3.2 Curfew updates not announced to screen reader users (Medium)

3.2.1 WCAG 4.1.3 (AA) - Desktop

On the Curfew Timetable page, actions such as clicking the “Remove” button to delete an extra time entry or using the “Auto populate the other days with the same curfew hours” option dynamically update the form fields. However, these updates are not announced to screen reader users, who receive no feedback indicating that the interface has changed.

This can cause confusion and disorientation, as users relying on assistive technologies may not realise that their actions were successful or that changes have taken place.

FIGURE 3.2: Remove button and NVDA announcement on Curfew Timetable page

3.2.2 Recommendation

Add a text element that updates with appropriate feedback messages, such as “Time removed” or “Curfew hours applied to all days”, and place it inside an ARIA live region with aria-live="polite". This ensures screen reader users are informed of dynamic changes without interrupting their current task.

Example implementation:

<div id="status-message" class="govuk-visually-hidden" aria-live="polite">
Curfew hours applied to all days
</div>

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