Making PDFs Usable: A Smarter Approach for Public Sector Websites

What we’re doing differently

Using our software, accessapdf, PDFs stop behaving like fixed files. They become accessible, adaptable, and usable in real time.

Content is delivered as structured HTML, adjusting to the needs of each user instantly, without manual remediation. This is where AI and user choice shape the experience.

When a visitor first accesses a page, they can select the type of support they need through the Visitor Experience Panel. That choice directly shapes how the PDF content is presented.

Different users experience the same document in different ways. A dyslexic user may see clearer fonts and spacing, while someone with ADHD sees a more focused, simplified layout. Reading level can be adjusted, and content can be translated instantly into another language. The document itself doesn’t change. The experience of it does.

See it in action

You can test this here: https://democompanywebsite.com/ (opens in a new window)

The PDFs on this site are intentionally not accessible. They’re there to show the problem clearly.

Access the site, choose an assistance option, and open a document. Then repeat the process with a different setting. Change the reading level. Switch language. Select a different need.

You will see the output change each time. That’s the shift. Accessibility isn’t added to the document. It’s delivered dynamically, based on the user.

If you run a government website

You aren’t starting from zero. You already have a large PDF estate, clear accessibility obligations, and limited resource to deal with both.

You need something that works in practice, not just in policy.

This is how the approach supports you across the three areas that matter.

01 — The UK Government position

Government guidance is clear. HTML is the most accessible format and should be used wherever possible.

But your estate already contains PDFs, and replacing them all is not realistic.

With accessapdf, you don’t need to wait for that transition. Content from your PDFs is delivered as accessible HTML immediately, and users can adjust how they consume it.

You’re aligning with the intent of GOV.UK guidance by improving usability now, not later.

02 — Disproportionate burden

The regulations allow for a disproportionate burden position, but it must be based on evidence.

Across the public sector, that evidence tells a consistent story. Public sector websites can contain around 1,000 PDFs or more, and in many cases the majority are rarely accessed, with some studies showing nearly 80% of documents go unused over a typical period. Manual remediation averages around £150 per document, quickly pushing costs into six figures.

Even then, full coverage is not achievable. Some documents cannot be remediated at all. Scanned files, third-party content, and legally fixed records all sit outside what can realistically be fixed. Automation changes the model completely.

Instead of paying to fix everything, you focus on what’s actually used. Documents are converted when they’re accessed. New content is covered automatically. Accessibility improves across the estate without creating an unmanageable workload.

This gives you a clear, defensible way forward. You aren’t avoiding the issue. You’re addressing it proportionately.

03 — Accessibility statement

Your accessibility statement needs to explain what you are doing, not just what you cannot do.

You can show that full manual remediation is a disproportionate burden, based on cost and scale. You can explain that you’re using automation to deliver accessible HTML versions of documents. You can demonstrate that users are able to personalise how they experience content, including reading level and language. And you can maintain a clear route for requesting alternative formats where needed.

This isn’t a limitation. It’s a working, transparent solution.

What changes in practice

The shift is clear. You move away from trying to fix every document and focus on making every document usable.

Accessibility is delivered dynamically, user needs are directly supported, and both new and legacy content are covered.

There is no backlog to manage and no queue to maintain. It becomes continuous, scalable, and aligned with how your website works.

Final thought

The challenge with PDFs has never been understanding the problem. It’s been making them work for real people.

When content can adapt to reading level, language, and individual needs, accessibility stops being a technical exercise and becomes something practical.

Automation doesn’t change every document, it changes how the content is delivered, and that’s what makes the difference!

Further reading

If you want to explore this in more detail, the full supporting document is available below. It brings together the UK Government position, cost analysis, and example accessibility statement content that underpin this approach.

https://aaatraq.com/media/resource_docs/accessapdf_UK_content.docx (opens in a new window)

See where you stand

Whether you’re in the public or private sector, PDFs are often assumed to be fine until they’re tested. If you want to understand where the real risks sit, get an independent view of how your website is performing across the fundamentals that matter.

Run a free check here: https://aaanow.ai/confirm (opens in a new window)