RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

About this leaflet

This leaflet tells you about deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK today. There could be lots of reasons why you want to know more about deaf and hard of hearing people. Maybe a colleague is deaf. A member of your family, your friend or partner may be hard of hearing. Perhaps you teach deaf students. You may have deaf or hard of hearing clients or customers.

Whatever your reason, this leaflet gives a brief introduction to deaf and hard of hearing issues. It looks at:

You can download a portable document format (PDF) version of this leaflet.

How deafness is described

Being deaf or hard of hearing can mean very different things to different people. Some people will feel more comfortable with particular words to describe their own deafness. They might feel strongly about terms they do not like used. RNID uses the following terms:

  • Deaf people. We use this term in a general way when we are talking about people with all degrees of deafness.
  • Hard of hearing people. We use this term to describe people with a mild to severe hearing loss. We quite often use it to describe people who have lost their hearing gradually.
  • Deafened people. People who were born hearing and became severely or profoundly deaf after learning to speak are often described as deafened.
  • Deafblind people. Many deafblind people have some hearing and vision. Others will be totally deaf and totally blind.
  • The deaf community. Many deaf people whose first or preferred language is British Sign Language (BSL) consider themselves part of the deaf community. They may describe themselves as 'Deaf', with a capital D, to emphasise their deaf identity.

Some facts and figures

Here are some facts and figures about deaf and hard of hearing people:

  • There are an estimated 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. The number is rising as the amount of people over 60 increases.
  • In the UK, there are about 20,000 children aged 0 to 15 years who are moderately to profoundly deaf. Many more have temporary hearing problems in early childhood.
  • There are an estimated 123,000 deafened people in the UK aged 16 and over.
  • There are about 23,000 deafblind people in the UK.
  • It is difficult to say how many people in the UK use BSL as their first or preferred language; current estimates vary between 50,000 and 70,000.
  • Most of the 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK have developed a hearing loss as they grew older. Only about 2% of young adults are deaf or hard of hearing. Around the age of 50 the proportion of deaf people begins to increase sharply and 55% of people over 60 are deaf or hard of hearing.

What causes deafness

There are many reasons why some people are born deaf or hard of hearing or lose their hearing. Sometimes people may lose their hearing temporarily and it comes back when they receive medical treatment. For others, deafness and hearing loss are permanent.

Causes of permanent deafness and hearing loss include:

  • Presbyacusis - also known as age-related hearing loss. It is the most common type of deafness and affects many older people.
  • certain diseases such as mumps or meningitis
  • certain drugs, in particular aspirin in high doses, or antibiotics called aminoglycosides
  • frequent exposure to loud noise
  • a serious head injury
  • if a mother has rubella (German measles) while she is pregnant. Her baby may be born deaf
  • if a baby is born prematurely or the mother has a difficult labour
  • medical conditions such as Ménière's disease
  • repeated infections in the middle ear (behind the eardrum) - particularly if they continue for a long time and are not treated.

There are two main types of deafness:

  • conductive deafness, where sound has difficulty passing through the outer or middle ear
  • sensorineural deafness, where the cause of deafness is in the cochlea or hearing nerve.

Some people may have the same type and degree of hearing loss in each ear, or it may be different in each ear. A hearing test will identify what type of deafness a person has.

For more information, see our leaflet Is your hearing going?.

Hearing aids

About two million people in the UK have hearing aids, but at least five million others would benefit from one.

Hearing aids make sounds louder so that users are able to hear them. They are battery-operated and are usually worn in or behind the ear. In the UK you can get hearing aids free of charge on the NHS. Some people choose to buy them privately.

For more information, see our leaflet Getting a hearing aid.

Communicating with deaf people

Deaf and hard of hearing people choose to communicate in different ways, depending on their level of deafness:

  • Some people with a mild hearing loss might use a hearing aid or  find lipreading helpful.
  • People with a moderate hearing loss will have difficulty hearing what is said without a hearing aid, particularly somewhere noisy.
  • People who are severely deaf may have difficulty following what is being said even with a hearing aid. Many lipread and some use sign language or need other communication support.
  • Some, but not all, people who are profoundly deaf may find that hearing aids are of little benefit to them. British Sign Language (BSL) may be their first or preferred language.
  • For more information, see our leaflet Don't miss out.

Lipreading

Everyone lipreads to some extent, especially in noisy situations. When you speak to someone their facial movements will give you information to help you understand the meaning of what they are saying. Many hard of hearing people use lipreading too.

If you are talking to someone who relies on lipreading, remember that it requires a lot of skill and concentration and can sometimes be tiring. Many words look similar on the lips. Some sounds are pronounced at the back of the throat and have no visible lip shape.

Go to the Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults (ATLA) website (external link, opens new browser window) to find
a local class. If there is no class in your area, ask your local adult education centre or college to provide one.

For more information, see our leaflet Watch this face.

Sign language

British Sign Language (BSL) is the most widely used method of signed communication in the UK. Some people use Sign Supported English (SSE). SSE is not a language in its own right, but a kind of English with signs.

BSL developed naturally, as do spoken languages. It uses a range of communicative methods - hand shapes and movements, facial expressions, and shoulder movements. BSL is structured differently to English and, like any language, has its own grammar.

For more information, see our leaflet Sign language.

Fingerspelling

People who use BSL also use fingerspelling. Certain words - usually names of people and places - are spelled out on fingers. Fingerspelling alone is not sign language but it can be very useful when communicating with deaf sign language users.

Contact the RNID Information Line for one of our fingerspelling cards or look at our fingerspelling tool.

Equipment for deaf and hard of hearing people

A range of equipment is available for use in the home, car, workplace and when socialising. It includes:

  • equipment to alert someone to different sounds, such as an alarm clock, doorbell or smoke alarm
  • equipment to help someone use the telephone better
  • listening equipment - to help someone have a conversation, watch television or hear music.

For more information, see our leaflet Everyday solutions.