MorningTimes.uk is committed to ensuring that our digital publication is accessible to the widest possible audience, including readers who use assistive technologies such as screen readers, speech recognition software, and keyboard-only navigation. The publication is operated by Windmill Hill Media Ltd., a private company limited by shares registered in Gibraltar (company number 130642), with its registered office at Suite 12, Neptune House, Marina Bay, Gibraltar GX11 1AA. We aim to conform with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA, as adopted in the European standard EN 301 549, and we treat accessibility as an ongoing responsibility.
Who is responsible for accessibility at MorningTimes.uk?
Overall responsibility for accessibility rests with Windmill Hill Media Ltd., the company that owns and operates MorningTimes.uk. The Editor-in-Chief, Edward Sterling, oversees editorial policy and standards, and the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Helen Carver, coordinates accessibility improvements alongside her fact-checking and corrections work. Day-to-day management of accessibility testing and user feedback is handled by the editorial team, who can be reached via the dedicated accessibility email address. Any reader may contact us directly at accessibility@morningtimes.uk with concerns or suggestions.
What accessibility standards do we aim to meet?
We target conformance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA, which is the benchmark recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and harmonised in the European standard EN 301 549. This standard covers a wide range of recommendations for making web content more perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. We regularly review our site against these criteria and carry out internal audits to identify and fix compliance gaps. Our goal is to provide an equitable experience for all users, regardless of disability or assistive technology.
What are we doing to improve accessibility?
We have implemented a set of technical and editorial measures to make MorningTimes.uk more usable for everyone. These measures are reviewed and updated as part of our normal publishing workflow.
- Semantic structure: We use proper heading hierarchies (h1, h2, h3), landmark regions, and descriptive page titles to help screen readers navigate content logically.
- Keyboard navigation: All interactive elements – links, buttons, form fields – are operable by keyboard alone. Focus indicators are visible by default and styled for high contrast.
- Visible focus: A clear focus ring is applied to all focusable elements so that keyboard users can track their position on the page.
- Text alternatives: Images, infographics, and non-text content carry descriptive alt text. Complex data visualisations include equivalent text summaries.
- Sufficient colour contrast: Text and background colours meet or exceed the WCAG 2.2 AA contrast ratio thresholds (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text). We avoid relying solely on colour to convey meaning.
- Responsive text: Font size can be increased up to 200% without loss of content or functionality. The site layout adjusts to different screen sizes and zoom levels.
- Reduced-motion preferences: We respect the user’s operating system setting for reduced motion, disabling animations and autoplaying media where appropriate.
What known limitations exist?
Despite our best efforts, some third-party elements may not be fully accessible. For example, embedded social media feeds, videos hosted on external platforms, and certain advertising units are provided by services outside our direct control. We work with vendors to encourage better accessibility, but we cannot guarantee full conformance for these components. Advertising and sponsored content on MorningTimes.uk are clearly labelled, and we avoid intrusive formats such as auto-playing video or flashing animations that could trigger seizures. If you encounter a specific third-party component that is difficult to use, please let us know.
How to report an accessibility problem?
If you experience any difficulty accessing content on MorningTimes.uk, or if you have a suggestion for improvement, please email our dedicated team at accessibility@morningtimes.uk. We aim to acknowledge all reports within five working days and will provide an initial assessment of the issue. Where possible, we will offer a reasonable accommodation while a permanent fix is developed. You may also contact us by phone on the main line +350 200 66010 or via the general contact form on our Contact page. For matters relating to editorial standards or complaints, please refer to our Complaints Procedure.
What enforcement route is available?
If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility report, you may escalate the matter to the Editor-in-Chief, Edward Sterling, at edward.sterling@morningtimes.uk. Should the issue remain unresolved, you may seek further advice from the UK’s Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) or, where applicable, the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. We take all accessibility concerns seriously and will work in good faith to resolve them. Our Editorial Policy and Ownership & Funding pages provide additional context about our operating standards and governance.
Our commitments
- We will continue to work towards full conformance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA and EN 301 549, and we will review our compliance at least annually.
- We will respond to all accessibility reports within five working days and provide a timely resolution or a clear plan for improvement.
- We will train editorial and technical staff on accessibility best practices and integrate accessibility checks into our content management workflow.
- We will ensure that all new content formats, features, and third-party integrations are evaluated for accessibility before launch.
- We will publish a progress update on this statement every year, or sooner if significant changes are made, to remain transparent with our readers.