Components

Checkboxes

Let users select one or more options by using the checkboxes component.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="waste-hint">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        Which types of waste do you transport?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div id="waste-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      Select all that apply.
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="carcasses">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste">
          Waste from animal carcasses
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste-2" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="mines">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste-2">
          Waste from mines or quarries
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste-3" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="farm">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste-3">
          Farm or agricultural waste
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "waste",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "Which types of waste do you transport?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "Select all that apply."
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "carcasses",
      text: "Waste from animal carcasses"
    },
    {
      value: "mines",
      text: "Waste from mines or quarries"
    },
    {
      value: "farm",
      text: "Farm or agricultural waste"
    }
  ]
}) }}

When to use this component

Use the checkboxes component when you need to help users:

• select multiple options from a list
• toggle a single option on or off

When not to use this component

Do not use the checkboxes component if users can only choose one option from a selection. In this case, use the radios component.

How it works

Always position checkboxes to the left of their labels. This makes them easier to find, especially for users of screen magnifiers.

Unlike with radios, users can select multiple options from a list of checkboxes. Do not assume that users will know how many options they can select based on the visual difference between radios and checkboxes alone.

If needed, add a hint explaining this, for example, ‘Select all that apply’.

Do not pre-select checkbox options as this makes it more likely that users will:

• not realise they’ve missed a question
• submit the wrong answer

Order checkbox options alphabetically by default.

In some cases, it can be helpful to order them from most-to-least common options. For example, you could order options for ‘What is your nationality?’ based on population size.

Group checkboxes together in a <fieldset> with a <legend> that describes them, as shown in the examples on this page. This is usually a question, like ‘How would you like to be contacted?’.

If you’re asking one question on the page

If you’re asking just one question per page as recommended, you can set the contents of the <legend> as the page heading. This is good practice as it means that users of screen readers will only hear the contents once.

Read more about why and how to set legends as headings.

There are 2 ways to use the checkboxes component. You can use HTML or, if you’re using Nunjucks or the GOV.UK Prototype Kit, you can use the Nunjucks macro.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="waste-hint">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        Which types of waste do you transport?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div id="waste-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      Select all that apply.
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="carcasses">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste">
          Waste from animal carcasses
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste-2" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="mines">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste-2">
          Waste from mines or quarries
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste-3" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="farm">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste-3">
          Farm or agricultural waste
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "waste",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "Which types of waste do you transport?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "Select all that apply."
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "carcasses",
      text: "Waste from animal carcasses"
    },
    {
      value: "mines",
      text: "Waste from mines or quarries"
    },
    {
      value: "farm",
      text: "Farm or agricultural waste"
    }
  ]
}) }}

If you’re asking more than one question on the page

If you’re asking more than one question on the page, do not set the contents of the <legend> as the page heading. Read more about asking multiple questions on question pages.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="waste-hint">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend">
      Which types of waste do you transport?
    </legend>
    <div id="waste-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      Select all that apply.
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="carcasses">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste">
          Waste from animal carcasses
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste-2" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="mines">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste-2">
          Waste from mines or quarries
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="waste-3" name="waste" type="checkbox" value="farm">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="waste-3">
          Farm or agricultural waste
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "waste",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "Which types of waste do you transport?"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "Select all that apply."
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "carcasses",
      text: "Waste from animal carcasses"
    },
    {
      value: "mines",
      text: "Waste from mines or quarries"
    },
    {
      value: "farm",
      text: "Farm or agricultural waste"
    }
  ]
}) }}

Checkbox items with hints

You can add hints to checkbox items to provide additional information about the options.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="nationality-hint">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        What is your nationality?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div id="nationality-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      If you have dual nationality, select all options that are relevant to you.
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="nationality" name="nationality" type="checkbox" value="british" aria-describedby="nationality-item-hint">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="nationality">
          British
        </label>
        <div id="nationality-item-hint" class="govuk-hint govuk-checkboxes__hint">
          including English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="nationality-2" name="nationality" type="checkbox" value="irish">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="nationality-2">
          Irish
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="nationality-3" name="nationality" type="checkbox" value="other">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="nationality-3">
          Citizen of another country
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "nationality",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "What is your nationality?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "If you have dual nationality, select all options that are relevant to you."
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "british",
      text: "British",
      hint: {
        text: "including English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish"
      }
    },
    {
      value: "irish",
      text: "Irish"
    },
    {
      value: "other",
      text: "Citizen of another country"
    }
  ]
}) }}

Add an option for ‘none’

When ‘none’ would be a valid answer, give users the option to check a box to say none of the other options apply to them – without this option, users would have to leave all of the boxes unchecked. Giving users this option also makes sure they do not skip the question by accident.

