About this factsheet

This factsheet is part of RNID’s deaf awareness range. It is written for people who would like to know more about the numbers of deaf, hard of hearing and deafened people in the UK today. We also include figures for people with tinnitus.

At the end of this factsheet we give you details of organisations you can contact for useful information.

In this factsheet we will answer these questions:

You can also find out:

How are hearing loss and deafness measured?

Hearing loss and deafness is usually measured by finding the quietest sounds someone can hear using tones with different frequencies – which are heard as different pitches. The person being tested is asked to respond – usually by pressing a button – when they can hear a tone and the level of the tone is adjusted until they can just hear it. This level is called the threshold.

Thresholds are measured in units called dBHL – dB stands for ‘decibels’ and HL stands for ‘hearing level’. Anyone with thresholds between 0 and 20 dBHL across all the frequencies is considered to have ‘normal’ hearing. The greater the threshold level is – in dBHL – the worse the hearing loss.

Definitions of deafness

Mild deafness

People with mild deafness have some difficulty following speech, mainly in noisy situations. The quietest sounds they can hear in their better ear average between 25 and 39 decibels.

Moderate deafness

People with moderate deafness have difficulty in following speech without a hearing aid. The quietest sounds they can hear in their better ear average between 40 and 69 decibels.

Severe deafness

People with severe deafness rely a lot on lipreading, even with a hearing aid. BSL may be their first or preferred language. The quietest sounds they can hear in their better ear average between 70 and 94 decibels.

Profound deafness

People who are profoundly deaf communicate by lipreading. BSL may be their first or preferred language. The quietest sounds they can hear in their better ear average 95 decibels or more.

Where do we get information about deafness and tinnitus?

Most of the facts and figures given in this factsheet are researched by the Medical Research Council (MRC) Institute of Hearing Research (external link, opens new browser window). You can also contact organisations specialising in specific aspects of deafness and hearing loss for information. You will find them mentioned where appropriate in this factsheet.

All figures given in this factsheet apply to the UK unless otherwise specified.

What do we know about deaf and hard of hearing people?

There are estimated to be about 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. The number is rising as the number of people over 60 increases. About 698,000 of these are severely or profoundly deaf. 450,000 severely or profoundly deaf people cannot hear well enough to use a voice telephone, even with equipment to make it louder. People who cannot use voice telephones might use textphones or videophones.

What do we know about deaf and hard of hearing children?

The following statistics have been supplied by NDCS.

In the UK, there are about 20,000 children aged 0-15 years who are moderately to profoundly deaf. About 12,000 of these were born deaf. Children who are born deaf are sometimes called ‘prelingually’ deaf because they were deaf before they developed language. They have particular educational needs.

There are more than 34,000 deaf children and young people in the UK.

About one in every 1,000 children is deaf at three years old. This rises to two in every 1,000 children aged nine to 16.

An estimated 840 children are born in the UK every year with significant deafness – moderate to profound deafness. Vaccination means fewer babies are born deaf as a result of their mothers having German measles (rubella) during pregnancy. This drop has been offset by more babies being born deaf from other causes such as premature birth or lack of oxygen during birth. More babies survive with multiple disabilities than used to be the case.

What do we know about deafened people?

The term ‘deafened’ describes people who were not prelingually deaf, but have become profoundly deaf in adult life. This often happens suddenly as a result of trauma, infection or ototoxic drugs – drugs that can cause hearing loss.

There are an estimated 123,000 deafened people in the UK aged 16 and over. They often rely heavily on lipreading and written communication. They may require communication support, such as speech-to-text reporters, lipspeakers or notetakers, in meetings and other situations where lipreading is difficult.

What do we know about deafblind people?

There are about 23,000 deafblind people in the UK. Some are totally deaf and totally blind – other deafblind people have some hearing and vision.
A further 250,000 people experience some degree of dual sensory impairment, many in older age.

For information on deafblindness contact Sense (external link, opens new browser window).

What do we know about deaf people with additional disabilities?

A high proportion of severely or profoundly deaf people have other disabilities as well. Among those under 60, 45% have additional disabilities – these are more likely to be physical disabilities. Among severely or profoundly deaf people over 60 years, 77% have some additional disability. For 45%, this means significant dexterity or sight difficulties, or both.

What do we know about black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people?

There is evidence to suggest that some minority ethnic groups may experience higher levels of deafness. This is especially true of recent immigrants who have come from regions with greater levels of poverty, poor health care and low levels of immunisation against diseases such as rubella.

There are no accurate figures available for the number of black and minority ethnic deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. An estimated 3,663,000 people are from a minority ethnic group in the UK.

If the pattern of deafness in the general population is repeated in the minority ethnic community, we could estimate that in the UK approximately 500,000 black and minority ethnic people are deaf or hard of hearing. But these figures should be treated with caution. They do not take into account the age profile of different black and minority ethnic communities or account for recent immigrants who may have come from regions with greater levels of poverty, poor health care and low levels of immunisation against diseases such as rubella.

