RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

factsheet iconHearing aids factsheet

About this factsheet

This factsheet is part of RNID’s hearing aids range. It is written for adults who would like to understand more about buying a hearing aid. We use the term ‘deaf’ people to refer to deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people throughout this factsheet.

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

What do I do if I think I have a hearing loss?

Go to your GP first. Your GP will check your ears to see if you need further medical examination or treatment.

Usually, they will refer you to the audiology clinic or ear, nose and throat (ENT) department of your local hospital. Digital hearing aids are available free of charge through NHS audiology services.

The NHS will usually give you high-quality, behind-the-ear (BTE), digital hearing aids fitted using thorough procedures to suit your individual needs. But there is high demand on the service and you may have a long wait before receiving your hearing aids. Many people choose to buy hearing aids from a private dispenser to avoid the wait, to have a choice of style of hearing aid and to have a more convenient appointment.

What should I consider if I’m thinking of going to a hearing aid dispenser?

  • Try to make sure that you are in control of the decision to buy a hearing aid. Be wary of newspaper advertisements that appear to be from an organisation that is campaigning or providing information about hearing. These are often in fact from companies who want to sell you hearing aids. Don’t accept a home visit from a dispenser unless this is what you really want. It is usually better, if possible, to visit a fully equipped hearing aid shop or centre.
  • Remember: hearing aids can’t restore perfect hearing. They make sound louder so that you can hear it comfortably, but will not necessarily make everything completely clear. Hearing aids can make a huge difference in everyday life, but any hearing aid dispenser or company that promises to give you perfect hearing is giving you unrealistic expectations.
  • All hearing aid dispensers have to be registered with the Hearing Aid Council (HAC) (external link, opens new browser window). Qualified hearing aid dispensers have the letters ‘RHAD’ after their name. RHAD stands for ‘Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser’. They may also use other letters after their name, such as MSHAA, FSHAA, or MRSH – these show their membership of professional organisations. But it is RHAD that shows they are qualified and registered to dispense hearing aids. Ask the HAC to send you a copy of their Code of Practice or find it on the Hearing Aid Council website (external link, opens new browser window).
  • If you can, before you go for your hearing test, try to compare what different dispensers will offer you and how much they will charge. You can find some helpful information from different companies on the internet. Be aware that some dispensers will only sell products from one or two hearing aid companies, while other dispensers will be able to offer a wider range of products. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and get all quotations in writing.

How do I choose a private hearing aid dispenser?

  • Contact RNID’s Information Line. We can give you contact details of private hearing aid dispensers – but we cannot recommend one over another.
  • You can search for dispensers in your area on the HAC website (external link, opens new browser window). But the HAC can’t recommend either individual dispensers or particular hearing aids, so pick your dispenser carefully.
  • Your GP may be able to give you information about hearing aid dispensers in your area.
  • If you know someone who has bought a hearing aid privately, ask them if they would recommend their dispenser. But remember that their hearing loss is unlikely to be the same as yours, so their hearing aid may not necessarily be the right one for you.
  • If you are thinking of buying from a dispenser who is visiting your area, check that you will be able to contact them easily in the future. You will need to be able to see them if you have a problem with your hearing aid and need to get it repaired or adjusted. If in doubt, contact the HAC and find out where the dispenser is based, or use a local dispenser instead.
  • Find out the hours and days of each week when the dispenser will be available to help you. In some shops or centres the dispenser is there only at certain times.
  • It may seem cheaper to buy your hearing aid abroad but it may be more expensive in the long run.

How much will a hearing aid cost?

A private digital hearing aid can cost between £600 and £3,500 depending on its style and how sophisticated it is. Many companies charge extra for the more discreet in the ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC) and aids that fit completely in the ear canal. Hearing aids last five years or more, but you will have to pay again when they need replacing. Hearing aids that fit completely in the ear may not last as long. With behind-the-ear aids (BTE), you may also have to pay for new earmoulds from time to time.

