Accessibility Statement

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This accessibility statement applies to www.merseyfire.gov.uk 

On this website you can find out about latest incidents, fire safety advice, community safety information, and how to contact us. We want this information to be easy for everyone to access.

 

Compliance status

The website has been tested against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below. This means that most of the site is accessible, but some areas are still being improved.

 

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reason:

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

We know that some parts of this website are not yet fully accessible. We have identified the issues below and are actively working to fix them:

The "Back to Top" links do not have enough colour contrast and are missing a visible label for keyboard users - WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA). Target fix date: October 2026.

Some pages have heading levels that are out of order, which can make it harder to navigate using a screen reader - WCAG 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). Target fix date: October 2026.

Some links say "Read More" without explaining what they link to, which can be confusing - WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A). Target fix date: October 2026.

A small number of images that act as links are missing descriptive text (alt text), so screen readers cannot explain what they do - WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A). Target fix date: October 2026.

Some PDF documents are not fully accessible — they may be missing the structure that screen readers need to navigate them - WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A). Target fix date: April 2027.

The "Contact Us" form is difficult for screen readers to use because some fields are missing labels or are not clearly grouped - WCAG 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA). Target fix date: October 2026.

 

How we support accessibility

We are taking the following steps to make our website as accessible as possible:

  • We will carry out regular manual and automated testing using screen reader software.
  • We will write in plain English throughout the site.
  • We will increase the number of documents available in accessible formats, including HTML and        accessible PDFs.
  • We provide the ReciteMe assistive toolbar - select the accessibility button at the top of the page to use it.

ReciteMe lets you:

  • Change colours, typeface, and font size.
  • Listen to most of the website using a built-in screen reader.
  • Use a screen mask to help with reading.
  • Zoom in using a built-in magnification tool.
  • Translate most of the website into 130+ languages, many of which can also be read aloud.
  • Find out more in the ReciteMe user guide.

 

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 10th August 2026.

This website was assessed by Embed Inclusion Ltd in August 2026. They carried out an independent review of key pages to evaluate how well the site meets accessibility standards.

The statement was last reviewed and updated on 2nd September 2026.

The next review of the website will take place in August 2027.

 

Feedback and contact information

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of this website. Tell us if you have any accessibility needs or require documents in accessible formats such as large print, audio, or plain text. 

 

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).