Fix colour contrast of disabled radio button text
#4744
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We have noticed that when radio buttons have the `disabled` attribute set[1], the text does not meet WCAG standards[2] for colour contrast. This is true for the label[3], and worse for the hint text[4]. This is caused by some CSS in GOV.UK Frontend[5]. I propose: - using the secondary text colour for - the radio button itself - the label text - the hint text - using a light grey fill to give an additional visual cue that the choice can’t be filled in by clicking it *** 1. Using `disabled` is not often the best way to do things (and is not documented in the Design System) but sometimes it’s appropriate 2. WCAG 2.0 AA requires a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for ‘normal text’ 3. `$govuk-text-colour` with `opacity: .5` applied computes to a value of `#858585`, which gives a contrast ratio of 3.69:1 against a white background 4. `$govuk-secondary-text-colour` with `opacity: .5` applied computes to a value of `#a8acae`, which gives a contrast ratio of 2.28:1 against a white background 5. https://github.com/alphagov/govuk-frontend/blob/fbed2b59889aff35fd1c65f1cd5ad368a5e4ddfe/packages/govuk-frontend/src/govuk/components/radios/_index.scss#L137 6. Colour alone isn’t used here to differentiate – there is the semantics of the `disabled` attribute itself, the different cursor behaviour, and the content of the hint text
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For context, this is how the page looked before the move to using the CSS from GOV.UK Frontend: 
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BlessedDev
approved these changes
Jun 15, 2023
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Here are a bunch of ideas for how the disabled radio button could also meet the non-text constrast criteria. They are all a bit odd/jarring in some way, so I don’t think worth the small benefit, given that the information is already conveyed in the hint text.
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We have noticed that when radio buttons have the
disabledattribute set1, the text does not meet WCAG standards2 for colour contrast. This is true for the label3, and worse for the hint text4:This is caused by some CSS in GOV.UK Frontend5.
I propose:
Which looks like:
Colour alone isn’t used here to differentiate – there is still the semantics of the
disabledattribute itself, the different cursor behaviour, and the content of the hint text.disabledis not often the best way to do things (and is not documented in the Design System) but sometimes it’s appropriate$govuk-text-colourwithopacity: .5applied computes to a value of#858585, which gives a contrast ratio of 3.69:1 against a white background$govuk-secondary-text-colourwithopacity: .5applied computes to a value of#a8acae, which gives a contrast ratio of 2.28:1 against a white backgroundCard: https://trello.com/c/7Q6pMovq/381-fix-contrast-ratio-of-text-and-hint-for-disabled-radio-buttons