4.2 Screen reader users not informed of completed or current steps in the submission tracker (Medium)

4.2.1 WCAG 1.1.1 (A), 1.3.1 (A) - Desktop, Mobile, iPad

The submission tracker component on the final Review Report page visually indicates progress using ticks and a highlighted current step. However, these states are not communicated programmatically. There are no accessible names or status labels included in the markup, so screen reader users are not informed which steps are completed or where they currently are in the process.

This creates a significant barrier for blind users, who may not be able to orient themselves within the sequence or understand how far they have progressed through the submission.

FIGURE 4.2: NVDA announcement of status tracker

4.2.2 Code Snippet

<ol class="opg-progress-bar">
            <li class="opg-progress-bar__item--previous ">
            Check your report
        </li>
            <li class="opg-progress-bar__item--active ">
            Confirm contact details
        </li>
            <li class="opg-progress-bar__item ">
            Deputy's declaration
        </li>
    </ol>

4.2.3 Recommendation

Ensure that each step in the tracker is programmatically labelled to indicate its status. This can be done by including hidden descriptive text using a visually hidden span so that assistive technologies can announce whether a step is completed, current, or not started. For example, the current step can be identified using aria-current="step", and additional hidden text can be added to each item to clarify its state.

<ol class="opg-progress-bar">
    <li>
        Check your report
        <span class="govuk-visually-hidden"> - completed</span>
    </li>
    <li aria-current="step">
        Confirm contact details
        <span class="govuk-visually-hidden"> - current step</span>
    </li>
    <li>
        Deputy's declaration
        <span class="govuk-visually-hidden"> - not started</span>
    </li>
</ol>

Alternatively, consider implementing the Ministry of Justice Progress Tracker component, which includes built‑in accessibility support and aligns with GOV.UK Design System patterns.

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