fix(textarea, textbox): ensure inputHint and labelHelp props do not render two seperate DOM elements

src/components/decimal/decimal.stories.mdx

@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ import Decimal from "carbon-react/lib/components/decimal";
   <Story name="with fieldHelp" story={stories.WithFieldHelp} />
 </Canvas>
 
+### With inputHint
+
+<Canvas>
+  <Story name="with inputHint" story={stories.WithInputHint} />
+</Canvas>
+
 ### With labelHelp
 
 <Canvas>

src/components/decimal/decimal.stories.tsx

@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ WithLabelHelp.args = {
   helpAriaLabel: "Help",
 };
 
+export const WithInputHint = DefaultStory.bind({});
+WithInputHint.args = {
+  inputHint: "Hint text (optional).",
+};
+
 export const Required = DefaultStory.bind({});
 Required.args = { required: true };
 

src/components/grouped-character/grouped-character.stories.mdx

@@ -114,6 +114,15 @@ import GroupedCharacter from "carbon-react/lib/components/grouped-character";
   <Story story={stories.FieldHelp} name="with fieldHelp" />
 </Canvas>
 
+### with inputHint
+
+When the `inputHint` prop is passed, please use a full stop `.` at the end. This forces a pause 
+before any other announcements, this well help screen reader users understand the hint fully.
+
+<Canvas>
+  <Story name="with inputHint" story={stories.InputHint} />
+</Canvas>
+
 ### With labelHelp
 
 <Canvas>

src/components/grouped-character/grouped-character.stories.tsx

@@ -149,6 +149,25 @@ export const FieldHelp = () => {
   );
 };
 
+export const InputHint = () => {
+  const [state, setState] = useState("1231231");
+
+  const setValue = ({ target }: CustomEvent) => {
+    setState(target.value.rawValue);
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <GroupedCharacter
+      label="GroupedCharacter"
+      value={state}
+      onChange={setValue}
+      groups={[2, 2, 3]}
+      separator="-"
+      inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
+    />
+  );
+};
+
 export const LabelHelp = () => {
   const [state, setState] = useState("1231231");
 

src/components/number/number.stories.mdx

@@ -88,6 +88,15 @@ import Number from "carbon-react/lib/components/number";
   <Story name="with fieldHelp" story={stories.WithFieldHelp} />
 </Canvas>
 
+### with inputHint
+
+When the `inputHint` prop is passed, please use a full stop `.` at the end. This forces a pause 
+before any other announcements, this well help screen reader users understand the hint fully.
+
+<Canvas>
+  <Story name="with inputHint" story={stories.WithInputHint} />
+</Canvas>
+
 ### With labelHelp
 
 <Canvas>

src/components/number/number.stories.tsx

@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ export const WithFieldHelp: ComponentStory<typeof Number> = () => (
   <Number label="Number" value="123456" fieldHelp="Help" />
 );
 
+export const WithInputHint: ComponentStory<typeof Number> = () => (
+  <Number label="Number" value="123456" inputHint="Hint text (optional)." />
+);
+
 export const WithLabelHelp: ComponentStory<typeof Number> = () => (
   <Number label="Number" value="123456" labelHelp="Help" helpAriaLabel="Help" />
 );

src/components/password/password.stories.mdx

@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ the input type will not be able to be changed to `text`. To be used primarily to
 
 ### with inputHint
 
+When the `inputHint` prop is passed, please use a full stop `.` at the end. This forces a pause 
+before any other announcements, this well help screen reader users understand the hint fully.
+
 <Canvas>
   <Story name="with inputHint" story={stories.InputHint} />
 </Canvas>

src/components/password/password.stories.tsx

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export const InputHint = () => {
 
