Accessibility Statement

Effective Date: 6 January 2026
Last Updated: 6 January 2026

Our Commitment to Accessibility

Hire a Tree Surgeon is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards.

Conformance Status

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA.

Our Goal: Hire a Tree Surgeon aims to be fully conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Current Status: Partially conformant – This means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard. We are actively working to achieve full conformance.

Accessibility Features

We have implemented the following features to improve accessibility:

Navigation and Structure

  • ✅ Clear and consistent navigation throughout the site
  • ✅ Descriptive page titles
  • ✅ Logical heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.)
  • ✅ Skip-to-content links for keyboard users
  • ✅ Breadcrumb navigation where appropriate

Visual Design

  • ✅ Sufficient colour contrast between text and background (WCAG AA compliant)
  • ✅ Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of functionality
  • ✅ Content is responsive and works on different screen sizes
  • ✅ Focus indicators visible for keyboard navigation
  • ✅ Accessible font (Inter typeface) selected for excellent readability

Content

  • ✅ Alternative text (alt text) for images
  • ✅ Descriptive link text (avoiding “click here”)
  • ✅ Readable fonts designed for accessibility
  • ✅ Content written in clear, simple language

Forms and Interaction

  • ✅ Form fields have clear labels
  • ✅ Error messages are descriptive and helpful
  • ✅ Forms can be navigated and submitted using keyboard only

Technical Standards

  • ✅ Valid HTML5 markup
  • ✅ ARIA landmarks and labels where appropriate
  • ✅ Semantic HTML elements

Known Limitations

We are aware of the following accessibility issues and are working to resolve them:

Third-Party Content

  • Some embedded maps or external content may not meet WCAG AA standards
  • We are working with third-party providers to improve accessibility

User-Generated Content

  • Reviews and listings created by service providers may not always meet accessibility standards
  • We provide guidance to service providers on creating accessible content

Legacy Content

  • Some older pages or images may lack proper alt text
  • We are auditing and updating content on an ongoing basis

Assistive Technologies

Our website has been tested with the following assistive technologies:

Screen Readers

  • NVDA (Windows)
  • JAWS (Windows)
  • VoiceOver (macOS and iOS)
  • TalkBack (Android)

Browsers

  • Google Chrome (latest version)
  • Mozilla Firefox (latest version)
  • Safari (latest version)
  • Microsoft Edge (latest version)

Keyboard Navigation

  • Full keyboard navigation is supported throughout the site
  • Tab key to move between interactive elements
  • Enter key to activate buttons and links
  • Arrow keys for dropdown menus

Browser Zoom

  • Content remains functional when zoomed to 200%
  • Layout remains readable at different zoom levels

Standards and Guidelines

We aim to conform to the following standards:

  • WCAG 2.1 Level AA – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
  • Section 508 – U.S. Rehabilitation Act (where applicable)
  • EN 301 549 – European accessibility standard

Testing and Evaluation

We conduct regular accessibility testing including:

Automated Testing

  • Regular automated scans using accessibility testing tools
  • Continuous monitoring of accessibility issues

Manual Testing

  • Manual testing by our development team
  • Keyboard-only navigation testing
  • Screen reader testing

User Testing

  • Feedback from users with disabilities
  • User testing sessions when implementing new features

Feedback and Contact

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of Hire a Tree Surgeon. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers.

Contact us via our contact form:
https://hireatreesurgeon.com/contact-us/

Please provide:

  • The page or feature you had difficulty with
  • What assistive technology you were using (if any)
  • A description of the problem
  • Your suggestions for improvement

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days.

Technical Specifications

Our website relies on the following technologies to work:

  • HTML5 – Semantic markup
  • CSS3 – Presentation and layout
  • JavaScript – Enhanced functionality (site remains functional without JavaScript for core features)
  • SVG – Scalable graphics (with text alternatives)

Browsers: Our site works best with modern browsers that support current web standards.

Screen Resolution: Optimised for resolutions from 320px (mobile) to 1920px and above (desktop).

Ongoing Improvements

We are committed to continuously improving accessibility. Our priorities include:

Current Focus Areas

  • Completing comprehensive alt text audit for all images
  • Improving form validation and error messaging
  • Enhancing keyboard navigation throughout the site
  • Conducting professional accessibility audits
  • Implementing user testing with people with disabilities
  • Providing accessibility training for content creators
  • Achieving full WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance
  • Implementing advanced accessibility features
  • Establishing accessibility testing as part of our development workflow

We review and update our accessibility roadmap regularly based on user feedback and emerging best practices.

Third-Party Content and Services

Some content on our website is provided by third parties:

Maps and Location Services

  • Used for displaying service provider locations
  • May have its own accessibility considerations
  • Alternative text-based location information is provided

Payment Processing

  • Used for processing service provider subscriptions
  • Payment providers maintain their own accessibility standards
  • Contact us if you experience accessibility issues with payment

Social Media Embeds

  • If present, social media content may have separate accessibility considerations

We encourage third-party providers to maintain accessible services and will work with them to address any issues.

Complaints and Enforcement

UK Law

Under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018, if you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility complaint, you may contact:

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
Website: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com
Telephone: 0808 800 0082
Textphone: 0808 800 0084

Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)

Website: https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com
Telephone: 0808 800 0082

Updates to This Statement

We review and update this Accessibility Statement regularly to reflect:

  • Improvements made to the website
  • New features or functionality
  • Changes in accessibility standards
  • Feedback from users

Last review date: 6 January 2026
Review frequency: We review this statement regularly to ensure it remains current.

Additional Resources

For more information about web accessibility:

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Website: https://www.w3.org/WAI/

WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind)
Website: https://webaim.org/

AbilityNet
Website: https://www.abilitynet.org.uk/
Free helpline: 0800 048 7642

RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)
Website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/

Contact Us

For any questions about this Accessibility Statement or to report accessibility issues, please contact us.

We are committed to making our website accessible to everyone and appreciate your patience as we work toward full compliance.