Examples
Three council PDFs, before and after
Each one started with over a thousand failed checks in PAC. Each one now passes PDF/UA and WCAG 2.2. The councils are made up, but the documents are based on real ones: the content has been renamed and rewritten, and the problems are the ones real council PDFs have.
Download both versions of any of them and open them in PAC, a screen reader or any checker you use. The layout is the same; the difference is in the tags, the descriptions and a few shades of colour.
Fernbrook household waste and recycling guide
A 7-page residents’ guide to bins and collections, exported from Word.
| PAC check | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| PDF/UA | Fail: 1,159 failed checks | Pass |
| WCAG 2.2 | Fail: 1,722 failed checks | Pass |
| Tags | None | 80 |
| Images | No descriptions | 2 charts described, 2 photos marked decorative |
| Language | None | en-GB |
What I fixed
- Built the tags from the layout: 10 headings, the bin list and the collection-days table with proper headers.
- Set the title and the language (en-GB).
- Darkened 564 pieces of pale grey and green text to the nearest shade that passes, so it still looks like the original.
- Described the recycling bar chart and the waste pie chart; marked the two photos as decorative.
- Fernbrook household waste and recycling guide, original
- Fernbrook household waste and recycling guide, accessible version
Brackenford cycling and walking plan
A 10-page summary of a ten-year Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, made in InDesign.
| PAC check | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| PDF/UA | Fail: 1,510 failed checks | Pass |
| WCAG 2.2 | Fail: 2,247 failed checks | Pass |
| Tags | None | 105 |
| Images | No descriptions | The route map described, the cover photo marked decorative |
| Language | None | en-GB |
What I fixed
- Replaced the file-name title ‘LCWIP_summary_final_v7’ with the plan’s real title and set the language.
- Tagged the two-column pages, the key-facts box and the priority schemes table in the right reading order.
- Described the route map in words, because its key used colour alone.
- Darkened pale text, and darkened the cover photo behind the white title so the title passes contrast.
- Brackenford cycling and walking plan, original
- Brackenford cycling and walking plan, accessible version
Eastholme Council annual report
A 10-page annual report, exported from PowerPoint, with charts, infographic figures and a budget table.
| PAC check | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| PDF/UA | Fail: 1,168 failed checks | Pass |
| WCAG 2.2 | Fail: 1,734 failed checks | Pass |
| Tags | None | 86 |
| Images | No descriptions | Spending and satisfaction charts described, photos marked decorative |
| Language | None | en-GB |
What I fixed
- Replaced the generic title ‘Annual report’ with the full title and set the language.
- Tagged the headings, the infographic figures and the budget table with row and column headers.
- Described the spending bar chart and the resident satisfaction line chart, including the figures.
- Darkened faint text and the cover photo behind the white title.