Heading inside a table cell

Why does it matter?

WCAG 1.3.1 asks that structure reaches assistive technology as it was meant; a heading inside a data table is often a sign that a cell is doing the job of a table header or caption, and it breaks up the page outline. A heading that really starts a section of the page is fine.

Who it affects: Screen reader users, who jump from heading to heading to understand and skim a page, and people with cognitive disabilities who rely on clear structure.

What does Lumtera flag?

A heading inside a table cell, often a cell doing the job of a table header or caption. For review: a heading that really starts a section of the page is fine.

Check ID heading-in-table — use it to filter the content report or with wp lumtera issues --rule.

How do I fix it in WordPress?

To title the table, use its caption. To label a column or a row, use a header cell (<th>). If the table is only there for layout, use columns instead of a table.

Example

<td><h3>Price</h3></td>

<th scope="col">Price</th>

How do I check the fix?

1. Update the post. The issue disappears from the Lumtera Accessibility sidebar on the next check, and from the site report on the next scan.
2. Use a headings outline — the block editor's Document Overview (List View → Outline), or a browser extension such as HeadingsMap — and check the levels read like a table of contents.