Accessibility statement for Devon Home Choice Website

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

• Change text size
• Zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
• Listen to most of the website using a screen reader (tested using NVDA)
• Translate the website pages and application form to a variety of languages

We’re also making the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

If you need help accessing this website, we have provided some information below. GOV.UK’s pages on accessibility also provide a good summary of available accessibility resources.

Translating this website

You can translate the pages on this website using the Google Translate function which you will find in the top right corner of each page. This function can also be used to translate the Devon Home Choice application form.

How accessible is this website?

There is some content on this website that might not be accessible.

• Any audio and video published before 23 September 2020
• Maps may not resize correctly or be accessible by a screen reader - but we provide essential information in an accessible format like an address
• On the search and bid pages, the drop-down menus for filtering results are not read out by screen readers
• On the search page, the advanced search section can only be accessed using a mouse

Feedback and contact information

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille please contact your local authority.

If you’re having problems with the site

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the whole site conforms to the latest standard, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 at level AA, this is an ongoing process. If you need information in a different format or are having problems accessing the website please contact your local authority.

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 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Devon Home Choice is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

The following are areas of non-compliance:

• Some links open in new windows. These should be noted in the descriptive text.

The following are exemptions:

• Third-party plugin for Google Maps. Google Maps may not be fully navigable by keyboard. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard navigation). Google Maps also have some colour contrast issues which fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3. Home Connections has no control over the accessibility of this tool.
• Third-party plugin for Google Translate sometimes fails when text is resized. This sometimes fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.4 (Resize text) depending on the language and zoom used. Home Connections has no control over the accessibility of this tool.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. For example, we do not plan to fix PDFs published on our Media Centre or third party advice PDFs that were not originally published by us. 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We are continually doing improvements to the website and plan to review all content for accessibility before it is added. 

How we test this website

The online forms have been tested with several automated tools, as well as manually for keyboard and screen reader navigation. This website was last tested on 21/01/2021.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 16th July 2020. It was last reviewed on 25th November 2021