Does the European Accessibility Act apply to my UK website?

Plain English, not legal advice. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.

What the European Accessibility Act is

The European Accessibility Act is an EU law, Directive (EU) 2019/882. Every EU country turned it into its own national law, and those laws have applied since 28 June 2025. It sets accessibility requirements for a list of everyday products and services, so that disabled people can use them on equal terms.

Because each country enforces its own version, the details of enforcement and penalties vary from country to country. So far enforcement has mostly started from complaints and focused on getting problems fixed.

Which services it covers

For websites and apps, these are the services that matter:

E-commerce: selling products or services to consumers at a distance, through a website or app. This is the one that catches most UK businesses.
Consumer banking services.
E-books and the software used to read them.
Passenger transport by air, bus, rail and water: websites, apps, e-tickets and travel information.
Electronic communications and services that give access to audiovisual media.

A brochure website that does not sell anything online is not an e-commerce service, so the Act is unlikely to apply to it directly. UK law still does.

Does it apply to my UK business?

Work through these in order.

Do you sell to consumers in the EU? Signs that you do: you ship to EU countries, price in euros, have EU-language versions of your site, or take orders from EU customers. The Act covers anyone who offers a covered service to consumers in the EU, wherever they are based.
Do you only sell to businesses? The Act defines e-commerce around consumer contracts, so a purely business-to-business shop is generally outside it. If you also sell to the public, assume it applies.
Are you a micro-enterprise? If you have fewer than 10 people and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million, you are exempt for services. The exemption does not cover products.

If you are covered, there is also a narrow route where a requirement would be a disproportionate burden or would fundamentally change the service. You have to assess that properly and write it down. It is not a general opt-out.

What it asks your website to do

Meet the accessibility requirements. In practice that means the harmonised European standard EN 301 549, which uses WCAG 2.1 level AA for websites and apps. A newer edition aligned with WCAG 2.2 is on its way, so aim for WCAG 2.2 AA and you cover both.
Explain how your service meets them. Covered services must publish accessibility information, for example in your terms or on an accessibility statement page, describing how the service meets the requirements.
Keep it that way. Accessibility is not a one-off project. New products, pages and campaigns go up every week, and each can bring new problems.

And UK law?

The UK did not adopt the European Accessibility Act, but UK websites already have duties:

The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers, including businesses selling online, to make reasonable adjustments so disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage. The duty is anticipatory: you are expected to think ahead, not wait for a complaint. It applies whatever the size of your business.
Public sector websites must meet the accessibility regulations and publish an accessibility statement. The government monitors them against WCAG 2.2 AA (GOV.UK guidance).

So even if the European Accessibility Act does not reach you, working towards WCAG 2.2 AA is the sensible target for any UK website.

What to do next

Check a page now. Our free page checker tests any page against WCAG 2.2 and explains each problem in plain English. Nothing is stored.
Check every page. Problems in a header or footer repeat across the whole site. On WordPress, A11yMate scans every page, groups repeated problems and tells you exactly what to change.
Fix the common problems first: low-contrast text, missing alt text, forms without labels, links that only say "click here", and things you cannot reach with a keyboard.
Test like a person. Use the site with only a keyboard, and try a screen reader such as VoiceOver or NVDA. Automated checks find only part of the problems.
Publish your accessibility information. Say what works, what does not yet, and how people can get help. A11yMate Pro can generate an accessibility statement from your scan.
Do not buy an overlay. It will not make you compliant. Here is why.

Would you rather someone else did it? OakFox audits and fixes WordPress sites, the studio that makes A11yMate.

Questions

Did Brexit take UK businesses out of the European Accessibility Act?

No. The Act looks at who you sell to, not where you are registered. If you offer a covered service, such as an online shop, to consumers in the EU, it applies to that service.

We only sell to other businesses. Does it apply?

Usually not for e-commerce. The Act defines e-commerce services around consumer contracts, so a shop that only sells to businesses generally falls outside it. If you also sell to the public, even occasionally, assume it applies.

We are a small business. Are we exempt?

Only if you are a micro-enterprise: fewer than 10 people and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. That exemption covers services, which is what an online shop is. It does not cover products. UK law still expects you to make reasonable adjustments for disabled customers whatever your size.

Is the standard WCAG 2.1 or WCAG 2.2?

The harmonised standard the Act points to, EN 301 549, currently uses WCAG 2.1 AA for websites. A newer edition aligned with WCAG 2.2 is on its way. Aiming for WCAG 2.2 AA covers both, and it is what UK public sector websites are already checked against.

Will an accessibility overlay make us compliant?

No. An overlay patches the page in the visitor's browser and leaves the real problems in your site. In April 2025 the US Federal Trade Commission finalised an order requiring one overlay vendor to pay $1 million over claims that its product could make any website compliant. Fix the site itself.

Sources

Directive (EU) 2019/882, the European Accessibility Act (EUR-Lex). Scope and definitions in Articles 2 and 3, the micro-enterprise exemption in Article 4, disproportionate burden in Article 14.
Equality Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)
Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies (GOV.UK)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (W3C)

This guide explains the law in general terms and is not legal advice. If you are unsure whether it applies to your business, speak to a solicitor.