Accessibility

We are dedicated to making our website easy to view for all users so that it’s accessible to the widest possible audience. We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website so that we meet many of the available standards and guidelines.

The majority of our site meets AA accessibility - AA is a widely recognised standard for making websites and apps accessible to people with disabilities — things like low vision, hearing loss, or difficulty using a mouse. Meeting AA means a site or app has been built so that people with a wide range of abilities can actually use it.

There are a few exceptions to AA compliance that we are working towards fixing:

• The form on the newly diagnosed email support page is not read out from screen readers
• On the  Diabetes and me page, screen readers do not correctly say which option is currently selected
• On the recipes page, screen readers do not correctly indicate when multiple options have been selected.
• The page layout shifts on the Take part in a research study form after it's submitted.

Find out how we produce our website information so it's accessible to all.

Here are some tips on making the website easier to read if you're having difficulty:

How do I make text bigger?

Using Google Chrome

1. Click the menu button (three horizontal dots) in the top-right corner of your Chrome window.
2. Look at the Zoom controls near the top of the menu.
3. Click the + or - buttons to adjust the page size

Using Microsoft Edge

1. Click the menu button (three vertical dots) in the top-right corner of your Edge window.
2. Look at the Zoom controls near the top of the menu.
3. Click the + or - buttons to adjust the page size

Using Firefox

1. Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner of your Firefox window.
2. Look at the Zoom controls at the bottom of the menu.
3. Click the + or - buttons to adjust the page size

Using Safari

1. In the search field, click,

then choose how much to zoom. You can also pinch open on a trackpad that supports gestures.

How do I change fonts and colours so that the contrast is better for me?

1. To change the colour of the text and background of your browser displays you need to find the Colours option dialogue box.

Using Google Chrome

1. Click the three dots (top-right) > Settings > Appearance. Here, you can adjust font sizes or click Customize fonts to change the font style and set a minimum size.

Using Microsoft Edge

1. Click the three dots (top-right) > Settings > Appearance. Under the Fonts section, click Customize fonts to adjust the size and style.

Using Mozilla Firefox

1. Go to Settings > General > Language and Appearance. Under Fonts and Colors, click Colours to set your preferred high-contrast background and text combinations.

Using Safari

• To increase the font size, press Option-Command-Plus sign (+)
• To decrease the font size, press Option-Command-Minus sign (-)
• Or you can go to the View menu and hold down the Option key while you select Make Text Bigger or Make Text Smaller.

How do I move around the site without using a mouse?

You can use the Tab key to move between links and between sections of a form. Holding down the Shift key and pressing Tab will move you back up the page. You can use the Return key to follow a link or to select an option in a form. The Up and Down keys allow you to select options from drop-down menus. 

How do I open your PDF files?

To open our PDF files, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have it, you can download it for free.

If you have any queries about accessibility or need help, please get in touch with our helpline.