   return (
     <Password
-      inputHint="Please enter a password with at least 8 characters"
+      inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
       label="Password"
       value={state}
       onChange={setValue}
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ export const NewDesignsValidation = () => {
                 label={`${size} - ${validationType}`}
                 value={state}
                 onChange={setValue}
-                labelHelp="Hint text (optional)"
+                inputHint="Hint text (optional)"
                 size={size}
                 {...{ [validationType]: "Message" }}
               />
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ export const NewDesignsValidation = () => {
                 label={`readOnly - ${size} - ${validationType}`}
                 value="Password"
                 size={size}
-                labelHelp="Hint text (optional)"
+                inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
                 readOnly
                 {...{ [validationType]: "Message" }}
               />

src/components/textarea/textarea.component.tsx

@@ -15,11 +15,7 @@ import StyledTextarea, { MIN_HEIGHT } from "./textarea.style";
 import { TooltipProvider } from "../../__internal__/tooltip-provider";
 import useInputAccessibility from "../../hooks/__internal__/useInputAccessibility";
 import { NewValidationContext } from "../carbon-provider/carbon-provider.component";
-import {
-  ErrorBorder,
-  StyledHintText,
-  StyledInputHint,
-} from "../textbox/textbox.style";
+import { ErrorBorder, StyledHintText } from "../textbox/textbox.style";
 import ValidationMessage from "../../__internal__/validation-message";
 import Box from "../box";
 import Logger from "../../__internal__/utils/logger";
@@ -84,7 +80,10 @@ export interface TextareaProps
   label?: string;
   /** Inline label alignment */
   labelAlign?: "left" | "right";
-  /** Text applied to label help tooltip */
+  /** [Legacy] Text applied to label help tooltip. When opted into new design validations
+   * it will render as a hint above the input, unless an `inputHint`
+   * prop is also passed
+   */
   labelHelp?: React.ReactNode;
   /** When true, label is placed in line an input */
   labelInline?: boolean;
@@ -382,13 +381,10 @@ export const Textarea = React.forwardRef(
               adaptiveLabelBreakpoint={adaptiveLabelBreakpoint}
               validationRedesignOptIn={validationRedesignOptIn}
             >
-              {inputHint ? (
-                <StyledInputHint id={inputHintId} data-element="input-hint">
-                  {inputHint}
-                </StyledInputHint>
-              ) : null}
-              {validationRedesignOptIn && labelHelp && (
-                <StyledHintText>{labelHelp}</StyledHintText>
+              {(inputHint || (labelHelp && validationRedesignOptIn)) && (
+                <StyledHintText id={inputHintId} data-element="input-hint">
+                  {inputHint || labelHelp}
+                </StyledHintText>
               )}
               {validationRedesignOptIn ? (
                 <Box position="relative">

src/components/textarea/textarea.spec.tsx

@@ -21,11 +21,7 @@ import { StyledLabelContainer } from "../../__internal__/label/label.style";
 import Tooltip from "../tooltip";
 import StyledHelp from "../help/help.style";
 import CarbonProvider from "../carbon-provider/carbon-provider.component";
-import {
-  ErrorBorder,
-  StyledHintText,
-  StyledInputHint,
-} from "../textbox/textbox.style";
+import { ErrorBorder, StyledHintText } from "../textbox/textbox.style";
 import StyledValidationMessage from "../../__internal__/validation-message/validation-message.style";
 import StyledTextarea from "./textarea.style";
 import Logger from "../../__internal__/utils/logger";
@@ -257,12 +253,12 @@ describe("Textarea", () => {
         describe("and inputHint props are present", () => {
           it("renders a character counter hint", () => {
             wrapper = mount(<Textarea value="test string" inputHint="foo" />);
-            expect(wrapper.find(StyledInputHint).text()).toBe("foo");
+            expect(wrapper.find(StyledHintText).text()).toBe("foo");
           });
 
           it("assigns a character counter hint via guid", () => {
             wrapper = mount(<Textarea value="test string" inputHint="bar" />);
-            expect(wrapper.find(StyledInputHint).prop("id")).toBe(mockedGuid);
+            expect(wrapper.find(StyledHintText).prop("id")).toBe(mockedGuid);
           });
 
