Accessibility
Here are some tips on how you can use this site more easily if you’re struggling to use a mouse or read the text.
Make text larger
There are two ways to change the size of the text on this site.
- Click on the ‘T’ icons at the top of each page, just above the menu bar, or press Alt+T on your keyboard.
- Use your browser to set the text size. This is generally done via the browser’s View menu.
Use keyboard shortcuts to get to specific pages
The following keyboard shortcuts will help you browse around the site:
- Alt + S: Skip navigation (jump direct to the main page content)
- Alt + 0: Accessibility details (this page)
- Alt + 1: Home
- Alt + 3: Sitemap
- Alt + 4: Search (puts cursor in the search box)
- Alt + 8: Privacy policy
- Alt + P: Print page
Navigate using your keyboard
You can use your keyboard to help you move around the page.
- Tab: Move forwards through links.
- Shift + Tab: Move backwards through links.
- Page Up / Page Down: Move up and down the page.
- Home: Jump to the top of the page.
- Alt + left arrow: Back a page.
- Alt + right arrow: Forwards a page.
Use an alternative to a mouse
If you have difficulties using a mouse, you might prefer to use tools such as ‘MouseKeys’. This is built into Windows and allows you to use the number pad on your keyboard to move the pointer.
MouseKeys can be turned on with the shortcut key combination Left Shift + Left Alt + Num Lock. If this doesn’t work, you can do it via Accessibility options within Control Panel:
Start -> Settings -> Control Panel (or Start -> Control Panel in Windows XP).
Click the Mouse tab (or press Ctrl + Tab until it is at the front), and turn on MouseKeys.
Alternative input devices are also available.
Bookmark your favourite pages
Press Ctrl + D (in most browsers) to add the page which you are viewing to your Bookmarks. This will allow you to find your favourite pages again quickly.
Search for a page
If you’re looking for some specific information, you can use the search facility to find the page you want. Use the Access Key combination Alt + 4 to put the cursor into the search box.
