Accessibility Statement - Farm Sustainability Transition Payment
This website is run by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland.
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:
- there are some missing labels to help identify form fields
- there are missing or skipped heading levels
- there are some empty table header cells
- 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 or tags fail minimum contrast ratio
- there is some loss of content when viewed on small devices or when zoomed
- tooltips are not keyboard tabbable
- pop-up windows and 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'
- 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
- some status messages, shown when a change is made to the document, do not have role=“status” to identify them to screenreaders
- 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
- Land Details - Missing labels on select and input fields when adding usage (1.1.1: Non-text Content)
- Missing H1 heading on Menu page (1.3.1: Info and Relationships)
- Welcome - jumps from H1 to H3 headings (1.3.1: Info and Relationships)
- Main form - Using a table for header area – tables should not be used for layout purposes (1.3.1: Info and Relationships)
- Land Details data grid - Empty table header cells (1.3.1: Info and Relationships)
- Land Details data grid - 'scope' attribute should only be used on header elements (not on total row) (1.3.1: Info and Relationships)
- Summary - A layout table is used to present Outstanding warnings – layout tables should be avoided (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 (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 accessible as they’re not dismissable (can’t be dismissed without moving pointer hover or keyboard focus) or hoverable (can’t move over the additional content without content disappearing)
- Also tooltips are not consistent – some open a modal window, some don’t (1.4.13: Content on Hover or Focus)
- Modal windows must trap focus – it should not be possible to tab content in the parent window whilst a modal window is open (e.g. Scheme - Young Farms' Payment, Questions - Help) (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)
- Tooltips/Information icons are not keyboard tabbable, so some users may not be able to access this information. Land Details - Map buttons are not keyboard tabbable. 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))
- 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)
- Land Details data grid - form elements with missing labels. Select elements must have accessible name (3.3.2: Labels or Instructions)
- Summary - Declaration modal window should have an accessible name (3.3.2: Labels or Instructions)
- Land Details data grid - instructions for errors and warnings are described in tooltips, which will be inaccessible for some users. The error summary panels do not describe these errors, nor link to the rows/fields which are in error (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)
- FSTP Map - Status messages – success doesn’t have role=“status” to identify it to screenreaders (4.1.3: Status Messages)
- Land Details - no status/error/warning messages use role attribute to identify them to assistive technologies (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 31 January 2025.
This website was last tested on 19 December 2024 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
- 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.