diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index af406eae3ec..f7dff221a74 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 - Added `infraApp` icon ([#1161](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/1161))
 - Added sizes to `EuiButtonIcon` ([#1145](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/1145))
 - Added `singleSelection.asPlainText` prop to `EuiComboBox` ([#1139](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/1139))
+- Added proper aria labeling to `EuiSearchBar` and `EuiBasicTable` so searching is properly announced ([#1181](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/1181))
 
 **Bug fixes**
 
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.js.snap b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.js.snap
index 00d3e59ef5d..449a9c7cee9 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.js.snap
@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders cells with custom props from a callback
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -92,6 +103,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -177,6 +199,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable empty is rendered 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          0
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -213,6 +246,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable empty renders a node as a custom message 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          0
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -257,6 +301,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable empty renders a string as a custom message 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          0
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -293,6 +348,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable itemIdToExpandedRowMap renders an expanded row 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -382,6 +448,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from a callback 1
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -465,6 +542,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1`
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -548,6 +636,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination - 2nd page 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          2
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -617,6 +716,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -702,6 +812,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination and error 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -744,6 +865,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination and selection 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -891,6 +1023,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, hiding the per page options 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -991,6 +1134,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection and sorting 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -1155,6 +1309,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and a single record a
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -1410,6 +1575,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column dataType 1
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -1574,6 +1750,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column renderer 1
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -1738,6 +1925,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and multiple record a
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -1987,6 +2185,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting, column renderer and
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCellCheckbox
           key="_selection_column_h"
@@ -2137,6 +2346,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sortable columns and sorting disabled 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
@@ -2225,6 +2445,17 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sorting 1`] = `
     <EuiTable
       responsive={true}
     >
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption
+          aria-live="polite"
+          aria-relevant="text"
+          role="status"
+        >
+          Below is a table of 
+          3
+           items.
+        </caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
       <EuiTableHeader>
         <EuiTableHeaderCell
           align="left"
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.js.snap b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.js.snap
index 87301526302..5819b3859b1 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.js.snap
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.js.snap
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ exports[`EuiInMemoryTable behavior pagination 1`] = `
           <table
             className="euiTable euiTable--responsive"
           >
+            <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+              <caption
+                aria-live="polite"
+                aria-relevant="text"
+                className="euiScreenReaderOnly"
+                role="status"
+              >
+                Below is a table of 
+                2
+                 items.
+              </caption>
+            </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
             <EuiTableHeader>
               <thead>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js b/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js
index f8309b764ed..26db8be6c34 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import { LoadingTableBody } from './loading_table_body';
 import { EuiTableHeaderMobile } from '../table/mobile/table_header_mobile';
 import { EuiTableSortMobile } from '../table/mobile/table_sort_mobile';
 import { withRequiredProp } from '../../utils/prop_types/with_required_prop';
+import { EuiScreenReaderOnly } from '../accessibility';
 
 const dataTypesProfiles = {
   auto: {
@@ -341,6 +342,7 @@ export class EuiBasicTable extends Component {
     const { compressed, responsive } = this.props;
 
     const mobileHeader = responsive ? (<EuiTableHeaderMobile>{this.renderTableMobileSort()}</EuiTableHeaderMobile>) : undefined;
+    const caption = this.renderTableCaption();
     const head = this.renderTableHead();
     const body = this.renderTableBody();
     return (
@@ -348,7 +350,11 @@ export class EuiBasicTable extends Component {
         ref={element => { this.tableElement = element; }}
       >
         {mobileHeader}
-        <EuiTable responsive={responsive} compressed={compressed}>{head}{body}</EuiTable>
+        <EuiTable responsive={responsive} compressed={compressed}>
+          {caption}
+          {head}
+          {body}
+        </EuiTable>
       </div>
     );
   }
@@ -380,6 +386,17 @@ export class EuiBasicTable extends Component {
     return items.length ? <EuiTableSortMobile items={items} /> : null;
   }
 
+  renderTableCaption() {
+
+    const { items } = this.props;
+
+    return (
+      <EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+        <caption role="status" aria-relevant="text" aria-live="polite">Below is a table of {items.length} items.</caption>
+      </EuiScreenReaderOnly>
+    );
+  }
+
   renderTableHead() {
 
     const { items, columns, selection } = this.props;
diff --git a/src/components/search_bar/search_box.js b/src/components/search_bar/search_box.js
index 78c6ef4a5a9..4073ae6f38f 100644
--- a/src/components/search_bar/search_box.js
+++ b/src/components/search_bar/search_box.js
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ export class EuiSearchBox extends Component {
       ...rest
     } = this.props;
 
+    let ariaLabel;
+    if (incremental) {
+      ariaLabel = 'This is a search bar. As you type, the results lower in the page will automatically filter.';
+    } else {
+      ariaLabel = 'This is a search bar. After typing your query, hit enter to filter the results lower in the page.';
+    }
+
     return (
       <EuiFieldSearch
         inputRef={input => this.inputElement = input}
@@ -57,6 +64,7 @@ export class EuiSearchBox extends Component {
         incremental={incremental}
         onSearch={(query) => onSearch(query)}
         isInvalid={isInvalid}
+        aria-label={ariaLabel}
         title={title}
         {...rest}
       />