Form elements
-
Buttons
Use buttons to help users carry out an action on a page like starting an application or saving their progress.
We have 3 buttons
Primary button
<button class="nhsuk-button" data-module="nhsuk-button" type="submit">
Save and continue
</button>
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 | Required | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Name element | Type string | Required false | Description Whether to use an `input`, `button` or `a` element to create the button. In most cases you will not need to set this as it will be configured automatically if you use `href` or `html`. |
Name text | Type string | Required true | Description If `html` is set, this is not required. Text for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name html | Type string | Required true | Description If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name name | Type string | Required false | Description Name for the `input` or `button`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name type | Type string | Required false | Description Type of `input` or `button` – `button`, `submit` or `reset`. Defaults to `submit`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name value | Type string | Required false | Description Value for the `button` tag. This has no effect on `a` or `input` elements. |
Name disabled | Type boolean | Required false | Description Whether the button should be disabled. For button and input elements, `disabled` and `aria-disabled` attributes will be set automatically. |
Name href | Type string | Required false | Description The URL that the button should link to. If this is set, `element` will be automatically set to `a` if it has not already been defined. |
Name classes | Type string | Required false | Description Classes to add to the button component. |
Name attributes | Type object | Required false | Description HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the button component. |
Name preventDoubleClick | Type boolean | Required false | Description Prevent accidental double clicks on submit buttons from submitting forms multiple times |
{% from 'button/macro.njk' import button %}
{{ button({
"text": "Save and continue"
}) }}
When to use a primary button
Use a primary button to help users carry out an action on a page like starting an application or saving their progress.
More about when to use and not use buttons.
Secondary button
<button class="nhsuk-button nhsuk-button--secondary" data-module="nhsuk-button" type="submit">
Find my location
</button>
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 | Required | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Name element | Type string | Required false | Description Whether to use an `input`, `button` or `a` element to create the button. In most cases you will not need to set this as it will be configured automatically if you use `href` or `html`. |
Name text | Type string | Required true | Description If `html` is set, this is not required. Text for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name html | Type string | Required true | Description If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name name | Type string | Required false | Description Name for the `input` or `button`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name type | Type string | Required false | Description Type of `input` or `button` – `button`, `submit` or `reset`. Defaults to `submit`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name value | Type string | Required false | Description Value for the `button` tag. This has no effect on `a` or `input` elements. |
Name disabled | Type boolean | Required false | Description Whether the button should be disabled. For button and input elements, `disabled` and `aria-disabled` attributes will be set automatically. |
Name href | Type string | Required false | Description The URL that the button should link to. If this is set, `element` will be automatically set to `a` if it has not already been defined. |
Name classes | Type string | Required false | Description Classes to add to the button component. |
Name attributes | Type object | Required false | Description HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the button component. |
Name preventDoubleClick | Type boolean | Required false | Description Prevent accidental double clicks on submit buttons from submitting forms multiple times |
{% from 'button/macro.njk' import button %}
{{ button({
"text": "Find my location",
"classes": "nhsuk-button--secondary"
}) }}
When to use a secondary button
Use a secondary button on pages that have more than 1 action or when users aren't noticing standard link text.
More about when to use and not use buttons.
White button on solid background colour (reverse button)
<button class="nhsuk-button nhsuk-button--reverse" data-module="nhsuk-button" type="submit">
Save and continue
</button>
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 | Required | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Name element | Type string | Required false | Description Whether to use an `input`, `button` or `a` element to create the button. In most cases you will not need to set this as it will be configured automatically if you use `href` or `html`. |
Name text | Type string | Required true | Description If `html` is set, this is not required. Text for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name html | Type string | Required true | Description If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name name | Type string | Required false | Description Name for the `input` or `button`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name type | Type string | Required false | Description Type of `input` or `button` – `button`, `submit` or `reset`. Defaults to `submit`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name value | Type string | Required false | Description Value for the `button` tag. This has no effect on `a` or `input` elements. |
Name disabled | Type boolean | Required false | Description Whether the button should be disabled. For button and input elements, `disabled` and `aria-disabled` attributes will be set automatically. |
Name href | Type string | Required false | Description The URL that the button should link to. If this is set, `element` will be automatically set to `a` if it has not already been defined. |
Name classes | Type string | Required false | Description Classes to add to the button component. |
Name attributes | Type object | Required false | Description HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the button component. |
Name preventDoubleClick | Type boolean | Required false | Description Prevent accidental double clicks on submit buttons from submitting forms multiple times |
{% from 'button/macro.njk' import button %}
{{ button({
"text": "Save and continue",
"classes": "nhsuk-button--reverse"
}) }}
When to use a white button on solid background colour
White buttons on solid background colour are good on components like interruption cards where link text, primary and secondary buttons would be lost. (There's an example on the Your data matters service.)
