Accessibility statement

Supporting everyone whatever their accessibility needs

At NS&I, our aim is to ensure accessibility of our digital services whatever our customer’s needs.

We promise to always design for the diverse needs of our customers by working closely with them in the design, development and testing process.

We are committed to achieving our aim and ensuring our customers have digital confidence, choice and control.

Accessibility for our websites and mobile applications

This accessibility statement applies to all NS&I owned websites and mobile applications (apps).

These websites and apps are run by NS&I. They are designed to be used by as many people as possible. The text should be clear and simple to understand. You should be able to:

• zoom in up to 300% without problems
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• use most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

How our websites and apps are accessible

Parts of our websites and apps are not fully accessible. For example:

• some pages and document attachments are not written in plain English
• some content has poor colour contrast
• heading structure in some areas needs to be improved for VoiceOver users
• some buttons don’t have clear labels
• many documents are in PDF format and are not accessible

For step by step instructions on how to make your devices easier to use, visit AbilityNet’s My Computer My Way resource page.

My Computer My Way

Feedback and contact information

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of our websites and apps. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact us:

Call us free on 08085 007 007.

Email us at customerenquiries@nsandi.com

Or write to us at NS&I, Sunderland SR43 2SB

If you need information on this website in a different format like large print, audio recording or braille, please call or write to us.

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).

Technical information about this website's accessibility

We're committed to making this website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

These websites and mobile applications are partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

NS&I websites

We know some parts of our websites are not fully accessible:

• Part of the process to reset a password online may cause difficulties for visually impaired customers, particularly where a code appears in the web browser which customers then need to enter into their phone. To resolve this, we are planning to introduce the option to receive the code by SMS (text message), which customers will then need to enter into their browser. If you do have difficulties with resetting your password in the meantime, please call us on 08085 007 007 and we'll try to find another arrangement that works for you. This fails WCAG 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (AA).
• Throughout the site we use buttons as links. We will ensure that buttons are built to appear and operate in the usual way i.e. using enter or space on a screen reader. This fails WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard (A).
• Throughout the site when a user tabs through links, not all of these are displayed with an outline. We will look to ensure all links have a consistent format to show the link you have tabbed to. This fails WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible (AA).
• Some areas of some of our websites can be difficult to read due to the colour contrast. We will look to change this. This fails 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum (AA).
• Some of our field outlines, icons and buttons are difficult to distinguish when in focus. We will look to change this. This fails 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast (AA).
• With some of our online forms and a portal that enables customers to change the way they receive prizes, the mouse pointer can’t be moved over additional content without the additional content disappearing and there isn’t the ability to press escape as a means of dismissing the content. We will make sure the tooltips are made dismissible, hoverable and persistent. This fails 1.4.13 Content on Hover Focus (AA).
• There are instances where there is a lack of appropriate labelling or duplicate labelling. We will change this to ensure that all labels that have a different meaning or function have a unique and descriptive label. This fails 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA).
• We’re aware that when customers log in to our secure site, there are some pages which don’t have the correct language. We will be ensuring this is changed so that all pages have the correct language set. This fails 3.1.1 Language of a Page (A).
• We’re aware there are several instances where labelling is required. We will be looking to ensure these are labelled appropriately. This fails 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A).
• We know that when customers log in to the secure site, the page titles aren’t clear. We will be reviewing and changing this. This fails 2.4.2 Page Titled (A).

Premium Bonds prize checker app

We know some parts of this app are not fully accessible:

• Some buttons found throughout the app don’t have clear labels; this makes them difficult to understand when using VoiceOver and when read out of context. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) and 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A).
• On the home page, the order in which content is read by VoiceOver needs some work. The result is the initial introduction text is not read when the user lands on this page. This fails WCAG 3.1 Readable.
• We are aware that the heading structure needs some work to provide a better hierarchy for VoiceOver users.
• The prize checker app currently can’t be viewed in landscape, however we are developing a new version of the app that will be available to use in landscape mode. We expect to release this version in October 2025. This fails WCAG 1.3.4 Orientation (Level AA).

Users can use our website prize checker in landscape:

Prize Checker

In addition to the website channel listed above, customers can check their Premium Bonds prizes via:

• The Alexa voice skill prize checker
• The Telephone Interactive Voice Response (IVR) prize checker

NS&I mobile app

We know some parts of this app are not fully accessible:

• We are aware that the heading structure needs some work to provide a better hierarchy for VoiceOver users. We aim to fix this in future app releases. This fails WCAG 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA).
• There is an issue with the labels on the toggle switches found on the “login” screen and the “manage your data” screen. We aim to fix this in future app releases. This fails 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A)
• The NS&I mobile app currently can’t be viewed in landscape, however we are developing a new version of the app that will be available to use in landscape mode. We expect to release this version in October 2025. This fails WCAG 1.3.4 Orientation (Level AA).

PDFs

Some of our PDFs are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as PDFs. Many of these PDFs are already accessible, including our summary boxes and Key Features.

We know some of our PDFs are not fully accessible:

• We’re aware some of our PDFs don’t have descriptive titles and that this can make it difficult for users to find content and orient themselves. We will make sure that these PDFs have descriptive titles. This fails WCAG 2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A).
• Some of our PDFs are missing labels that identify the controls in a PDF so that a user knows when content requires their input. We will add correct labelling to our PDFs to ensure users have enough information to complete their task. This fails WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instruction (Level A).
• We know that the formatting and presentation of some PDFs can’t always be programmatically determined. For example, the presentation format changes when content is read by a screen reader. We will ensure our PDFs can be read by a screen reader in the same way information is presented visually. This fails WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A).

We are currently working to address these issues, fixing any essential documents and/or replacing them with accessible html web pages. This work will be completed soon.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services.

Any new PDFs we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Video content

We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations. We also have some existing pre-recorded video content that was published before the 23rd September 2020. This content is also exempt from the regulations. All new video content we produce will have appropriate captions, audio descriptions and transcripts as necessary.

How we tested our websites and mobile applications

We use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines V2.1 level A and level AA to test how accessible NS&I websites and mobile applications are.

We used the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) approach to decide on a sample of web pages to test.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We’re working hard to fix content that fails to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. We will update this page when issues are fixed.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 13 January 2022. It was last reviewed on 24 October 2024.

This website (nsandi.com) was last tested in December 2022. The test was carried out by Atos. The testing included manual testing, using semi-automated tools, and testing with assistive technologies.

Testing was completed against WCAG 2.1AA. This website will next be tested against the WCAG 2.2 standards.

Our corporate website (nsandi-corporate.com) was last tested in October 2024. The test was carried out by Pixeled Eggs. The testing included manual testing, used semi-automated tools and testing with assistive technologies.

Testing was completed against WCAG 2.1 AA. Our corporate website will next be tested against the WCAG 2.2 standards.