Accessibility User Guide

What these tools do

These accessibility tools provide visual customisation options to help you personalise your browsing experience. You can adjust colours, text size, and visual elements to suit your preferences and needs.

What these tools don’t replace

Please note: These tools are designed as a supplement to proper web accessibility, not a replacement. They:

• Do not fix underlying accessibility issues in our website
• Do not guarantee WCAG compliance
• Do not replace proper semantic HTML and accessible code

We continue to work on ensuring our website is built with accessibility best practices from the ground up. For details about our website’s accessibility compliance and our ongoing commitment to accessibility, please refer to our Accessibility Statement. These tools simply give you additional control over your viewing experience.

Performance

We’ve developed these tools with performance in mind. Using them will have a minimal impact on page loading speed, typically less than 1%, so you can customise your experience without worrying about slowing down your browsing.

Look for the “Accessibility Tools” button, located in the top right corner of the page. Click or tap it to open the accessibility panel where you can adjust various settings.

Keyboard users: Press Tab until the button is highlighted, then press Enter to open.

Display Modes

Choose the colour scheme that works best for you:

Light Mode

• Traditional bright background with dark text
• Best for well-lit environments
• Reduces glare in bright conditions
• Automatically selected if your device is set to light mode

Dark Mode

• Dark background with light text
• Reduces eye strain in low-light conditions
• Saves battery on phones and tablets with OLED screens
• Helpful for light-sensitive users
• Automatically selected if your device is set to dark mode

High Contrast Mode

• Maximum difference between text and background
• Makes content easier to see
• Particularly helpful for users with low vision
• Reduces visual fatigue

Greyscale Mode

• Removes all colours from the page
• Reduces visual complexity
• Can help with concentration
• Useful for some types of colour blindness

Text Controls

Adjust how text appears on the page:

Normal Text Size

• Standard size as designed
• Default setting

Large Text Size

• Increases all text by 20%
• Makes reading easier
• Helpful for users with visual impairments

Bold Text

• Makes all text bolder and thicker
• Improves legibility
• Can help with reading difficulties

Visual Aids

Additional tools to improve your browsing experience:

Large Cursor

Makes your mouse pointer bigger and easier to see:

Who it helps: Users with visual tracking difficulties, motor impairments, or anyone who has trouble seeing the standard cursor

What it does: Increases cursor size by approximately 3 times

When to use it: If you find yourself losing track of your mouse pointer

Highlight Links

Makes all clickable links stand out clearly:

Who it helps: Users with cognitive disabilities, visual impairments, or anyone who struggles to identify links

What it does: Adds a yellow background and underline to all links

When to use it: If you have difficulty spotting which text is clickable

Hide Images

Removes images and shows their descriptions instead:

Who it helps: Users who find images distracting, those with slow internet connections, or users focused on reading text content

What it does: Hides images and displays their alternative text descriptions

When to use it: When you want to focus purely on text content without visual distractions

Note: Image descriptions (alt text) remain visible, so you won’t miss important information

Reading Mask

Creates a spotlight effect that highlights the line you’re reading:

Who it helps: Users with dyslexia, ADHD, visual tracking difficulties, or anyone who finds it hard to keep their place whilst reading

What it does: Dims the entire page except for a clear band around your mouse pointer, making it easier to focus on one line at a time

How it works: The clear reading area (about 60 pixels tall) follows your mouse or finger as you move down the page

Research shows: Users with dyslexia can read 15-25% faster when using a reading mask

When to use it: For reading long articles, blog posts, or any text-heavy content

Reset Button

The “Reset All Settings” button returns everything to default:

• Clears all your custom settings
• Returns to your device’s colour preference (light or dark mode)
• Helpful if you want to start fresh

Note: Your settings are automatically saved and will be remembered the next time you visit, even if you close your browser.

Visual Impairments

If you have difficulty seeing clearly, these tools can help:

• Large Cursor – Easier to track on screen
• High Contrast Mode – Makes text stand out more
• Large Text Size – Makes reading more comfortable
• Bold Text – Increases text weight for better visibility
• Highlight Links – Makes navigation clearer

Dyslexia

If you have dyslexia, these tools are particularly helpful:

• Reading Mask – Reduces visual crowding and helps you focus on one line at a time (this is the most beneficial tool for dyslexia)
• Bold Text – Makes letters more distinct
• Large Text Size – Reduces strain
• High Contrast Mode – Makes text easier to process

Research shows that people with dyslexia can read 15-25% faster when using a reading mask.

