Style guide

Well known abbreviations such as BBC and UK are acceptable. We don’t use full stops – BBC not B.B.C. Abbreviations are always spelt in full the first time we use them.   

We won’t use an unfamiliar abbreviation to only refer to something once.   

File sizes: we use 5MB not 5,000KB.   

Website alerts should be no more than 2 sentences in length. They are only used for putting information that is temporary such as an emergency or announcement.   

Content is always aligned to the left of each page.   

We avoid using italics or underlining. We use headings or bullets instead to emphasise particular words or sections. We don’t use bold text for links, or to highlight specific sections of content.   

Information such as key dates is often placed towards the top of a page but we may use page styling such as a panel to highlight important information.    

We use (round brackets), not [square brackets]. The only acceptable use of square brackets is for explanatory notes in reported speech:    

“Thank you [Chief Executive Officer] Tom Riordan.”   

We don’t use round brackets to refer to something that could either be singular or plural, like ‘Check which document(s) you need to send.’   

Instead, we’d use the plural, as this will cover each possibility: ‘Check which documents you need to send.’   

Bullet points make text easier to read.   

When using bullet points:    

• always use a ‘lead-in’ sentence before starting the list off – as above
• ensure they make sense running on from the lead-in sentence
• use lower case at the start of each bullet point
• don’t use full stops – where possible start another bullet point or use commas, dashes or semicolons to expand on something
• don’t put ‘or’, ‘and’ or use semicolons at the end of a bullet point
  
• don’t end bullet points with a full-stop

For documents, punctuation is used for 2 words or more and for sentences full stops or semi colons.   

Block capitals are avoided – they’re hard to read and people interpret this as shouting.

Sentence case is always used, even in page titles.

We will capitalise:

• proper nouns (names used for specific things, like an individual person, place or organisation)
• brand names
• header cells in tables, for example 'Annual profits'
  
• titles of publications, for example 'The Study Skills Handbook'
  

When referring to ’the council’ in a general way, we won’t capitalise the ‘C’, as it’s not a proper noun. When talking about ourselves we try to use ‘we’ and ‘us’.   

Our user-centred approach means that we should be providing contact details wherever they are needed. This will be determined by user needs.   

Phone numbers

Use ‘Phone’ instead of ‘Mobile’, ‘Mob’ , ‘Tel’ or ‘Telephone’.   

Use a space in the number between the dialling code and the next three digits and between these three digits and the remaining four digits, for example: 0113 372 6004.

This may be different for phone numbers outside of Leeds.

Contact information panels

Blue panels are used at the end of each page where contact information is provided, unless there is more than one contact option or it is specific to a type of request.    

We only include social media options in the contact panel when we know that the managers of the account actively respond to people or if the account provides regular news and updates.   

Use the following formatting:

• Financial year 2023 to 2024 (not tax year 2023/24)
• 5:30pm (not 17:30)
• Monday to Friday (not Monday – Friday)
• 10 November to 21 December (not 10th November – 21st December)
• 10am to 11am (not 10–11am)
• midnight (not 00:00)
• midday (not 12 noon, noon, or 12pm)

We use ‘to’ instead of a dash or slash because it assists people who use screen readers.

Years and months

Use years and months, not just months. For most audiences, writing the year followed by the month is easier to read.   

Example: 1 year 6 months, not 18 months, a year and a half or 1.5 years.   

In instances where it is shorter than 1 year, use months. For example: 6 months old.   

Use years in deadlines unless it’s a deadline that reoccurs each year. For example: This scheme closes on 21 September 2022   

When space is an issue, such as tables, we sometimes use shorter version of the month, such as Feb instead of February. Dates in tables and forms use the standard date format (dd/mm/yyyy).   

We follow the advice found on GOV.UK when writing about disability.

We avoid using eg, etc and ie.

eg can sometimes be read aloud as ‘egg’ by screen reading software. Instead use ‘for example’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’ or ‘including’ - whichever works best in the specific context.   

etc can always be avoided. We use ‘for example’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’ or ‘including’. Never use etc at the end of a list starting with these words.   

ie - used to clarify a sentence - isn’t always well understood. Alternatively we use ‘meaning’ or ‘that is’.   

FAQs are strongly discouraged.

