In some parts of the UK, people are finding it difficult to access lipreading classes. In some areas, there are not enough lipreading classes or teachers to enable people in the local area to develop the skill. Elsewhere, lipreading class fees are rising and many people cannot afford the extra cost which has resulted in classes around the country closing. Some lipreading class fees have increased from being free or around £10 per term to over £200 for a 30 week course.

What are we doing?

We are campaigning for lower course fees by:

1. Campaigning nationally for guidelines that treat the survival of lipreading classes as a priority.
2. Working locally with students and teachers to try and stop class cuts.
3. Making sure that everyone who could benefit from going to a lipreading class knows about them.

Latest news

April 2010: A new lipreading class (external link, opens new browser window) will be starting in Warrington in June as a result of the Campaigns Team contacting Warrington Council about the lack of lipreading classes in the area. This happened after an RNID member contacted the team to complain that the one class available was being shut down. If you are facing a similar situation in your area, please contact us using the details below.

January 2010: Our brand new lipreading campaigns pack has been launched. With new materials and information, this pack can help anyone who is struggling to access lipreading classes because of fees or lack of availability to campaign in their area. More details on how to request a pack.

November 2009: The Campaigns Team at RNID hosted a one-off free lipreading class in Lincoln for anyone who would benefit from lipreading. There are currently no classes in Lincolnshire so the event was to highlight the importance of lipreading and show there is a demand for classes to Lincolnshire County Council. The event was very attended with over 40 people participating in the class and representatives from the County Council, local media and Derek Clark MEP coming along to find out more about lipreading. We will now be continuing to work with the County Council to make sure that classes are set up throughout the county.

September 2009: Following letters from the Campaigns Team, local members and Annette Brooke MP, Poole Borough Council have now clarified their policy on lipreading classes. Anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing should now be able to access classes at a reduced cost of £10 for ten weeks.

May 2009: Following a co-ordinated campaign in partnership with our members, we have seen Essex County Council reintroduce free lipreading classes after previously bringing in fees of £186. After a concerted letter writing campaign to local MPs, a protest outside County Hall and a face-to-face meeting with the Council, we were delighted by the move made by Essex.

How can you help?

There are a number of ways you can get involved with this campaign:

1. Request a campaign pack or simply show your support for the campaign (external link, opens new browser window).

2. Contact the Campaigns Team, using the details below, to share your experiences about lipreading classes.

3. If you are having trouble accessing a lipreading class because of fees or lack of classes in your area, you could write to your local authority or college, or to your local MP for support. There is guidance for doing this in our campaign pack.

4. If your class is under threat of closing, you could try contacting your local newspaper to see if they will take up the story. Encourage anyone else you know who is affected to do the same.

Telephone 020 7296 8313
Textphone 020 7296 8001 ext 8313
Email: campaigns@rnid.org.uk