2.14 Error summary links do not move focus to the relevant field (Positive)

2.14.1 WCAG 2.4.3 (A), 4.1.2 (A) - Desktop

On the Add User to Organisation page, when a user clicks a link within the error summary, the focus moves to the surrounding <div> rather than the input field that contains the error.

As a result, users expecting to land directly in the problematic field instead arrive on a non-interactive container. Pressing Tab from there skips the actual field entirely, moving focus to the next form control on the page. This makes it more difficult to correct the error and can lead to incomplete submissions.

This behaviour occurs because the link in the error summary targets the id of the container <div> rather than the id of the input field itself.

FIGURE 2.20: Focus order highlighted on the Add user to Organisation page

2.14.2 Code Snippet

<ul> <li>
<a href="#form-group-organisation_member_firstname">
  Enter the first name
</a>
</li> </ul>
...
<div id="form-group-organisation_member_firstname">
  <input type="text" id="organisation_member_firstname" aria-invalid="true">
</div>

2.14.3 Recommendation

Update the href in the error summary link to point to the id of the actual input field rather than the surrounding container.

Ensure that the inline error message has a unique id and reference it from the input with aria-describedby as is implemented in other parts of the service (in keeping with GDS recommendations).

For example:

<ul><li>
<a href="#organisation_member_firstname">Enter the first name</a>
</li></ul>
...
  <p id="firstname-error">
    <span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Error:</span> Enter the first name
  </p>
<a href="#organisation_member_firstname" aria-invalid="true  
               aria-describedby="firstname-error">
  Enter the first name
</a>

2.14.4 Spot Check: February 2026

This issue has been resolved. Error summary links now move focus to the actual input field with the error.

This has been updated from a ‘Medium’ severity issue to a ‘Positive’ finding.

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