Accessibility Statement - Farm Sustainability Transition Payment

This accessibility statement applies to Farm Sustainability Transition Payment.

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, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
• zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

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:

• the map interface is not keyboard tabbable and because of this, some users may be unable to proceed through the stepped process
• the map is fixed to a landscape orientation on mobile devices
• some buttons, tabs and tags fail minimum contrast ratio
• there is some loss of content when viewed on small devices or when zoomed
• the map interface does not trap focus, meaning a keyboard user can still tab to items in the obscured parent window
• there are some ambiguous link phrases such as 'click here', and there is some underlined text which may be mistaken for links
• map interface buttons have no visible border to indicate they have focus
• some links open in a new window without alerting the user
• Land Details - a blind user may be unable to view the row in error, if using a screenreader will not be able to interact with the error information in the tooltip and the exact error is not identified in an error summary elsewhere on the page 
• declaration pop-up window should have an accessible name
• Toastr style messages are not accessible as not all users may have time to read their contents, also they are not inline with other content
• PDFs generated as part of this application are not fully accessible

Feedback and contact information

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact the DAERA Helpline who will direct you towards the correct branch or division.

• email daera.helpline@daera-ni.gov.uk
• call 0300 200 7852

You can also contact the DAERA Helpline if you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille.

If you have a hearing difficulty you can contact DAERA 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

If you cannot view the map on our contact us page, call or email us for directions.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland 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 contact the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI).

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.

Compliance status

The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

• SWGS Scheme - DIVs are not permitted as direct descendants of a UL element, LI elements should be nested under UL elements (1.3.1: Info and Relationships)
• FSTP Map - a keyboard user may expect to tab sequentially through the collapsible panels but this is not possible as the tabs themselves are not keyboard-tabbable, only (some of) their content (1.3.2: Meaningful Sequence)
• FSTP Map - Restricting to one or other orientation is a fail unless a particular display orientation is considered essential (1.3.4: Orientation)
• Grey Close button on modal windows fails contrast ratio. ‘Over Declaration’ tags fail contrast ratio. Some tab states on EFS and SWGS Schemes fail minimum contrast (1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum))
• Text can mostly be resized to 200%, however there are some areas where two-dimensional scrolling occurs/where text size reduces/where functionality is clipped (1.4.4 Resize Text)
• On small screen sizes (landscape), there are some areas where two-dimensional scrolling occurs, where text size reduces and where functionality is clipped (1.4.10: Reflow)
• Tooltips are not consistent – some open a modal window, some don’t (1.4.13: Content on Hover or Focus)
• FSTP Map - The map doesn’t trap focus – meaning elements in the parent window can be tabbed to without the user seeing them, so the focus is obscured (1.4.13: Content on Hover or Focus)
• FSTP Map - Error/Success modals don’t trap focus, as they should (1.4.13: Content on Hover or Focus)
• Summary - The scrollable region must have keyboard access – currently a keyboard only user would be unable to access the information in this panel (2.1.1: Keyboard)
• FSTP Map (2.1.1: Keyboard)
  • Not keyboard tabbable – cannot tab into the whole screen from the address bar.
  • Side navigation is untabbable
  • Cannot tab through the collapsible accordion panels
  • Not all content is keyboard tabbable e.g. Field search button, Select field button
  • Keyboard users unable to access the Claimed Fields and Usages table or scroll through it
  • Cannot tab to ‘Draw New Field’ button
  • Cannot manually enter a date value – must use the datepicker which is only available by mouse (Keyboard trap – cannot tab off this field once it has focus)
  • Delete field usage icon button not tabbable
  • Add usage button not tabbable
• FSTP Map - some content within the collapsible panels is tabbable but then impossible to proceed as some buttons are not keyboard-tabbable, so the user is 'stuck', for instance a date cannot be entered manually. The datepicker must be used which is not keyboard-tabbable (2.1.2: No Keyboard Trap)
• Following a tabbable sequence through the FSTP map collapsible panels is almost impossible as the panels themselves are not keyboard-tabbable. Also, as visible focus isn't always shown, and the map does not trap focus it is possible to get thrown out of the map entirely (2.4.3: Focus Order)
• Land Details - 'Click here’ should not be used (ambiguous link) – put the link on the relevant text in the paragraph (2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context))
• Underlined text is present, which may be confused as links
• FSTP Map (2.4.7: Focus Visible)
  • Side navigation buttons have no visible focus indicator to show they have focus
  • Collapsible accordion has no visible focus indicator
  • Primary and secondary buttons do not use the GOV.UK visible focus indicator
  • Exit map button has no visible focus indicator
• FSTP Map doesn’t trap focus – meaning elements in the parent window can be tabbed to without the user seeing them, so the focus is entirely hidden/obscured. (All modal windows should trap focus - so that elements in the parent window cannot be tabbed to.) (2.4.11: Focus Not Obscured (Minimum))
• FSTP Map - dragging movements would be required to pan the map, as there is no button alternative for panning left/right/up/down (2.5.7: Dragging Movements)
• Links that open in new window should include (opens in new tab) as part of the link, or (for legacy Bootstrap) have the new window icon, e.g. Schemes (Help panel), footer links (3.2.2: On Input)
• Land Details - Errors and warnings are identified using differently colours tables rows with identifying icon. However, a blind user may be unable to view the row in error, if using a screenreader will not be able to interact with the error information in the tooltip and the exact error is not identified in an error summary elsewhere on the page (3.3.1: Error Identification)
• Summary - Declaration modal window should have an accessible name (3.3.2: Labels or Instructions)
• Error suggestions for correction are displayed in tooltips which are inaccessible to all users. They are also overly technical in nature and, arguably, not all users will understand them (3.3.3: Error Suggestion)
• SWGS Scheme - the page is missing a main landmark, and all page content should be contained by landmarks. ULs used for tabbed content should not contain the role 'tabpanel'. (4.1.2: Name, Role, Value)
• FSTP Map - Status messages – success doesn’t have role=“status” to identify it to screenreaders (4.1.3: Status Messages)
• Toastr style messages are not accessible as not all users may have time to read their contents, also they are not inline with other content. And they are not using a role attribute to identify them to assistive technologies (4.1.3: Status Messages)

Disproportionate burden

• Not applicable

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

Parts of this application are map-based and not all aspects of the functionality can be made fully accessible. Gov.uk advises that maps do not need to be fixed but that essential information must be provided in an accessible format.

PDFs and other 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.

The tested, auto-generated PDF is not compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA Guidelines.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

DAERA is actively engaged in improving the accessibility of its applications. As part of our 'UX 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 endeavour to carry out user research to ascertain user requirements and conduct usability workshopping before launching new applications.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 31 January 2025. It was last reviewed on 20 March 2025.

This website was last tested on 20 March 2025 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.

The test was carried out by DAERA Digital Services Division.

The following pages were tested:

• Menu page
• Welcome
• Scheme
• Questions
• Land Details
• EFS Scheme
• SWGS Scheme
• Summary
• FSTP Map
• Associated PDF document

We chose to test those pages which were most commonly used, and most representative of the general functionality and layout of the web application. Sample pages were tested for code compliance using the Axe and WAVE testing tools. The pages also underwent manual testing to ensure they adhered to the four Accessibility principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust). We also test using NVDA screenreader, and Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker (where applicable).

The full accessibility test report can be made available on request.