ADHD

If you have ADHD and struggle with focus:

• Reading Mask – Blocks out distractions and helps maintain focus
• Hide Images – Removes visual distractions
• Greyscale Mode – Reduces visual stimulation
• Dark Mode – Creates a calmer viewing environment

Light Sensitivity / Photophobia

If bright screens hurt your eyes or trigger migraines:

• Dark Mode – Essential for reducing brightness (automatically applied if your device is set to dark mode)
• Greyscale Mode – Removes potentially triggering colour contrasts
• Reading Mask – Reduces overall screen brightness whilst reading

Motor Impairments

If you have difficulty controlling a mouse or trackpad:

• Large Cursor – Easier to see and track
• Highlight Links – Makes click targets more obvious
• Large Text Size – Bigger clickable areas

All controls are fully keyboard-accessible if you prefer not to use a mouse.

Cognitive Disabilities

If you need a simpler, clearer interface:

• Reading Mask – Helps maintain focus
• Hide Images – Reduces complexity
• Highlight Links – Makes navigation clearer
• High Contrast Mode – Simplifies visual presentation

Colour Blindness

• If you have difficulty distinguishing colours:
• High Contrast Mode – Ensures text is always readable
• Greyscale Mode – Removes reliance on colour
• Highlight Links – Makes links visible without relying on colour alone

Age-Related Vision Changes

If you’re experiencing age-related vision changes:

• Large Text Size – Compensates for reduced visual acuity
• Large Cursor – Easier to track
• High Contrast Mode – Offsets reduced contrast sensitivity
• Bold Text – Makes text more defined

Fatigue and Eye Strain

If you spend long hours reading online:

• Dark Mode – Reduces eye strain in low-light conditions
• Reading Mask – Makes long reading sessions more comfortable
• Large Text Size – Reduces squinting
• High Contrast Mode – Reduces effort needed to read

Using the Reading Mask

The reading mask is one of our most powerful tools. Here’s how to get the most from it:

1. Activate it: Click the “Reading Mask” button in the accessibility panel
2. Start reading: A semi-transparent overlay will appear, with a clear band where your mouse pointer is
3. Read naturally: As you move your mouse down the page, the clear reading area moves with you
4. On touch devices: The reading area follows your finger
5. Adjust as needed: Move your mouse up or down to position the clear area exactly where you need it
6. Deactivate: Click the “Reading Mask” button again to turn it off

Combining Features

You can use multiple features together! For example:

• Dark Mode + Large Text + Reading Mask = Excellent for late-night reading
• High Contrast + Bold Text + Highlight Links = Great for users with low vision
• Hide Images + Reading Mask = Perfect for distraction-free reading
• Large Cursor + Highlight Links = Helpful for motor difficulties

Experiment to find the combination that works best for you.

All your preferences are automatically saved in your browser. This means:

• Your settings persist when you refresh the page
• Your settings persist when you close and reopen your browser
• Your settings persist when you restart your computer
• You only need to set up once, and it works every time you visit

Note: Settings are saved locally on your device and are not shared across different devices or browsers.

Every feature is fully accessible via keyboard:

Tab – Move between controls
Shift + Tab – Move backwards
Arrow keys – Navigate between options in each group
Enter or Space – Activate a button or select an option
Escape – Close the accessibility panel

These tools work on all modern browsers:

• Chrome (version 76 and newer)
• Firefox (version 67 and newer)
• Safari (version 12.1 and newer)
• Edge (version 79 and newer)
• Opera (version 62 and newer)

Mobile devices:

• iPhone and iPad (iOS 13 and newer)
• Android devices (Android 10 and newer)

This covers over 97% of all internet users.

Your privacy matters to us:

• Settings are stored locally on your device only
• We do not collect or track your accessibility preferences
• No personal data is sent to our servers
• Your settings remain completely private

Settings Not Saving

If your settings aren’t being saved:

• Check browser privacy settings: Some browsers in “Private” or “Incognito” mode don’t save settings
• Check browser storage: Ensure your browser allows websites to store data locally
• Try another browser: This helps identify if it’s a browser-specific issue

Reading Mask Not Following Mouse

If the reading mask isn’t moving with your cursor:

• Refresh the page and try again
• Check if you’re moving the mouse over the page (not outside the browser window)
• Try a different browser to see if it’s a compatibility issue

Feature Not Working

If a specific feature isn’t working:

1. Try the Reset button to clear all settings and start fresh
2. Refresh the page (press F5 or Ctrl+R)
3. Clear your browser cache if the problem persists
4. Contact us if you continue to experience issues

If you need help beyond what these tools provide:

• Screen readers: These tools work alongside screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver
• Browser accessibility features: Your browser has built-in accessibility settings (usually in Settings → Accessibility)
• Operating system features: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android all have extensive accessibility features
• Assistive technology: Consider specialist software or hardware if you have significant access needs

Our accessibility tools are designed to complement, not replace, these more comprehensive solutions.