Remember to start by asking one question per page. You might be able to remove the need for a ‘none’ option by asking the user a better question or filtering them out with a ‘filter question’ beforehand. The GOV.UK Service Manual has guidance on designing good questions.

Show the ‘none’ option last. Separate it from the other options using a divider. The text is usually the word ‘or’.

Write a label that repeats the key part of the question.

For example, for the question ‘Will you be travelling to any of these countries?’, say ‘No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries.’

To enable some JavaScript that unchecks all other checkboxes when the user clicks ‘None’, add the exclusive behaviour to the ‘none’ checkbox.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="countries-hint">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        Will you be travelling to any of these countries?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div id="countries-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      Select all countries that apply
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="france">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries">
          France
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries-2" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="portugal">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries-2">
          Portugal
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries-3" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="spain">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries-3">
          Spain
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__divider">or</div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries-5" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="none" data-behaviour="exclusive">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries-5">
          No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "countries",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "Will you be travelling to any of these countries?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "Select all countries that apply"
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "france",
      text: "France"
    },
    {
      value: "portugal",
      text: "Portugal"
    },
    {
      value: "spain",
      text: "Spain"
    },
    {
      divider: "or"
    },
    {
      value: "none",
      text: "No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries",
      behaviour: "exclusive"
    }
  ]
}) }}

If JavaScript is unavailable, and a user selects both the ‘none’ checkbox and another checkbox, display an error message.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group govuk-form-group--error">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="countries-error">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        Will you be travelling to any of these countries?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <p id="countries-error" class="govuk-error-message">
      <span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Error:</span> Select countries you will be travelling to, or select ‘No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries’
    </p>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="france" checked>
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries">
          France
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries-2" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="portugal">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries-2">
          Portugal
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries-3" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="spain">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries-3">
          Spain
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__divider">or</div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="countries-5" name="countries" type="checkbox" value="none" checked data-behaviour="exclusive">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="countries-5">
          No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "countries",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "Will you be travelling to any of these countries?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  errorMessage: {
    text: "Select countries you will be travelling to, or select ‘No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries’"
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "france",
      text: "France",
      checked: true
    },
    {
      value: "portugal",
      text: "Portugal"
    },
    {
      value: "spain",
      text: "Spain"
    },
    {
      divider: "or"
    },
    {
      value: "none",
      text: "No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries",
      checked: true,
      behaviour: "exclusive"
    }
  ]
}) }}

Conditionally revealing a related question

You can ask the user a related question when they select a particular checkbox, so they only see the question when it’s relevant to them.

This might make 2 related questions easier to answer by grouping them on the same page. For example, you could reveal a phone number input when the user selects the ‘Contact me by phone’ option.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="contact-hint">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        How would you like to be contacted?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div id="contact-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      Select all options that are relevant to you.
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="contact" name="contact" type="checkbox" value="email" data-aria-controls="conditional-contact">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="contact">
          Email
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__conditional govuk-checkboxes__conditional--hidden" id="conditional-contact">
        <div class="govuk-form-group">
          <label class="govuk-label" for="contact-by-email">
            Email address
          </label>
          <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-one-third" id="contact-by-email" name="contactByEmail" type="email" spellcheck="false" autocomplete="email">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="contact-2" name="contact" type="checkbox" value="phone" data-aria-controls="conditional-contact-2">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="contact-2">
          Phone
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__conditional govuk-checkboxes__conditional--hidden" id="conditional-contact-2">
        <div class="govuk-form-group">
          <label class="govuk-label" for="contact-by-phone">
            Phone number
          </label>
          <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-one-third" id="contact-by-phone" name="contactByPhone" type="tel" autocomplete="tel">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="contact-3" name="contact" type="checkbox" value="text message" data-aria-controls="conditional-contact-3">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="contact-3">
          Text message
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__conditional govuk-checkboxes__conditional--hidden" id="conditional-contact-3">
        <div class="govuk-form-group">
          <label class="govuk-label" for="contact-by-text">
            Mobile phone number
          </label>
          <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-one-third" id="contact-by-text" name="contactByText" type="tel" autocomplete="tel">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}
{% from "govuk/components/input/macro.njk" import govukInput %}