           it("should render a valid 'aria-describedby' on input", () => {
@@ -271,6 +267,19 @@ describe("Textarea", () => {
               mockedGuid
             );
           });
+
+          it("rendered text should be provided via inputHint, when labelHelp is also passed", () => {
+            wrapper = mount(
+              <CarbonProvider validationRedesignOptIn>
+                <Textarea
+                  labelHelp="labelHelp"
+                  inputHint="inputHint"
+                  error="foo"
+                />
+              </CarbonProvider>
+            );
+            expect(wrapper.find(StyledHintText).text()).toBe("inputHint");
+          });
         });
 
         describe("and fieldHelp props are present", () => {

src/components/textarea/textarea.stories.mdx

@@ -134,6 +134,15 @@ Include the formatted number count wherever makes sense for the language you're
   <Story name="with fieldHelp" story={stories.FieldHelpStory} />
 </Canvas>
 
+### With inputHint
+
+When the `inputHint` prop is passed, please use a full stop `.` at the end. This forces a pause 
+before any other announcements, this well help screen reader users understand the hint fully.
+
+<Canvas>
+  <Story name="with inputHint" story={stories.InputHintStory} />
+</Canvas>
+
 ### With labelHelp
 
 <Canvas>

src/components/textarea/textarea.stories.tsx

@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ export const MaxWidthStory: ComponentStory<typeof Textarea> = () => {
   return <Textarea label="Textarea" maxWidth="70%" />;
 };
 
+export const InputHintStory: ComponentStory<typeof Textarea> = () => {
+  return <Textarea label="Textarea" inputHint="Hint text (optional)." />;
+};
+
 export const LabelHelpStory: ComponentStory<typeof Textarea> = () => {
   return <Textarea label="Textarea" labelHelp="Help" helpAriaLabel="Help" />;
 };
@@ -231,11 +235,13 @@ export const NewDesignValidationStory: ComponentStory<typeof Textarea> = () => {
         >
           <Textarea
             label={`${validationType}`}
+            inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
             {...{ [validationType]: "Message" }}
             m={4}
           />
           <Textarea
             label={`readOnly - ${validationType}`}
+            inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
             readOnly
             {...{ [validationType]: "Message" }}
             m={4}

src/components/textbox/textbox.component.tsx

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import StyledPrefix from "./__internal__/prefix.style";
 import { TooltipProvider } from "../../__internal__/tooltip-provider";
 import useCharacterCount from "../../hooks/__internal__/useCharacterCount";
 import useInputAccessibility from "../../hooks/__internal__/useInputAccessibility/useInputAccessibility";
-import { ErrorBorder, StyledInputHint, StyledHintText } from "./textbox.style";
+import { ErrorBorder, StyledHintText } from "./textbox.style";
 import ValidationMessage from "../../__internal__/validation-message";
 import { NewValidationContext } from "../carbon-provider/carbon-provider.component";
 import NumeralDateContext from "../numeral-date/numeral-date-context";
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ export interface CommonTextboxProps
   label?: string;
   /** Inline label alignment */
   labelAlign?: "left" | "right";
-  /** A message that the Help component will display */
+  /** [Legacy] Text applied to label help tooltip. When opted into new design validations
+   * it will render as a hint above the input, unless an `inputHint`
+   * prop is also passed
+   */
   labelHelp?: React.ReactNode;
   /** When true label is inline */
   labelInline?: boolean;
@@ -342,13 +345,10 @@ export const Textbox = React.forwardRef(
             validationRedesignOptIn={validationRedesignOptIn}
             {...filterStyledSystemMarginProps(props)}
           >
-            {inputHint ? (
-              <StyledInputHint id={inputHintId} data-element="input-hint">
-                {inputHint}
-              </StyledInputHint>
-            ) : null}
-            {validationRedesignOptIn && labelHelp && (
-              <StyledHintText>{labelHelp}</StyledHintText>
+            {(inputHint || (labelHelp && validationRedesignOptIn)) && (
+              <StyledHintText id={inputHintId} data-element="input-hint">
+                {inputHint || labelHelp}
+              </StyledHintText>
             )}
             {validationRedesignOptIn ? (
               <Box position="relative">