More about when to use and not use buttons.
When to use buttons
Use buttons to start or save transactional journeys.
When not to use buttons
Do not use buttons as links:
- to pages which aren't part of your user journey
- from 1 flat content page to another
- to external websites
Try not to have multiple buttons on 1 page. Follow GOV.UK guidance on One thing per page.
How to use buttons
The GOV.UK Design System suggests using a button to help users carry out an action on a page like starting an application or saving their progress.
Write button text in sentence case and describe the action the button performs. For example "Save and continue" or "Start now".
Align the primary action button to the left edge of your form.
Disabled buttons
Disabled buttons have poor contrast and can confuse some users. Only use them if user research shows it makes things easier for users to understand.
We have developed disabled versions of the 3 buttons but we haven't tested them yet. You can get the latest disabled button code in the NHS.UK frontend library in GitHub.
Accessibility
Make sure the text you use describes the action.
All 3 active buttons pass AAA guidelines for colour contrast. The colour contrast ratio between text and background colour is as follows:
- primary button 5.12:1
- secondary button 7.75:1
- white button on solid background colour 14.42:1
Please note that the disabled versions of the 3 buttons do not meet accessibility colour contrast ratios. If your team has discovered a user need for disabled buttons, use them carefully and test them with users with access needs.
Stop users from accidentally sending information more than once
Sometimes, users double click buttons because they:
- have used operating systems where they have to double click items to make them work
- are experiencing a slow connection which means they are not given feedback on their action quickly enough
- have motor impairments such as hand tremors which cause them to click the button involuntarily
In some cases, this can mean their information is sent twice.
For example, the GOV.UK Notify team discovered that a number of users were receiving invitations twice, because the person sending them was double clicking the "send" button.
If your research shows that users are frequently sending information twice, you can configure the button to ignore the 2nd click.
To do this, set the data-prevent-double-click
attribute to true
. You can do this directly in the HTML or, if you're using Nunjucks, you can use the Nunjucks macro as shown in this example.
<button class="nhsuk-button" data-module="nhsuk-button" data-prevent-double-click="true" type="submit">
Save and continue
</button>
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 | Required | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Name element | Type string | Required false | Description Whether to use an `input`, `button` or `a` element to create the button. In most cases you will not need to set this as it will be configured automatically if you use `href` or `html`. |
Name text | Type string | Required true | Description If `html` is set, this is not required. Text for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name html | Type string | Required true | Description If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML for the button or link. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored and `element` will be automatically set to `button` unless `href` is also set, or it has already been defined. This argument has no effect if `element` is set to `input`. |
Name name | Type string | Required false | Description Name for the `input` or `button`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name type | Type string | Required false | Description Type of `input` or `button` – `button`, `submit` or `reset`. Defaults to `submit`. This has no effect on `a` elements. |
Name value | Type string | Required false | Description Value for the `button` tag. This has no effect on `a` or `input` elements. |
Name disabled | Type boolean | Required false | Description Whether the button should be disabled. For button and input elements, `disabled` and `aria-disabled` attributes will be set automatically. |
Name href | Type string | Required false | Description The URL that the button should link to. If this is set, `element` will be automatically set to `a` if it has not already been defined. |
Name classes | Type string | Required false | Description Classes to add to the button component. |
Name attributes | Type object | Required false | Description HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the button component. |
Name preventDoubleClick | Type boolean | Required false | Description Prevent accidental double clicks on submit buttons from submitting forms multiple times |
{% from 'button/macro.njk' import button %}
{{ button({
"text": "Save and continue",
"preventDoubleClick": true
}) }}
This feature will prevent double clicks for users that have JavaScript enabled. However, you should also think about the issue server-side to protect against attacks.
In the case of slow connections, aim to give the user information about what's happening, for example, by showing a loading spinner or a modal, before using data-prevent-double-click
.
Research
We based our buttons on the GOV.UK designs. But because our logo is a blue rectangle and a number of our components (including panel headings) have squared edges, we decided that GOV.UK buttons didn’t stand out enough. The square buttons didn't look clickable next to the other square components.
We made the buttons more "buttony" by rounding the corners (adding corner radiuses). There is research to suggest that rounded corners make things more clickable.
Our testing confirmed this. Users were able to complete tasks using buttons and they didn't confuse them with non-clickable components.
Have you tested this component?
If so, please share your research findings and let us know how it has worked for you. This will help us improve it for everyone.
Before you start, you will need a GitHub account. It's an open forum where we collect feedback.
If you have any questions, you can message us on Slack. You will need a Slack account if you do not have one. Or you can contact us by email.
Updated: January 2023