UK organisations
This is a list of UK organisations we think may be of interest to adults with hearing loss, their friends and families.
AbilityNet
AbilityNet exists to change the lives of disabled people by helping them to use digital technology at work, at home or in education.
Access London Theatre
The Access London Theatre brochure features audio-described, captioned, signed and relaxed performance listings for theatres across London and is available in print, Braille and CD.
Access Scottish Theatre
Search for accessible events in venues across Scotland.
Accessible Travel NI
Source of information and advice for travel options for Deaf people, disabled people and older people living in or visiting Northern Ireland.
Age UK
Age UK brings together Age Concern and Help the Aged. The Age UK Group works to improve later life for everyone by providing life-enhancing services and vital support.
Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults (ATLA)
The aim of ATLA is to create a world where lipreading classes are available to anyone who needs them.
Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals
AIHHP is a professional association dedicated to promoting excellence within the UK Hearing Care profession.
Black Deaf UK
A Black Deaf led organisation seeking to connect Black Deaf community together. This is a place for everyone to share, explore and understand the cultural identity of what it means to be Black and Deaf in the UK.
British Academy of Audiology (BAA)
BAA is the largest association of professionals in hearing and balance in the UK. Membership extends internationally and provides services in both the public and private sector.
British Deaf Association (BDA)
The BDA is the UK’s leading membership organisation and registered charity led by Deaf people, for Deaf people.
British Society of Mental Health and Deafness
The British Society for Mental Health and Deafness (BSMHD) is the only UK charity that focuses entirely on the promotion of positive mental health of Deaf people
BID Services
Bid Services is a charity working with children and adults with hearing loss, sight loss or both. They provide a range of services including specialist equipment support, employment support and social work. To check which services are available in your area, please visit their website for further information.
DeafBlind UK
DeafblindUK supports people with combined sight and hearing loss to live the lives they want.
Deaf and Equal
Deaf and Equal is particularly aimed at sectors that have a poor reputation for discriminating against Deaf people by either refusing access or refusing to provide information in an accessible format.
Deaf Ethnic Women’s Association (DEWA)
DEWA provides a range of support and empowers Minority Ethnic Deaf women to have choice and control, be active and be successful in all aspects of their lives without compromising their identity.
Deafax
Deafax is a Charitable organisation providing services to empower the lives of Deaf people of all ages, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives.
Deaf Muslim UK
Deaf Muslim UK seeks to improve access to Islam for the Deaf community.
deafPLUS
deafPLUS is a charity that works to improve the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK by offering deaf friendly advice where needed.
Deaf Rainbow UK
Provides a hub for information and resources for Deaf LGBTIQA+ people, and everyone else!
Deaf Unity
Working to ensure deaf students, graduates and job seekers have equal and full access to opportunities and training.
Disability Plus
The leading mental health counselling service for individuals with disability and injuries.
Evenbreak
Where disabled candidates can search for jobs with inclusive employers.
Gloucestershire Deaf Association
Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA) delivers specialist services and community activities for D/deaf and hard of hearing adults and children in Gloucestershire.
Guildford Hard of Hearing Support Group
Guildford Hard of Hearing Support Group holds regular meetings allowing members to meet others facing the same challenges as well as providing events and activities geared towards learning to overcome the difficulties presented by hearing loss.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People train hearing dogs to alert deaf people to select household sounds and danger signals in the home, work place and in public buildings – providing a life-changing level of independence, confidence and security.
Hearing Loss and Deafness Alliance
Hearing Link is an active member of the Alliance on Hearing Loss – a coalition of charities and professional representative groups working together to prevent and reduce the impact of hearing loss and tinnitus. The Alliance promotes the inclusion and participation of people who are deaf and hard of hearing in society. Download the declaration and quality statement for hearing services.
Jewish Deaf Association (JDA)
The JDA is an independent, national charity offering professional support services, information and a range of social, cultural and educational programmes to people with all levels of hearing loss, people experiencing tinnitus, their friends, families and colleagues.
Lipreading Skills
Lipreading Skills provides individual and group lipreading classes which support and help you to manage your hearing loss. Lipreading and managing hearing loss classes are for anyone who has difficulty in hearing and in following a conversation even though they may wear a hearing aid.
National Association of Deafened People (NADP)
The NADP provides information and support for deafened people who have lost all or most of their useful hearing, and for their families and friends, to help enable them to regain their independence and enjoy the best quality of life. The NADP is run by and for deafened people.
Nerve Tumours UK
Nerve Tumours UK provides support and information, as well as campaigns and raises awareness on behalf of over 26,500 people in the UK who have Neurofibromatosis (NF1 and NF2) and Schwannomatosis. We’re here to improve lives for people with nerve tumours, by making sure those affected have access to the help they require.
NIHR
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit is a partnership between University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research.
Open Ears
Open Ears is a non-denominational Christian charity for people who have various degrees of impaired hearing, mainly (but not exclusively) those who communicate orally, assisted by hearing aids or cochlear implants and lip-reading.
RNID
RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) is a charity working to make life fully inclusive for deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus. (Previously known as Action on Hearing Loss).
Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD)
RAD strives to meet the individual needs of Deaf children and adults and deafblind people through the provision of services and the use of RAD Centres for Deaf People.
Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Charity
SEMDC has over 100 members from across Scotland who come together to learn and grow, by offering mutual support and creating a welcoming community.
Sense
Sense is a national charity that supports and campaigns for adults and children who are deafblind. Services include: one-to-one support to help people live independently, communicator guides, housing, holidays and employment opportunities.
Signature
Signature is the leading awarding body for deaf communication and language qualifications in the UK.
Soundz Off
Soundz Off brings together, in one place, a list of organisations, support services, forums, social media links, general information and lots more for people in the UK who are hard of hearing or d/Deaf.
Stagetext
Stagetext makes theatre and culture accessible to deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.
Tinnitus UK
Provides information and support for person who have tinnitus and their family members. Formerly British Tinnitus Association.
UK Council on Deafness
UKCoD is the umbrella body for voluntary organisations working with deaf people in the UK.
UK Hearing Conservation Association
UKHCA is raising awareness to the dangers of damaging noise, primarily in the workplace, and offers ways for the individual as well as the employer to safeguard themselves. The membership of the organisation includes hearing aid manufacturers, PPE providers, HSE organisations and audiologists.
Your Local Cinema
Provides detailed information about subtitled film listings for all four countries of the UK.
Webpage updated: September 2023