src/components/textbox/textbox.spec.tsx

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import {
 import Tooltip from "../tooltip";
 import StyledHelp from "../help/help.style";
 import createGuid from "../../__internal__/utils/helpers/guid";
-import { ErrorBorder, StyledHintText, StyledInputHint } from "./textbox.style";
+import { ErrorBorder, StyledHintText } from "./textbox.style";
 import StyledValidationMessage from "../../__internal__/validation-message/validation-message.style";
 import CarbonProvider from "../carbon-provider/carbon-provider.component";
 import Logger from "../../__internal__/utils/logger";
@@ -403,12 +403,12 @@ describe("Textbox", () => {
   describe("and inputHint props are present", () => {
     it("renders a character counter hint", () => {
       const wrapper = mount(<Textbox value="test string" inputHint="foo" />);
-      expect(wrapper.find(StyledInputHint).text()).toBe("foo");
+      expect(wrapper.find(StyledHintText).text()).toBe("foo");
     });
 
     it("assigns a character counter hint via guid", () => {
       const wrapper = mount(<Textbox value="test string" inputHint="bar" />);
-      expect(wrapper.find(StyledInputHint).prop("id")).toBe(mockedGuid);
+      expect(wrapper.find(StyledHintText).prop("id")).toBe(mockedGuid);
     });
 
     it("should render a valid 'aria-describedby' on input", () => {
@@ -417,6 +417,15 @@ describe("Textbox", () => {
         mockedGuid
       );
     });
+
+    it("rendered text should be provided via inputHint, when labelHelp is also passed", () => {
+      const wrapper = mount(
+        <CarbonProvider validationRedesignOptIn>
+          <Textbox labelHelp="labelHelp" inputHint="inputHint" error="foo" />
+        </CarbonProvider>
+      );
+      expect(wrapper.find(StyledHintText).text()).toBe("inputHint");
+    });
   });
 
   describe("when maxWidth is passed", () => {

src/components/textbox/textbox.stories.mdx

@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ Include the formatted number count wherever makes sense for the language you're
   <Story name="with fieldHelp" story={stories.WithFieldHelp} />
 </Canvas>
 
+### With inputHint
+
+When the `inputHint` prop is passed, please use a full stop `.` at the end. This forces a pause 
+before any other announcements, this well help screen reader users understand the hint fully.
+
+<Canvas>
+  <Story name="with inputHint" story={stories.WithInputHint} />
+</Canvas>
+
 ### With labelHelp
 
 <Canvas>

src/components/textbox/textbox.stories.tsx

@@ -153,6 +153,16 @@ export const WithFieldHelp: ComponentStory<typeof Textbox> = () => {
   return <Textbox label="Textbox" value="Textbox" fieldHelp="Help" />;
 };
 
+export const WithInputHint: ComponentStory<typeof Textbox> = () => {
+  return (
+    <Textbox
+      label="Textbox"
+      value="Textbox"
+      inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
+    />
+  );
+};
+
 export const WithLabelHelp: ComponentStory<typeof Textbox> = () => {
   return (
     <Textbox
@@ -271,7 +281,7 @@ export const NewDesignsValidation: ComponentStory<typeof Textbox> = () => {
                 m={4}
                 label={`${size} - ${validationType}`}
                 defaultValue="Textbox"
-                labelHelp="Hint text (optional)"
+                inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
                 size={size}
                 {...{ [validationType]: "Message" }}
               />
@@ -280,7 +290,7 @@ export const NewDesignsValidation: ComponentStory<typeof Textbox> = () => {
                 label={`readOnly - ${size} - ${validationType}`}
                 defaultValue="Textbox"
                 size={size}
-                labelHelp="Hint text (optional)"
+                inputHint="Hint text (optional)."
                 readOnly
                 {...{ [validationType]: "Message" }}
               />