{% set emailHtml %}
{{ govukInput({
  id: "contact-by-email",
  name: "contactByEmail",
  type: "email",
  autocomplete: "email",
  spellcheck: false,
  classes: "govuk-!-width-one-third",
  label: {
    text: "Email address"
  }
}) }}
{% endset -%}

{% set phoneHtml %}
{{ govukInput({
  id: "contact-by-phone",
  name: "contactByPhone",
  type: "tel",
  autocomplete: "tel",
  classes: "govuk-!-width-one-third",
  label: {
    text: "Phone number"
  }
}) }}
{% endset -%}

{% set textHtml %}
{{ govukInput({
  id: "contact-by-text",
  name: "contactByText",
  type: "tel",
  autocomplete: "tel",
  classes: "govuk-!-width-one-third",
  label: {
    text: "Mobile phone number"
  }
}) }}
{% endset -%}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "contact",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "How would you like to be contacted?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "Select all options that are relevant to you."
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "email",
      text: "Email",
      conditional: {
        html: emailHtml
      }
    },
    {
      value: "phone",
      text: "Phone",
      conditional: {
        html: phoneHtml
      }
    },
    {
      value: "text message",
      text: "Text message",
      conditional: {
        html: textHtml
      }
    }
  ]
}) }}

Keep it simple. If the related question is complicated or has more than one part, show it on the next page in the process instead.

You should only conditionally reveal questions - do not show or hide anything that is not a question.

Known issues

Users are not always notified when a conditionally revealed question is shown or hidden. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

However, we found that screen reader users did not have difficulty answering a conditionally revealed question - as long as it’s kept simple. It confused our test users when we conditionally revealed complicated questions to them.

We’ll keep looking for opportunities to learn more about how conditionally revealed questions should be used in services.

Smaller checkboxes

Use standard-sized checkboxes in most cases. However, smaller checkboxes work well on pages where it’s helpful to make them less visually prominent.

For example, on a page of search results, the main user need is to see the results. Using smaller checkboxes lets users see and change search filters without distracting them from the main content.

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--m">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        Organisation
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes govuk-checkboxes--small" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="organisation" name="organisation" type="checkbox" value="hmrc">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="organisation">
          HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="organisation-2" name="organisation" type="checkbox" value="employment-tribunal">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="organisation-2">
          Employment Tribunal
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="organisation-3" name="organisation" type="checkbox" value="MOD">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="organisation-3">
          Ministry of Defence
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="organisation-4" name="organisation" type="checkbox" value="DfT">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="organisation-4">
          Department for Transport
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "organisation",
  classes: "govuk-checkboxes--small",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "Organisation",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--m"
    }
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "hmrc",
      text: "HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)"
    },
    {
      value: "employment-tribunal",
      text: "Employment Tribunal"
    },
    {
      value: "MOD",
      text: "Ministry of Defence"
    },
    {
      value: "DfT",
      text: "Department for Transport"
    }
  ]
}) }}

Small checkboxes can work well on information dense screens in services designed for repeat use, like caseworking systems.

In services like these, the risk that they will not be noticed is lower because users return to the screen multiple times.

Error messages

Error messages should be styled like this:

Open this example in a new tab

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group govuk-form-group--error">
  <fieldset class="govuk-fieldset" aria-describedby="nationality-hint nationality-error">
    <legend class="govuk-fieldset__legend govuk-fieldset__legend--l">
      <h1 class="govuk-fieldset__heading">
        What is your nationality?
      </h1>
    </legend>
    <div id="nationality-hint" class="govuk-hint">
      If you have dual nationality, select all options that are relevant to you.
    </div>
    <p id="nationality-error" class="govuk-error-message">
      <span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Error:</span> Select if you are British, Irish or a citizen of a different country
    </p>
    <div class="govuk-checkboxes" data-module="govuk-checkboxes">
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="nationality" name="nationality" type="checkbox" value="british" aria-describedby="nationality-item-hint">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="nationality">
          British
        </label>
        <div id="nationality-item-hint" class="govuk-hint govuk-checkboxes__hint">
          including English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="nationality-2" name="nationality" type="checkbox" value="irish">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="nationality-2">
          Irish
        </label>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-checkboxes__item">
        <input class="govuk-checkboxes__input" id="nationality-3" name="nationality" type="checkbox" value="other">
        <label class="govuk-label govuk-checkboxes__label" for="nationality-3">
          Citizen of another country
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</div>