This is because FAQs:

• duplicate other content on the site
• can’t be front-loaded (putting the most important words people will search for at the beginning of the text), which makes usability difficult
• are usually not frequently asked questions by the public, but important information that needs to be included in the main content
  
• mean that content is not where people expect to find it - it needs to be in context
• can add to search results with duplicate, competing text

Documents use sans serif fonts, 12pt or bigger. 16pt minimum for large text. For presentations, 24pt or 32pt for large text.    

A minimum 1.5 is used for line spacing and paragraphs.   

We only use one space after a full stop, not 2.   

Compass directions are all in lowercase, for example, the north, the south of England and the south-west. The only exception is where these are part of a particular name, such as West Yorkshire, North East Scotland and South Wales.

Where the prefix ‘e’ refers to electronic, it should always be lower case with a hyphen. For example:

• e-business
• e-government
• e-learning
• e-procurement
  

The only exception to this is email.   

At the beginning of a sentence, capitalise the first letter of the word that follows the e, rather than the e itself. For example:    

• e-Business
  
• e-Government
• e-Learning
• e-Procurement
  

Hyphenate:

• ‘re-‘ words starting with ‘e’, for example ‘re-evaluate’
• co-ordinate

Don’t hyphenate:

• reuse
• reinvent
• reorder
• reopen
• email
• online

Italics should be avoided because they are harder to read for people with dyslexia.   

Legal content can still be written in plain English. It’s important that users understand content and that we present complicated information simply.

When we’re talking about a legal requirement, we use ‘must’. For example:

If ‘must’ doesn’t have enough emphasis, then we may use ‘legal requirement’, ‘legally entitled’, or something to that effect. For example:

If a requirement is legal, but administrative, or part of a process that won’t have criminal repercussions then use ‘need to’. for example:

This may be a legal requirement, but not completing it would just stop the person from moving on to the next stage of a process, rather than committing a more serious offence.   

Important information

If an important action might result in a serious or negative consequence, such as a fine, we often use a specific design as a warning.

Using links in content

Instead of duplicating information, if it exists elsewhere on Leeds.gov.uk, or can be better supplied by an organisation outside the council, we will always link to it instead.

Links can be used anywhere in body text, but not in headings, subheadings, or lead sentences.

External links

We consider linking to other websites if we believe they help someone to complete their task.    

For example this may be a charity website offering more in-depth information and advice, or a way to comment on a planning application.   

When considering whether to link to another website, we check that:   

• the linked website helps to meet a specific need
• content is up to date
• the website has clear privacy and cookie policies
• we are being impartial when linking to one organisation over another which offers similar services
• the content is free to access
• the website works well on all devices
• the website is accessible

Writing link text

Links are most effective when descriptive and include relevant terms. We avoid using things like “click here” or “more”, as link text needs to make sense out of context. A screen reader will sometimes read only the link text, even if it is part of a larger sentence.    

It’s also important that people know if they are leaving Leeds.gov.uk. We always refer to the organisation's name when we link out of the website.   

Using individual names or other personal contact details are avoided where possible. We refer instead to the contact details of their team or service. This is to make sure that any correspondence is answered as quickly as possible.   

An exception to this is in promotional material such as news items, when a quote from a named officer may be used. When referring to an individual, we use their title. For example:   

After that, we refer to them by name only. For example:   

Numerals are used across the website, unless a number is at the start of a sentence. In most cases, the number one is also written out. For example, in tables and financial information pages, we use numerals throughout.   

Numbers over 1,000 have comma separators, for example:

Spell out first to ninth. After that use 10th, 11th and so on.   

Ranges

Always use numerals when using ranges, such as ages and dates.   

Percentages

Always use percentage symbol (%).   

Millions and billions

We always use the relevant word when referring to money, for example £138 million.

Money

The pound symbol is used, for instance, £75.

We don’t use decimals unless pence are included, for example:   

Numbers less than £1million are written in full rather than as a fraction, for example:   

‘Pence’ is written in full: ‘calls will cost four pence per minute from a landline’.

Long sentences are avoided to make information as simple and clear as possible.    

Only one space after a full stop, not two.   

Ampersands (&) and special characters will not be used.

They make it harder to read and to skim. Some people with lower reading levels also find them harder to understand.   

We use tables for data rather than organising the layout of a page, document or email. Tables must be kept simple and avoid splitting or merging cells.   

Alternative text is used for screen reader users. We also ensure that when the table is read left to right and row by row, the information can be fully understood.   

We do not underline text for emphasis as this can look like a link.   

Use abbreviated lower case g, kg, m, mm, cm, l, ml.