4,500/yr | EUR 9,000/yr |
| Rebuild timeline | 3-4 months | 4-6 months | 6-10 months |
Two rules keep projects on track. First, require a contractual conformance rate (for example 90 % measured by an independent auditor) instead of a vague "accessible website" clause. Second, budget editor training: without it, a site delivered at 95 % often drops below 70 % within twelve months because of images without alt text and badly structured tables.
Fix or rebuild: how to decide
Fixing is enough when the CMS is recent (WordPress, Drupal 10, Umbraco current), the theme is maintained and the audit shows fewer than 40 failing criteria. A rebuild is justified when templates predate 2018, JavaScript components (menus, carousels, tabs) are proprietary and fixing would exceed 50 % of a rebuild. A rebuild also addresses mobile performance, sustainability and security, which makes the budget easier to defend before councillors.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Helen, head of digital at a London arm's-length body serving 280,000 residents, starts with a EUR 5,000 audit showing 41 % conformance on 20 pages. Fixing is quoted at EUR 32,000, a full rebuild at EUR 58,000. She chooses the rebuild: 58,000 + 5,000 + 2,000 training, EUR 65,000, split over two financial years in the roadmap. Compared with fixing a CMS that would need replacing within three years (around EUR 50,000 more) and the cost of even two Equality Act claims, estimated savings exceed EUR 30,000 over five years, with 93 % conformance at re-audit.
FAQ
Who checks public sector accessibility in the UK?
GDS runs the monitoring programme and the EHRC enforces in England, Scotland and Wales. Residents can also complain directly, and GDS gives bodies 12 weeks to fix reported issues.
Is a partially compliant site a breach?
Not if the accessibility statement is accurate and backed by a roadmap with dates. Risk comes mainly from missing or misleading statements, not from a documented 75 % conformance.
How long does a WCAG audit take?
Allow 8 to 15 working days for a 20-page sample including the report. A re-audit after fixes takes 3 to 5 days and usually costs EUR 1,800-3,000.
Do published PDFs need to be accessible?
Yes, documents published after September 2018 are in scope. Remediating 100 PDFs costs around EUR 3,000, but publishing in HTML is cheaper over time.
Can we buy through a framework?
Yes, G-Cloud and Crown Commercial Service frameworks shorten procurement to 4-8 weeks and shared audits can cut costs by 20-30 % for smaller bodies.
Let's scope your project. We price your WCAG audit, remediation or accessible rebuild with a contractual conformance rate and a timeline that fits your financial year. 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.
