Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is an opportunity to reflect on how inclusive and accessible digital experiences really are.

At IE Hub, accessibility plays an important role in how we support people managing financial challenges. Whether someone is creating a budget, sharing financial information with creditors, or looking for support during a difficult time, accessing clear and easy-to-use digital tools matters.

For many people, financial stress can already feel overwhelming. Digital barriers should never make that experience harder.

Accessibility is a journey

Creating an accessible online experience isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s an ongoing process of making practical improvements that help remove barriers and make support easier to access.

For us, that means making information clearer, simplifying digital journeys, and giving users more control over how they interact with our website and budgeting tools.

Because when people are worried about money, the experience should feel straightforward, supportive, and accessible.

Turning accessibility into action

As part of this commitment, we introduced the Recite Me Assistive Toolbar, giving visitors the ability to personalise the website to suit their individual needs.

Over the past year, the Toolbar has been used more than 2,000 times per month, with users viewing over 3,000 pages using its accessibility features

Over the past year, these tools have helped users access information in ways that work better for them.

Here’s how visitors are using the toolbar:

Text-to-speech has been used over 900 times, helping users listen to content instead of reading it
Most usage comes from mobile devices (over 1,300), showing how important accessibility is on the go
Visitors have used these features from over 20 countries, reflecting the reach of our services

These insights highlight how accessibility features can support people during moments that are often stressful and emotionally challenging.

Small changes, meaningful impact

Accessibility can sometimes feel like a large or complex task, but meaningful change often starts with small, practical improvements.

This year, we’re supporting Recite Me’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day campaign, which shares a simple message:

You can’t do nothing.
You can’t do everything.
But you can take action.

For us, taking action means continuing to improve the accessibility of our digital experience so more people can confidently access the support and information they need.

Continuing to improve

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far and remain committed to building on it.

Accessibility is an ongoing responsibility, and we’ll continue making improvements that help create a more inclusive and supportive experience for everyone who uses IE Hub.

Because when it comes to accessibility, small changes really do make a difference.