Accessibility & Compliance
Public consultations must be open to everyone, regardless of ability, language, or device. ConsultOnline is built from the ground up to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, comply with UK GDPR and the Equality Act 2010, and provide full Welsh language support as standard. Accessibility is not an afterthought or a paid add-on — it is fundamental to every screen, every interaction, and every consultation you run.
WCAG 2.1 AA Throughout
Every page, form, and interactive element meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 at the AA level. This covers colour contrast ratios, keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, focus indicators, text resizing, and alternative text for all visual content. Your consultations are accessible to people with visual, motor, cognitive, and auditory impairments from day one, without any additional configuration.
Welsh Language as Standard
Bilingual Welsh and English consultations are included at no extra cost. Respondents can switch between Cymraeg and English at any point, with all platform interface text, survey questions, and consultation content available in both languages. This meets the requirements of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and Welsh Language Standards, so councils in Wales can comply without commissioning separate translation platforms or paying per-language surcharges.
GDPR & Data Protection
All consultation data is processed and stored in European data centres, encrypted at rest and in transit, and managed in full compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Data Processing Agreements are available for all clients. Respondents have clear privacy controls, cookie consent management, and the platform supports right to erasure requests under GDPR Article 17 as standard.
The Case for Inclusive Design
Why accessibility is non-negotiable for public consultations
Public consultations exist to gather the views of an entire community, not just the people who find it easiest to respond. Under the Equality Act 2010, public authorities have a duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage when accessing services. The Public Sector Equality Duty goes further, requiring authorities to actively advance equality of opportunity. A consultation platform that fails to meet basic accessibility standards is not just inconvenient — it risks excluding the very people whose voices planning decisions most need to hear, and it exposes your authority to legal challenge.
The reality is that many consultation platforms treat accessibility as an afterthought. They bolt on screen reader support late in development, charge extra for Welsh language versions, or simply claim compliance without independent testing. The result is that residents who use assistive technologies, who prefer to respond in Welsh, or who access consultations on mobile devices frequently encounter broken forms, missing labels, poor contrast, and navigation that only works with a mouse. These are not minor inconveniences — they are barriers that prevent participation entirely.
ConsultOnline takes a fundamentally different approach. Accessibility is a design principle, not a feature. Every component is built with semantic HTML, tested with screen readers and keyboard-only navigation, and validated against WCAG 2.1 AA criteria before release. Welsh language support is baked into the platform architecture rather than layered on as an optional module. The result is a consultation experience that works for everyone, meets your statutory obligations, and gives you confidence that your consultation findings genuinely represent the whole community.
How It Works
Accessibility built into every step
Create in Any Language
Build your consultation content in English, Welsh, or both simultaneously. The platform provides a side-by-side editing interface for bilingual content, so you can see both language versions as you write. All platform interface elements — buttons, labels, navigation, error messages — are already translated. Your survey questions, consultation descriptions, and supporting documents are the only content you need to provide in both languages.
Automatic Compliance Checks
Before your consultation goes live, the platform runs automated accessibility checks on your content. It flags issues like insufficient colour contrast in uploaded images, missing alternative text, or form labels that screen readers cannot parse. You receive clear guidance on how to fix any issues, ensuring your published consultation meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards without needing to hire an external accessibility auditor.
Inclusive Response Experience
Respondents interact with a consultation that adapts to their needs. Screen reader users navigate with full ARIA landmarks and live regions. Keyboard users can complete every interaction without a mouse. Respondents can toggle between Welsh and English at any point without losing progress. High contrast mode and dyslexia-friendly font options are available from the accessibility menu on every page.
Compliance
Meeting every compliance requirement
UK public consultations must comply with a complex web of legislation and standards. ConsultOnline addresses each one so you do not have to manage compliance manually.
WCAG 2.1 AA
Full compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 at the AA level, covering all four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. This includes proper heading hierarchy, sufficient colour contrast (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text), keyboard operability for all interactive elements, consistent navigation, and compatibility with assistive technologies including screen readers, screen magnifiers, and voice recognition software.
UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018
All data processed and stored in European data centres with encryption at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.3). Data Processing Agreements provided to all clients. Lawful basis for processing clearly documented. Privacy notices integrated into the consultation flow. Support for Data Subject Access Requests and right to erasure under Article 17. Automated data retention policies ensure data is not held longer than necessary.
Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011
Full bilingual support for Welsh and English, meeting the requirements of the Welsh Language Standards issued by the Welsh Language Commissioner. Respondents can interact entirely in Cymraeg, with all platform navigation, form elements, error messages, and system notifications available in Welsh. The language toggle is persistent, remembering each user’s preference across sessions. Welsh language support is included as standard with no additional charge.
Equality Act 2010 & PSED
The platform helps you meet your obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty by ensuring consultations are accessible to people with protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments are built in: screen reader support, keyboard navigation, text resizing, high contrast mode, and dyslexia-friendly fonts. Demographic monitoring helps you demonstrate that your consultation has reached a representative cross-section of the community.
Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018
These regulations require public sector websites and mobile applications to meet accessibility standards and publish an accessibility statement. ConsultOnline meets the technical requirements automatically, publishes its own accessibility statement at /accessibility-statement, and provides a template accessibility statement that you can publish alongside your consultations. The platform is regularly tested against these regulations to support ongoing compliance as standards evolve.
Cookie Consent & Privacy Controls
Granular cookie consent management is built in, allowing respondents to accept or reject non-essential cookies before any tracking occurs. Privacy controls let respondents choose whether to provide personal information or respond anonymously for sensitive consultations. All consent choices are logged and auditable, ensuring compliance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) alongside UK GDPR.
Consultations that truly include everyone
Book a demo and we will show you how ConsultOnline handles WCAG compliance, Welsh language toggling, and GDPR controls out of the box. See accessible consultation design in action.
Capabilities
Accessibility and compliance features at a glance
Every feature listed below is included as standard. No add-ons, no higher-specification packages, no per-language charges.
Language Support
Built-in language support
Welsh language support is not an optional extra in ConsultOnline — it is a core part of the platform. For councils in Wales, meeting the Welsh Language Standards is a statutory obligation, and the cost of commissioning separate Welsh-language versions of consultation platforms can be significant. Many competitors either do not offer Welsh at all or charge substantial per-consultation surcharges for bilingual support. ConsultOnline includes full Cymraeg support as standard on every plan, because we believe language should never be a barrier to democratic participation.
The bilingual experience is seamless for respondents. A prominent language toggle on every page allows switching between Welsh and English instantly, without losing any form progress or navigating away from the current page. All platform interface elements — navigation menus, button labels, form validation messages, accessibility controls, and system notifications — are available in both languages. Consultation creators provide their survey questions and descriptions in both languages using a side-by-side editor, and the platform handles the rest.
Looking ahead, the platform’s internationalisation architecture is designed to support additional languages as demand requires. While Welsh and English are the priority for UK public consultations, the same framework can accommodate other languages for authorities serving multilingual communities. Whether you need consultations in Polish, Urdu, Mandarin, or any other language spoken in your area, the platform is ready to grow with your community’s needs.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Ready for consultations that include everyone?
Stop worrying about accessibility compliance and Welsh language requirements. ConsultOnline handles it all as standard, so you can focus on meaningful community engagement. Join planning authorities across England and Wales who trust ConsultOnline to deliver inclusive, compliant public consultations.
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