Nunjucks

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
describedBy	string	One or more element IDs to add to the input aria-describedby attribute without a fieldset, used to provide additional descriptive information for screenreader users.
fieldset	object	Can be used to add a fieldset to the checkboxes component. See fieldset.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to the checkboxes component. See hint.
errorMessage	object	Can be used to add an error message to the checkboxes component. The error message component will not display if you use a falsy value for errorMessage, for example false or null. See errorMessage.
formGroup	object	Additional options for the form group containing the checkboxes component. See formGroup.
idPrefix	string	Optional prefix. This is used to prefix the id attribute for each checkbox item input, hint and error message, separated by -. Defaults to the name option value.
name	string	Required. Name attribute for all checkbox items.
items	array	Required. The checkbox items within the checkboxes component. See items.
values	array	Array of values for checkboxes which should be checked when the page loads. Use this as an alternative to setting the checked option on each individual item.
classes	string	Classes to add to the checkboxes container.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the anchor tag.

Options for formGroup object

Name	Type	Description
classes	string	Classes to add to the form group (for example to show error state for the whole group).

Options for items array objects

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within each checkbox item label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Specific ID attribute for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global idPrefix option will be applied.
name	string	Specific name for the checkbox item. If omitted, then component global name string will be applied.
value	string	Required. Value for the checkbox input.
label	object	Additional options for the label used by each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See label.
hint	object	Can be used to add a hint to each checkbox item within the checkboxes component. See hint.
divider	string	Divider text to separate checkbox items, for example the text "or".
checked	boolean	Whether the checkbox should be checked when the page loads. Takes precedence over the top-level values option.
conditional	object	Provide additional content to reveal when the checkbox is checked. See items conditional.
behaviour	string	If set to "exclusive", implements a ‘None of these’ type behaviour via JavaScript when checkboxes are clicked.
disabled	boolean	If true, checkbox will be disabled.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the checkbox input tag.

Options for items conditional object

Name	Type	Description
html	string	Required. The HTML to reveal when the checkbox is checked.

Options for hint component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
id	string	Optional ID attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes	string	Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag.

Options for label component

Name	Type	Description
text	string	Required. If html is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html	string	Required. If text is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
for	string	The value of the for attribute, the ID of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading	boolean	Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes	string	Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes	object	HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.

{% from "govuk/components/checkboxes/macro.njk" import govukCheckboxes %}

{{ govukCheckboxes({
  name: "nationality",
  fieldset: {
    legend: {
      text: "What is your nationality?",
      isPageHeading: true,
      classes: "govuk-fieldset__legend--l"
    }
  },
  hint: {
    text: "If you have dual nationality, select all options that are relevant to you."
  },
  errorMessage: {
    text: "Select if you are British, Irish or a citizen of a different country"
  },
  items: [
    {
      value: "british",
      text: "British",
      hint: {
        text: "including English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish"
      }
    },
    {
      value: "irish",
      text: "Irish"
    },
    {
      value: "other",
      text: "Citizen of another country"
    }
  ]
}) }}

Make sure errors follow the guidance in error message and have specific error messages for specific error states.

If nothing is selected and the question has options in it

Say ‘Select if [whatever it is]’.

For example, ‘Select if you are British, Irish or a citizen of a different country’.

If nothing is selected and the question does not have options in it

Say ‘Select [whatever it is]’.

For example, ‘Select your nationality or nationalities’.

If users check both a ‘none’ checkbox and another checkbox

Say:

Select [option label text] or select ‘[none of the above label text]’

For example:

Select countries you will be travelling to, or select ‘No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries’

Research on this component

If you’ve done any user research involving conditionally revealed questions, particularly with users of assistive technologies, tell us what you’ve learned by adding a comment to the discussion about this component.

Read a blog post about an update to the radios and checkboxes components in 2016.

Help improve this component

To help make sure that this page is useful, relevant and up to date, you can:

• take part in the ‘Checkboxes’ discussion on GitHub and share your research
• propose a change – read more about how to propose changes in GitHub

Tell us if your service uses this component

Take part in our usage survey (opens in a new tab) to help us improve this component to better meet the needs of the services that use it.

Need help?

If you’ve got a question about the GOV.UK Design System, contact the team.