3.2.6 Consistent Help

What does it mean?

This criterion does not require you to offer help. But if you offer it on more than one page, it must be in the same place relative to the other content each time. Help here means contact details (phone, e-mail, address), a way to contact a person (form, chat, messenger), a self-help option (FAQ, help page) or an automated contact option such as a chatbot.

For example, if the phone number is in the header on the home page, it should not move to the bottom of the footer on the product pages. A change the user starts themselves, such as resizing the window, is allowed, and the order is judged relative to the other content on the page.

Who does it help?

• People with cognitive disabilities who need help and must find it quickly
• People who get stuck in a form or process and are looking for a way out
• Screen reader and magnification users who rely on a stable layout

Common failures

• The contact link is in the header on some pages and only in the footer on others
• The chat button appears in a different position on checkout pages
• The FAQ link moves around in the footer depending on the page template

How we test it

• evidence Evidence: our scanner collects material such as screenshots, lists and measurements.

Test question: Help (contact, phone, chat, FAQ) appears in the same relative place on every page where it exists.

A person decides every criterion. No criterion ever passes automatically.

How to fix it

<!-- home: help in header -->
<header>… <a href="/contact">Contact</a></header>
<!-- product: help only at the end of main -->
<main>… <a href="/contact">Contact</a></main>

<!-- same shared footer on every page -->
<footer>
  <h2>Need help?</h2>
  <p><a href="/contact#phone">Call us</a></p>
  <a href="/contact">Contact form</a> · <a href="/faq">FAQ</a>
</footer>

Help is placed in one shared template, so it is always in the same spot.

Practical tips

• Put contact and help links in the shared header or footer, not in individual page content.

Guides and patterns on this

• The accessibility statement: complete, honest and easy to findService providers and public sector bodies have to say how accessible their offer is. Here is what each set of rules requires and how to write a statement that actually helps people.

Official source

Understanding WCAG 2.2 at the W3C: 3.2.6 Consistent Help