Accessibility

We have tried to design our website to make it as accessible as possible whilst remaining visually interesting and easy to use.

Currently, this website includes a variety of features which are summarised as follows:

Images and Alt and Title tags

Resizable Text

Coding to Standards

We have avoided using excessive graphics within the website where possible in an effort to maximise quick download times and access to information which cannot be read if in image format.

Where images are used we have added 'Alt' tags - text alternatives so that you will still know what the image is meant to convey even if it doesn't load or if you've have chosen to browse with the images switched off or you are using an assistive technology like a screen reader to browse the web page rather than view.

We have been careful to make sure that we haven't fixed the size of the textual information on the website so that visitors who wish to can alter the font size on the screen to make it easier to read.

There are a number of ways to change the text size in your browser, the easiest way is to follow the following steps: (In Internet Explorer)

Select the 'View' menu.

Select the 'Text Size' option from the menu.

Click on the text size you want to view.

It is also possible to increase the size of the text by holding down the ctrl key on the bottom left hand row of the key board whilst using the scroll wheel on the mouse to increase (or decrease) the size of the text.

This website is now speech-enabled, which means that you can download free software onto your personal computer and have the site read aloud to you.

The free software is called Browsealoud.

Browsealoud is a Windows browser plug-in designed for use with Internet Explorer 4 upwards or Netscape Navigator. It should be noted that Safari and some other browsers have screenreader features built in.

If you install the Browsealoud plugin onto your PC, you can have the web pages on the Hackney Homes website read to you (and other sites that are speech-enabled).

The software can be downloaded by clicking on the Browsealoud icon below. Once clicked the simple instructions for setting this up will appear on your screen.

Important information for people who do not use a mouse
Browsealoud is a product which has been designed to be used primarily by mouse movements. If you do not use a mouse, or are unable to use a mouse, you should enable mousekeys. To do this -

This will allow you to navigate to text on web pages which would normally be inaccessible using the keyboard. You can change Browsealoud settings by double clicking on the Browsealoud icon in the system tray.

This website is built using code compliant with World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards for XHTML and Cascading Style Sheets. W3C is the governing authority on web development standards and practices.

The site displays correctly with current browsers, and using standard XHTML code means that any future browsers will also display this website correctly.

We are continuously improving this website to ensure that pages conform to the Single-A level of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0.

The Accessibility Guidelines explain how to make Web content accessible to people with disabilities. Conformance to these Guidelines helps to make the Web more accessible to users with disabilities and benefits all users.

There may be a few pages that do not conform to all the guidelines. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the whole site conforms, with many web contributors, this is an ongoing process.

If you have any problem accessing any information on the site, you can advise us by contacting us by email at webteam@hackney.gov.uk and we will endeavour to provide the information in a suitable manner.

Hackney Homes Limited collects personal data to help us deliver an effective service to you.  Personal data is defined by the Data Protection Act 1998 and relates to a living individual who can be identified:

Personal data will therefore include basic details such as name, address, telephone number and date or birth.  It can also include any expression of opinion about an individual and any expression of intention of Hackney Homes towards an individual.

Whilst Hackney Homes will usually seek your consent for the processing of personal data there are a number of provisions were Hackney Homes can process personal data without the consent of an individual, these include:

This is not an inclusive list.  In addition to personal data the Act defines certain types of personal data as ‘sensitive personal data’, these are:

Hackney Homes will exercise additional controls and measures to ensure that any sensitive personal data is kept secure.

Hackney Homes primary purpose is the management of housing on behalf of the London Borough of Hackney, personal data will therefore be administered for:

Hackney Homes will endeavour to keep your information accurate and up to date, not holding personal data for longer than it is necessary.  In some cases the time for which Hackney Homes retains personal data is defined by law.  

Hackney Homes will not ask irrelevant or unnecessary questions, nor will we be intrusive.  Any personal data provided will be subject to measures to prevent unauthorised loss, disclosure or destruction.  

Hackney Homes as a public body is committed to delivering effective joined up services with other public bodies.  Hackney Homes commits when personal data is shared with other bodies that rigorous checks are made to ensure that any recipient of personal data from Hackney Homes undertakes similar security measures to its own.

You have the right to ask for a copy of your personal data recorded for which Hackney Homes may charge a small fee.  You also have a right to ask for any inaccurate information to be corrected.

Further information concerning data protection within Hackney Homes can be obtained by emailing the data protection officer.

Hackney Homes like all public bodies must provide information for the National Fraud Initiative. The initiative is operated by the Audit Commission, a Government agency whose objectives include the reduction of fraud and error in public spending.

Hackney Homes will contribute to the initiative personal data recorded about our customers, this includes details such as name and address. The Audit Commission will match this data with other sources such as Benefit providers. Hackney Homes is obliged by law to provide this information to the Audit Commission.

Download this document for further information National Fraud Initiative Statement of purpose (level 2 notice)