Service Directory Accessibility Policy

This accessibility statement applies to the Service Directory, a public website listing local community and voluntary services and the services they offer, including service descriptions, eligibility criteria and contact details, which may name individuals at those organisations.

When we refer to 'RIVIAM' we are referring to RIVIAM Digital Care, which provides this service and whose registered office is Cooper House, Lower Charlton Estate, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England, BA4 5QE.

This website is provided by RIVIAM.

Our goal is to ensure you can access and use the Service Directory with ease and independence.

You should be able to:

Access the directory using any device, whether this is a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile phone
Change how this directory looks on your screen using the ‘Display settings’ link available in the footer
Zoom in without the text spilling off the screen
Navigate using only your keyboard when using a desktop or laptop device so you know when you use every button or link
Access the content using a screen reader. Screen readers announce the number of results when a search filter changes.

Compliance with accessibility standards

The Service Directory has been developed using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.2 and we are committed to meeting the AA standard.

Currently the directory is partially compliant to this standard, due to the following:

The map of results may be hard to use with a keyboard or a screen reader
The ‘Accessibility features’ and ‘Opening hours’ in ‘Advanced search options’ are shown but can’t be used yet because no service has provided that information.

Simple navigation

To enable you find the service you are looking for, we have:

Made search simple and intuitive with a large search bar at the top of the landing page. The search bar is split into three different sections, so from left to right users can add what they are looking for, how far away and then click a ‘Find support’ button.
Provided examples in each section of the search bar so a user can understand what to do without instructions. The examples provided such as “e.g. financial help” and “e.g. CV11” are useful because they show the expected input.
Added an advanced options search feature without dominating the page. The “Close advanced search” allows more confident users to refine results while keeping it straightforward for others.
Added useful default options for searching the distance (such as ‘Nationwide’, ‘1 mile’, ‘2 miles’) and the cost (such as ‘Free and cost’ and ‘Free only’).

Making the content clear

Our aim is to make the content clear and accessible.

The landing page title, introductory text, search bar and call to action ('Browse categories to find what you need') are visually clear, making the landing page easy to quickly scan.
There is a prominent primary action in the search bar. The turquoise ‘Find support’ button with contrasting white text is large and easy to identify.

By choosing ‘Display settings’, users can:

Choose and save their preferences for
- Text size
- Colours to match their device, light or dark mode or high contrast
- Update the text font, with two serif fonts available
- Increase spacing between letters, words and lines
- Show more results on screen (a compact list)
- Turn off animations and movement
All buttons are large enough to enable easy interaction and navigation. We have applied colour contrast to buttons and links.

Content out of scope for this accessibility policy

Service information in the Service Directory, such as the description, logo and contact information, is supplied by the organisations that run each service, and may not always be written in plain English.

Contacting us

If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions for how we can improve your experience, please contact us via our Helpdesk by emailing [email protected]

Changes to this policy

We may change this policy, and, if we do, we will add the changes to this page.

Last updated September 2026