Web designers should do more to make internet sites accessible to disabled people, mental health charity Mencap has concluded after surveying thirty popular sites.

The survey was carried out jointly by researchers and people with learning difficulties, who rated UK based sites for internet shopping, sport, news, entertainment and local government.

The websites for the BBC, Tesco and NHS Direct were praised for ease of navigation and use of symbols and pictures to support text.

The UK parliament website and shopping site Bluewater.co.uk received a ‘could do better’ rating. The Parliament homepage had no help button, the language was complex and there were no images, researchers found.

“An increasing number of organisations are realising that unless they consider the needs of disabled people, they are effectively excluding millions who need and want access their services,” said a Mencap spokesperson.

The charity recently re-launched it’s own site to make it more accessible to people with learning disabilities. One service user said: “I like the way it’s set up. The pictures are really nice – it shows you what people do.”

www.mencap.org.uk