RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

If you want local information please contact our Information Line for the most up to date contact details.

Your local Jobcentre Plus

Jobcentre Plus provides practical support and advice on getting good training and looking for work. They can also provide information about the support services offered by other organisations.

Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) will:

  • give you an employment assessment which helps identify your abilities and strengths, and how your hearing loss affects the type of work you want to do
  • give you an action plan to help you achieve your goals
  • provide a job-matching and referral service, to let you know about jobs that match your experience and skills. If you feel it’s appropriate, the adviser may be able to approach the employer for you.
  • provide access to Work Based Learning for Adults (Training for Work in Scotland), which could help you update your skills or gain new ones
  • refer you to a specialist programme for disabled people.

Here are some examples of specialist programmes:

  • Work Trial is a programme that gives you the chance to try out a job with an employer for up to 15 days. You’ll carry on getting your benefits while you’re on the trial, so it’s a risk-free way of finding out if a job is right for you.
  • Job Introduction Scheme lets you to try out a job by providing financial support to your employer. It can apply to full-time or part-time jobs lasting at least 26 weeks. You must apply for it before you start work.
  • Access to Work is aimed at disabled people who are in work or entering work. The scheme works with employers and employees to arrange adjustments to support disabled people in work. This might include support workers, adaptations to premises or equipment or help with travel to work. Employers usually meet these costs and are reimbursed by the scheme.
  • The New Deal for Disabled People helps people who are claiming benefits relating to their hearing loss to train or find work (including help with applications).

There is more information on the Jobcentre Plus website (external link, opens new browser window).

Local careers service/careers advisers

Many organisations will have a careers service including schools, colleges, jobcentres, recruitment companies and some libraries. There is also one for 13-19 year olds, through the government Connexions service (external link, opens new browser window).

When you book a meeting you will need to inform your careers adviser about any communication support that you will need.

Local social services/social work department

Contact your local social services (listed in your phone book) to see if they have any specific provision for deaf people. If they do, contact them because they might know of someone who specifically supports deaf people in finding employment and training in your local area.

Local deaf club

You should also contact your local deaf club and ask your employment adviser if he or she knows of anybody locally who supports deaf people in finding employment and training.

You can find details of your local deaf club from your social worker, employment adviser, our information line or through the Royal Association for Deaf People website (external link, opens new browser window).

Deaf UK jobs

This is a free email subscription service for deaf-related job vacancies. Deaf UK Jobs is not affiliated to any organisation. To subscribe to Deaf UK Jobs, send a blank email from the address you want to subscribe from to deaf-uk-jobs-subscribe@egroups.com.

To post a job vacancy, send an email with the vacancy within the main text of the email to deaf-uk-jobs@egroups.com.

If you have any problems, please email deaf-uk-jobs-owner@egroups.com.

Job search addresses

To search for a job you should be going to the Jobcentre and looking in newspapers. Most deaf and hard of hearing people also seek work nationally by looking at Read Hear on Ceefax on the television from BBC2, page 640.