How age affects hearing

Most of the 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK have developed a hearing loss as they get 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.

Are men and women equally likely to be affected?

From the age of 40 onwards, a higher proportion of men than women become hard of hearing. This is probably because more men have been exposed to high levels of industrial noise. Among people over the age of 80, more women than men are deaf or hard of hearing. This is simply because women tend to live longer than men, not because women are more likely to become deaf.

How many people use hearing aids?

About 2 million people in the UK have hearing aids, but only 1.4 million use them regularly. There are at least another 4 million people who do not have hearing aids but experience significant hearing difficulties in everyday life. They would be likely to benefit from hearing aids.

How many people use British Sign Language (BSL)?

Many people who are born deaf or are deafened early in life use sign language to communicate. It is difficult to say how many people in the UK use BSL as their first or preferred language – current estimates suggest 50,000.

There are between 3,000 and 4,000 BSL users in Northern Ireland, as well as around 1,000 users of Irish Sign Language (ISL).

How many people lipread?

It is difficult to say how many people lipread. 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. If you have a hearing loss the balance between what you hear and what you see changes. As your hearing gets worse, you will get more information through lipreading. The biggest group of lipreaders is hard of hearing people.

What do we know about deaf people and work?

About 3.5 million people of working age (16 – 65 years) are deaf or hard of hearing. 160,000 of these are severely or profoundly deaf.

Deaf and hard of hearing people are less likely to be in employment.

Evidence from the Labour Force Survey (Autumn 2001) shows that 68.1% of people of working age who had ‘difficulty in hearing’ were in employment compared to 81.2% of people who are not disabled. See Labour Market Trends August 2002. You can download it free from the Office of National Statistics (external link, opens new browser window) or get a copy from your local library.

In 2002 RNID carried out a survey into the employment situation and experiences of deaf and hard of hearing people. The survey found that respondents had an unemployment rate of 19%, which is four times the national average for people who are not deaf or hard of hearing, and not disabled. Nearly a third of those deaf people who were in full-time work earned under £10,000 per year compared to 11.8% of the UK general population.

The register of deaf and hard of hearing people in England

In England deaf and hard of hearing people can register with their local social services department. This is voluntary and many people do not register. People are entitled to help from their social services department whether they are registered or not. This means the figures should be treated with a great deal of caution.

In 2004, only 213,900 people were registered as deaf or hard of hearing in England. As there are more than 7 million deaf and hard of hearing people in England, and 577,000 are severely or profoundly deaf, it is clear that the registers are a very poor guide.

The figures are published by the Department of Heath. The report is called "People Registered as Deaf or Hard of Hearing Year ending 31 March 2004 England". You can look at the figures on the Department of Health’s website. (external link, opens new browser window)

Social services statistics in Wales

You can look at the statistics about the number of people registered as deaf or hard of hearing in Wales on the local government data unit website (external link, opens new browser window), www.lgdu-wales.gov.uk.

What do we know about people with tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the word for noises that some people hear 'in the ears' or 'in the head', such as buzzing, ringing, hissing and other sounds. Many people experience tinnitus at some time in their life, but for many it only lasts for a short time. For other people it is permanent. Permanent tinnitus can be either mild or severe.

Research has shown that:

How can I work out how many deaf and hard of hearing people there are in my area?

The tables that follow show estimated numbers for the UK as a whole and for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. If you know the size of the population in your area, and how it breaks down by age group, you can use the percentages in the first table to calculate estimates for your area.

Useful publications

Useful information

Medical Research Council (MRC) Institute of Hearing Research

The Institute of Hearing Research is a unit of the UK Medical Research Council. It carries out research into hearing and hearing disorders.

MRC Institute of Hearing Research, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
Telephone 0115 922 3431
Textphone 0115 951 8509
Fax 0115 951 8503
MRC Institute of Hearing Research website (external link, opens new browser window)

The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS)

NDCS supports all deaf children, young deaf people and their families in overcoming the challenges of childhood deafness.

The National Deaf Children's Society, 15 Dufferin Street, London EC1Y 8UR
Telephone 0808 800 8880
Textphone 0808 800 8880
Fax 020 7251 5020.
The National Deaf Children's Society website (external link, opens new browser window)

Office for National Statistics

Contact the Office for National Statistics for lots of economic and social facts and figures.

The Library, Office for National Statistics, Cardiff Road, Newport NP10 8XG
Telephone 0845 601 3034
Telephone enquiries in Welsh: 01633 813381
Textphone 01633 812399
Fax 01633 652747
National Statistics website (external link, opens new browser window)

Sense

Sense is an organisation for people who are deafblind or have associated disabilities.

Sense, Head Office, 11-13 Clifton Terrace, London N4 3SR
Telephone 020 7272 7774
Textphone 0207 272 9648
Fax 020 7272 6012
Sense website (external link, opens new browser window)