HMRC Makes IT Systems Accessible for All Staff

The Situation

As one of the UK’s largest government departments, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has strong employment and disability policies that aim to make systems accessible to everyone who needs to use them. HMRC’s assistive technology services are delivered by Capgemini, working closely with in-house specialists and partners.

The Solution

An Accessibility Team provides specialist equipment, software and support for disabled employees. The team uses occupational health assessments to help determine the right accessibility solution, and they work with users at their desks to configure software, write scripts and install specialist hardware when required. Wherever possible standard procedures are tailored; catalogue-based procurement delivers assistive hardware as quickly as possible and IT helpdesk advisors customise support so they respond to issues effectively. All new software is tested for accessibility as part of the standard project development lifecycle.

The Results

The Accessibility Team ensures HMRC’s 1,250 disabled staff have the technology and support they need to access whichever of HMRC’s 600 systems they need for their job. Specialist equipment is usually delivered within two days of an order and the IT helpdesk resolves over 75% of issues on the day of a call. Individuals in the Accessibility Team often write specialist scripts to customise JAWS screen reader and Dragon voice activation software. They build an understanding of customers’ personal needs and appreciate that a solution tailored for one person does not necessarily suit another. The small team provides an efficient, personalised service for which they regularly receive unsolicited thanks.

How HMRC and Capgemini Work Together

HMRC champions disability at board level, working with Capgemini and infrastructure partner Fujitsu to continually innovate, make improvements, and update ICT services for disabled staff. Our Assistive Technology Service is well-established, and we have developed considerable expertise in seamless support across our organisations over many years.