Website Accessibility For People With Disabilities

We have tried to make our website as user-friendly as possible for everybody. However, we are always looking to improve and would like to know if there’s anything else we can do to make the site better for people with disabilities.

If you find it difficult to use any of our pages, please contact us through your Local Authority or directly by email to homeandloans@sheffield.gov.uk. We will make every reasonable effort to either remove the barrier or provide the information in a more suitable format.

Resizing Text

If the text is too small for you to comfortably read, you can resize it following the instructions below for the two major browsers:

Internet Explorer 4

Choose View at the top of your web page and select Internet Options

Choose Accessibility in the bottom right hand corner
Tick the two boxes that say Ignore font sizes specified on web pages
Click OK, then OK again
You can then alter the text size using View at the top of the website page and selecting Text Size

Internet Explorer Version 5 and later

Choose Tools at the top of your web page and select Internet Options
Choose Accessibility in the bottom right hand corner
Tick the two boxes that say Ignore font sizes specified on web pages
Click OK, then OK again
You can then alter the text size using View at the top of the website page and selecting Text Size

All other browsers should be able to resize the text directly from the menu bar. Please see your browser help pages if you are having problems.

Opening in a New Browser Window

Links to external websites and some downloadable documents, including PDFs, will open in a new browser window. We inform you of this within relevant parts of our website.

Low Graphics Pages

Although not strictly text-only, these pages are quicker loading and useful if you do not need images or have a slow connection.

Keyboard Shortcuts

If you have difficulty in using a mouse or similar devices, you can use keyboard shortcuts.

The keyboard shortcuts are:

0 - Accessibility
1 - Home page (logo)
4 - Search field
6 - Help (banner link)
7 - Print Friendly (footer link)
8 - Disclaimer (footer link)
W - Widescreen (banner link)
B - Bigger
N - Normal
M - Smaller
S - Skip navigation (banner link)
T - Text only

How do I use the access keys for my browser?

Internet Explorer 5+: Hold down the ALT key and select the number/letter of the access key, then press ENTER.
Internet Explorer 4: Hold down the ALT key and select the number/letter of the access key.
Internet Explorer 5+ for Mac: Hold down the CTRL key and select the number/letter of the access key
Internet Explorer 4.5 for Mac: Access keys are not supported.
Netscape 6+: Hold down the ALT key and select the number/letter of the access key.
Netscape earlier versions: Access keys are not supported.
Mozilla: Hold down the ALT key and select the number/letter of the access key.

Downloadable Documents

Where possible we try to provide structured downloadable documents in multiple formats that many people can use, including pdf and rich text format. If a downloadable document prevents you from accessing information due to a disability, please contact your local authority with a description of the document, what the problem is, and what we could do to help.

Some documents in PDF format require Adobe reader. Download Adobe (new window) Reader for free.

How to Print PDF Documents in Large Print

If you wish to print a PDF document in large print, please follow the simple print instructions below:

Firstly select the PDF file you wish to open

Select File
Select Print
Under the ‘Copies & Adjustments’ section (on the right) – select the box titled ‘Expand small pages to paper size’
Select the number of copies required
Select OK

Adobe Acrobat

'Adobe helps make electronic information (such as PDF's) more accessible to people with disabilities including but not limited to: blindness, low vision, hearing, or motor impairments.'

The latest version of Acrobat Reader includes accessibility support for people with visual impairment or motor disabilities. You can download this version for free from the Adobe (new window) website.

If you are interested in the accessibility features supported in Acrobat Reader, visit Adobe's Accessibility site at access.adobe.com (new window)