Accessibility Statement - EFS Higher Application
This website is run by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:
- zoom in up to 200% without the text spilling off the screen
- navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
- view content in a meaningful order
- clearly understand the content and instructions of the website.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website aren't fully accessible:
- there are some missing form labels
- colour contrast issue with buttons have been identified
- tabbing issues throughout the application, some information cannot be accessed through tabbing such as the warning messages.
- a 'skip to main content' link has not been included, meaning users who require the use of a keyboard to navigate the application cannot bypass blocks of repeated information.
- heading structure issues
What to do if you can't access parts of this website
If you need further information or assistance in using parts of this website, you can contact a DAERA Direct Regional Office.
- email DAERA Direct Regional Offices
- call 0300 200 7840
A DAERA member of staff will be able to help you with your request.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We're always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that aren't listed on this page or think we're not meeting the requirements of the accessibility regulations, contact the DAERA customer helpline on 0300 200 7852 or email daera.helpline@daera-ni.gov.uk.
If you are unhappy with the quality of service received, in the first instance, you can make a complaint to DAERA.
Enforcement procedure
If you remain dissatisfied with the Department’s final response to your complaint, you can refer your case to the Equalities Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), which is responsible for enforcing accessibility regulations.
You can contact them.
Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Dundonald House
Upper Newtownards Road
Ballymiscaw
Belfast BT4 3SB
DAERA Headquarters map location
Call DAERA customer helpline on 0300 200 7852 or email daera.helpline@daera-ni.gov.uk.
If you have a hearing difficulty you can contact the Department via Text Relay using the Next Generation Text Service (NGTS).
- Making a call from a textphone dial 18001 + number.
- Making a call from a telephone dial 18002 + number.
There are also various Text to Speech applications available to use.
Technical information about this website's accessibility
DAERA is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.
Issues with technology
- No ‘skip to main content’ link has been included within the pages; this means users who use a keyboard will be unable to bypass content. (2.4.1)
- Document should have a main landmark, all page content should be contained within this landmark. (1.3.1)
- ARIA dialog should have an accessible name. (4.1.2)
- ARIA role should be appropriate for the element. (4.1.2)
- Status messages have been used to show when users have saved information, this could also be helpful to implement to show when the user has deleted information. (4.1.3)
- The minimum contrast ratio has not been met on certain components such as buttons. (1.4.3/1.4.11)
- Scrollable region must have keyboard access, currently not implemented within the summary confirmation page. (2.1.1)
- When tabbing through the process and reach the fields and scheme page the tab jumps to the map link and continues to the sort/filter, it then stops and cannot tab forward/backwards. (2.1.2)
- Issues identified tabbing to certain buttons throughout the application, e.g. when entering a new field unable to tab to confirm this. (2.1.1)
Issues with text
- No heading structure within the application page, pages should contain a level-one heading. (2.4.6)
- Suspicious link text has been used such as ‘click here’, this wording may make a user feel unsure about clicking the link due to being similar wording to phishing emails. (2.4.4)
- Redundant title text on the summary and confirmation page, this will cause a screen reader to read the title out twice. (2.4.6)
- Missing form label within the ‘contact for assistance’ form, forms must contain a label to indicate the information required from the user. (3.3.2)
Issues with PDFs and other documents
- document
- page content
- alternate text
- tables
- lists
- headings
Issues with images, video and audio
- No known issues.
Issues with interactive tools and transactions
- The warning and information symbols are accessed when the pointer hovers over them, this makes it inaccessible for users who rely on using a keyboard to navigate the application.
We have added these items to our accessibility bug backlog and will be scheduling them into our iterative improvement plan.
How we tested this website
This website was last tested on 14 March 2024. The test was carried out by DAERA Digital Services Division.
The pages were tested for code compliance using the Axe and WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) Chrome extensions and NVDA screen reader. The pages also underwent manual testing to ensure they adhered to the four Accessibility principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust).
We tested the following sample pages. The accessibility evaluation report (HPRM ref) can be made available on request.
- EFS application
- Welcome screen
- Fields and schemes
- Higher summary
What we're doing to improve accessibility
The Department is actively engaged in improving the accessibility of its applications. As part of our 'Development Checklist', we require developers to design software with accessibility compliance built in. In those circumstances where compliance cannot be met, reasons for this should be documented, along with steps for addressing issues. We also carry out user research to ascertain user requirements and conduct usability workshopping before launching new applications.
This statement was prepared on 14 March 2024. It was last updated on 22 March 2024.