Accessibility statement

This accessibility statement applies to our website, brook.org.uk. 

Last updated: 23/04/2025

This website is run by Brook. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to: 

• Change colours and contrast levels of webpages.
• Zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen.
• Navigate most of the website using just a keyboard. 
• Navigate most of the website using speech recognition software. 
• Listen to most of the website using a screen reader. 

How accessible this website is 

Brook is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for everyone. We are actively working to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standard, which aims to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. 

All of Brook’s new digital tools will meet this standard.  

We are continually working to improve the accessibility of our website. We are aware that some areas currently do not yet fully meet the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standard. These include: 

• Some sections are not fully navigable using keyboard or speech recognition software. 
• In some sections, you cannot skip to the main content when using a screen reader. 
• Focus or hover state is not fully implemented. 
• There are limits to how far you can magnify some embedded maps and widgets. 
• Not all images have alt text. 
• Older PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software. 
• Our videos do not all have subtitles and audio descriptions. 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility 

We’re working to make sure the text content on our website is as simple as possible to understand.

• Most of the text is left-aligned.
• Hyperlinks are descriptive.
• Most non-decorative images have alt text. 
• Page structure is consistent with the expected standards.

As part of our brand refresh in 2023, we proactively tackled several accessibility challenges related to typeface and color contrast. This initiative has significantly improved the readability of our text and ensures better contrast ratios across the site, contributing to a more accessible experience for all users. 

We have been utilising an accessibility plugin to support users of the website and address any outstanding issues. This plugin is under review in 2025. 

We continue to work closely with our web agency to improve page design and navigation using keyboard and/or speech recognition software. 

Furthermore, accessibility is a core component of all new digital projects, and we are working with our technical partners to ensure that future tools and sites meet WCAG 2.1 AA from launch. 

Disproportionate burden 

Disproportionate burden applies to accessibility issues that are particularly difficult or expensive to fix, and where the benefit of undertaking the work is not high enough to justify the resources required.  

As a charity, we must always be careful to ensure that we use our resources to the maximum benefit, and we have identified that the accessibility issues noted below currently fall into the category of disproportionate burden. They will remain under review and will be addressed when possible. 

• Due to technical limitations, some maps and widgets are provided by third-party vendors, and we have limited control over their accessibility. We strive to select accessible options whenever possible. 
• Some older graphics and documents may not have optimal colour contrast. While a complete immediate overhaul would require significant resources, we have addressed many instances digitally and continue to explore tools that allow users to customise contrast. We will continue to review and update these as feasible. 
• Not all of our existing videos have subtitles and audio descriptions. While we are adding these as videos are reviewed and updated, addressing all of them immediately would present a significant cost. We prioritise subtitling and describing new video content. 

Content that is not within the scope of accessibility regulations 

• Accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 [opens in new tab] if they are not essential to providing our services. 
• We do not guarantee that we will add captions to live video streams, though we will strive to wherever possible. Live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations [opens in new tab]. 

Tools to improve your experience 

While we continue to enhance the accessibility of our website, we understand that some users may benefit from additional tools to customise their browsing experience. 

Below are links to external resources that offer helpful adjustments. Please note that these are third-party tools, and Brook is not responsible for their functionality or privacy policies.  

• My Computer My way [opens in new tab]: developed by AbilityNet, a UK charity which aims to improve the lives of disabled people by helping them to use digital technology, this series of guides offers step-by-step instructions on how to adapt your phone, computer or tablet to meet your needs.  
• Better Web Browsing: Tips for Customising Your Computer [opens in new tab]: provides references to resources, including detailed documentation and step-by-step guides, to help you customise your web browser and computer setup. 
• To help you customise your reading experience while we improve our site’s accessibility, most browsers offer built-in tools: 
  • Safari: Use Reader View (icon in address bar) to simplify pages and adjust font, size, and background. 
  • Microsoft Edge: Try Immersive Reader (book icon in address bar or Ctrl + Shift + R) for customisable text size, font, spacing, and more. 
  • Firefox: Activate Reader View (icon in address bar) to remove distractions and adjust text appearance. 
  • Chrome: For a similar experience, explore extensions like “Reader Mode” or “Just Read” from the Chrome Web Store. Chrome’s built-in feature is still evolving. 

Feedback and contact information 

If you need information on this website in a different format, please email you requirements to website@brook.org.uk 

We’ll do our best to accommodate your request and get back to you within 10 working days. 

Reporting accessibility problems with this website 

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page, please email website@brook.org.uk.  

All constructive feedback about the usability of our site is welcome and we promise to consider it carefully. 

To help us identify the problem as quickly as we can, please let us know:  

• The address or title of the page where you found a problem.  
• What the problem is, including any screenshots if relevant. 
• What sort of device (e.g., laptop, tablet, phone) and software you were using when you encountered the problem.