Accessibility Statement

Viola Homes is committed to providing a website that is accessible to everyone, regardless of ability and in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website in accordance with the World Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

We want everyone to be able to access the content and services on our website. This means you should be able to:

  • Change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser functionality
  • Zoom in up to 400 per cent 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
  • Interact with most of the website using a screen reader (including recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver).

We also try to make the website text as simple as possible to understand. If you have a disability, AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use.

Current compliance status

This website is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version or 2.2 AA standard.

Partially accessible PDFs

We are aware that some of the PDFs on our website are not fully accessible. We are working on converting these documents to accessible formats and will continue to improve our compliance over time.

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they are not essential to providing our services.

If it is deemed necessary to publish any new PDFs, we will ensure these meet the latest accessibility standards.

We have implemented numerous features to make our website more accessible. These include:

  • Alternative text for images – Descriptive text is provided for images to convey their meaning to users operating a screen reader
  • Keyboard navigation – Users can navigate the website using their keyboard
  • Headings – Headings are used to structure the content and improve navigation for screen reader users.

Please note a lot of changes have been made that cannot be easily identified when browsing the site using a desktop device. These are subtle but very effective changes to enhance the website’s ease of use for users that navigate via tabbed browsing or using assistive technology. These include:

  • Rollovers to access and sticky register button – Incorporating rollovers to access the register button and maintaining it as sticky has enhanced accessibility by ensuring that this crucial functionality remains visible to users as they navigate the website. This change benefits users with cognitive impairments or those who rely on keyboard navigation, providing clear visual feedback and facilitating efficient interaction with essential elements on the site. ​
  • Added extra focus classes to links and buttons – By adding extra focus classes to links and buttons across the site, accessibility is significantly improved for users who navigate via keyboard or assistive technologies like screen readers. These additional focus states ensure that interactive elements are clearly highlighted when they receive keyboard focus, aiding users with visual impairments or mobility issues in understanding their current position and available actions on the website
  • Added extra padding to main menu nav items – Increasing the padding around main menu navigation items contributes to improved accessibility by enlarging the clickable area and making it easier for users to accurately select their desired options. This is particularly helpful for those with motor impairments or using touch devices. This adjustment helps mitigate the risk of accidental clicks and enhances the overall usability of the website for a wider range of users, including those with limited dexterity or precision.

Accessibility toolbar

We’ve added the ReachDeck toolbar to our website. If you need help with reading, have a visual impairment, or prefer to read in your own language, the ReachDeck Toolbar can help.

Accessing the toolbar

Click on the orange circular accessibility icon at the bottom left of each web page or alternatively click the orange ‘access tools’ button at the top right of each web page. This will launch the ReachDeck toolbar. You’ll see it dock to the top of your screen. Now click on the first ‘pointed finger’ icon on that toolbar and hover your mouse pointer over any text on our site to hear it read out loud.

How does the ReachDeck toolbar help?

The ReachDeck toolbar will help you to read and translate the content on our website. Its features include:

  • Text-to-speech – click on or select any text to hear it read aloud
  • Translation – translate content into over 100 languages
  • Text magnification – enlarge text and hear it read out loud
  • MP3 generation – convert selected text into an MP3 audio file
  • Screen mask – reduce glare with a tinted mask
  • Web page simplifier – remove clutter from the screen. Display only the main text
  • Picture dictionary – displays pictures related to text selected on the page.
Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any difficulties accessing content, please contact us via one of the following methods:

  • Online form – Please complete the get in touch form on the Beyond Housing website and select the first option to ‘leave feedback’
  • Phone – Alternatively you can call Beyond Housing on 0345 065 5656.

Please let us know:

  • The nature of the accessibility problem
  • The specific web page where you encountered the problem
  • Your preferred method of contact.

We will strive to provide you with the information you need in an accessible format.

Disclaimer

Viola Homes is continually working to improve the accessibility of this website. However, it is important to note that some third-party content embedded on the site may not yet be fully accessible.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (known as the ‘Accessibility Regulations’).

If you remain dissatisfied with how we responded to your complaint, please contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

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