User Vision logo
  • Accessibility Audit
    • Executive Summary
    • Summary of Findings
    • WCAG 2.2 Overview
      • WCAG 2.2 Compliance
  • Project Background
    • Approach
    • How to use this report
    • Understanding our findings
  • I Findings
  • 1 Sitewide Findings
    • 1.1 Positive: Browser Zoom (Positive)
      • 1.1.1 WCAG 1.4.10 (AA), 1.4.4 (AA) - Desktop
    • 1.2 Positive: Additional information presented in collapsible sections (Positive)
      • 1.2.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 4.1.2 (A) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
      • 1.2.2 Code Snippet
    • 1.3 Positive: Error messages announced effectively (Positive)
      • 1.3.1 WCAG 3.3.1 (A), 4.1.3 (AA), 3.3.3 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
    • 1.4 Positive: Status messages announced as page updates (Positive)
      • 1.4.1 WCAG 4.1.3 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
    • 1.5 Skip link does not work on iOS (Positive)
      • 1.5.1 WCAG 2.4.1 (A) - iPad, iPhone
      • 1.5.2 Recommendation
      • 1.5.3 Resources
      • 1.5.4 Update
    • 1.6 Users not informed that link triggers a PDF download (Medium)
      • 1.6.1 WCAG 3.2.2 (A), 3.3.2 (A) - Mobile, iPad
      • 1.6.2 Recommendation
    • 1.7 No notification that feedback has been sent (Medium)
      • 1.7.1 WCAG 4.1.3 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
      • 1.7.2 Recommendation
    • 1.8 Hint text not completely announced on iOS (Medium)
      • 1.8.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 4.1.2 (A) - iPad, iPhone
      • 1.8.2 Code Snippet
      • 1.8.3 Recommendation
    • 1.9 Change links not programmatically associated with context (Low)
      • 1.9.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 2.4.4 (A) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
      • 1.9.2 Recommendation
    • 1.10 Expanded elements not announced as such on iOS (Low)
      • 1.10.1 WCAG 4.1.3 (AA), 4.1.2 (A) - iPad, iPhone
      • 1.10.2 Code Snippet
      • 1.10.3 Recommendation
      • 1.10.4 Resources
    • 1.11 Some links open in a new tab without informing users in advance (Observation)
      • 1.11.1 Some links open in a new tab without informing users in advance
      • 1.11.2 Recommendation
      • 1.11.3 Resources
    • 1.12 Site doesn’t allow for custom text spacing (Observation)
      • 1.12.1 Site doesn’t allow for custom text spacing
      • 1.12.2 Recommendation
    • 1.13 Purpose of the Back link could be more informative (Observation)
      • 1.13.1 Purpose of the Back link could be more informative
      • 1.13.2 Code Snippet
      • 1.13.3 Recommendation
    • 1.14 Acronyms could be expanded initially (Observation)
      • 1.14.1 Acronyms could be expanded initially
      • 1.14.2 Recommendation
  • 2 Client Details pages
    • 2.1 Dropdown menu not accessible with swipe gestures on mobile (Positive)
      • 2.1.1 WCAG 1.3.2 (A), 2.1.1 (A), 2.4.3 (A), 4.1.2 (A) - Mobile, iPad
      • 2.1.2 Code Snippet
      • 2.1.3 Recommendation
      • 2.1.4 Update
    • 2.2 Dropdown items announced as not selected on receiving focus (Medium)
      • 2.2.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 4.1.2 (A) - Windows
      • 2.2.2 Code Snippet
      • 2.2.3 Recommendation
      • 2.2.4 Post-discussion Update
    • 2.3 Content within collapsed field announced by screen readers (Medium)
      • 2.3.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 4.1.2 (A) - Android, Windows
      • 2.3.2 Code Snippet
      • 2.3.3 Recommendation
    • 2.4 Fieldset not associated with a legend (Low)
      • 2.4.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 3.3.2 (A) - Desktop, Automated Finding
      • 2.4.2 Code Snippet
      • 2.4.3 Recommendation
    • 2.5 Conditionally revealed fields not effectively announced by screen readers (Low)
      • 2.5.1 WCAG 4.1.2 (A) - Android, Windows
      • 2.5.2 Recommendation
    • 2.6 Radio hint announcements are quite verbose (Observation)
      • 2.6.1 Radio hint announcements are quite verbose
      • 2.6.2 Recommendation
      • 2.6.3 Resources
    • 2.7 Alternative options could be announced more clearly (Observation)
      • 2.7.1 Alternative options could be announced more clearly
      • 2.7.2 Code Snippet
      • 2.7.3 Recommendation
  • 3 Check Your Answers page
    • 3.1 Confusing heading structure and hierarchy (Medium)
      • 3.1.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 2.4.6 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
      • 3.1.2 Recommendation
  • 4 Results Page
    • 4.1 ARIA labels used on invalid div elements (Low)
      • 4.1.1 WCAG 4.1.2 (A) - Desktop, Automated Finding
      • 4.1.2 Code Snippet:
  • 5 End of Service page
    • 5.1 Screen reader users not informed of feedback update (Low)
      • 5.1.1 WCAG 4.1.3 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad
      • 5.1.2 Recommendation
    • 5.2 Feedback buttons are not linked to the question prompt (Observation)
      • 5.2.1 Feedback buttons are not linked to the question prompt
      • 5.2.2 Code Snippet
      • 5.2.3 Recommendation
  • II Recommendations
  • 6 Suggested Next Steps
  • III Appendix
  • Contact Details
  • Prepared by User Vision for the Ministry of Justice

UV3015 Check If Your Client Qualifies for Legal Aid

1.11 Some links open in a new tab without informing users in advance (Observation)

1.11.1 Some links open in a new tab without informing users in advance

Throughout the site, there are some links (such as the feedback link in the header and the Legal Aid Checker on the Start page), that open in a new tab without warning users visually or programmatically.

This could be problematic for screen reader users who might not realise that a new tab has been opened. They would expect to navigate to the previous page using the back button in the browser or shortcut commands; this is not possible when the page opens in a new tab. This could confuse users and may lead them to get frustrated and abandon the process.

It can also be disorienting for some users with cognitive disabilities, who would expect the page to behave in a certain way. When pages behave unpredictably, it poses problems for these users.

Links that open in a new tab on the Start page

FIGURE 1.16: Links that open in a new tab on the Start page

1.11.2 Recommendation

If opening a page in a new tab/window is required, all users should be informed in advance. This could be achieved by including the warning as part of the link text:

<a>feedback (Opens in a new tab) </a>

Note that this is how other links are presented on the site, such as the links within the Related Content section.

1.11.3 Resources

W3C’s guide to giving users advanced warning when opening a new tab