Remember that you will also need to budget for a regular supply of batteries and any hearing aid repairs you need after the warranty expires. Batteries can cost between £25 and £40 a year for each hearing aid if you wear it all day. Repairs to the hearing aid can cost £100 or more each time.

How do I decide which hearing aid to buy?

You can choose from a range of hearing aids. Remember that the type of hearing aid someone else has will not necessarily suit you. For example, very small hearing aids might not be suitable for you if you have a severe hearing loss. If you find it hard to manage small or fiddly controls, you may want to use a larger type of aid or one with a remote control. If you wear spectacles, make sure that the hearing aid fits snugly beside the spectacle arm and you can wear both together comfortably.

In general, the more expensive hearing aids have more advanced features but some of these may be more useful to you than others. On the other hand, the cheapest hearing aids are unlikely to prove satisfactory unless you simply want one as a spare aid or for use only in very limited situations.

What features should I look out for in hearing aids?

  • With more advanced digital aids, it is possible to tailor sound very precisely to suit your individual needs. Find out if the dispenser will be able to fine-tune the aid to give you the best result.
  • Digital hearing aids divide the sound spectrum into a number of ‘bands’ or ‘channels’ and process each separately in order to increase clarity and comfort of sound. It is sometimes suggested that the more bands you have, the better your hearing experience will be. But there is no evidence that this is necessarily the case.
  • Ask whether an open ear fitting might be suitable for you. This can give more natural sound quality if your hearing loss is not severe.
  • Find out if you will be able to change the settings to suit different sound environments. Some hearing aids adapt to different environments automatically.
  • Find out if the aid automatically controls feedback to stop it from whistling.
  • Outside, the noise made by the wind blowing across the microphone can sometimes
  • be annoying. Ask whether the aid has a way of stopping this.
  • Find out if the aid can reduce some kinds of background noise automatically, so that listening is more comfortable.
  • Find out if it has a directional microphone – this will make it easier for you to hear in noisy places.
  • Find out how easy it is for you to switch the hearing aid on and off and use the controls. Make sure that you can feel them easily. You may find some models easier to use than others.
  • Find out how well it works with your telephone.

Don’t be pressured into buying an expensive hearing aid unless you can try it first in everyday situations to make sure it is easy to use and that it really helps you.
See our leaflet Hearing aids (opens new browser window) and our factsheet Digital hearing aids (opens new browser window) for more information.

Hearing aids and loop systems

Not all private hearing aids can be used with loop systems. If using a loop is important to you, make sure that you can use one with the model you are buying. A loop system helps deaf and hard of hearing people who use a hearing aid that has a ‘T’ setting to hear sounds more clearly by reducing or cutting out background noise. Infrared systems are an alternative to loop systems. To hear sound, you need to use an infrared receiver with a neckloop.

See Induction loop and infrared systems – a guide for deaf and hard of hearing people (opens new browser window) for more information.

I have a severe hearing loss. Will it be harder to find a suitable hearing aid?

No. There are models specially designed for people with severe and profound hearing loss. But you will be very reliant on the skill and experience of the dispenser in programming the aid to give you the best results.

What will happen when I go to a private dispenser?

Whether you visit the dispenser or they visit you in your home, you may want to have someone with you for support and to make sure you don’t mishear something.

The hearing aid dispenser will:

  • first ask you about your hearing problems and other related issues
  • look inside your ears
  • test your hearing.

Then, if the tests show that a hearing aid is likely to help, the dispenser will discuss with you which type will suit you best. Ask if you can pay separately just for a hearing test if this is all you want at this stage.

The range of tests carried out can vary, but they must include an air conduction hearing test. In this test, you listen to tones (beeps) through headphones and tell the dispenser when you can hear them. If this test shows that you have some hearing problems, the dispenser will carry out a bone conduction hearing test. In this test, you wear a special headband that conducts sound through the bones of your skull.

When the results are compared with what you heard through the headphones in the air conduction test, they show whether you have a problem with your eardrum or middle ear.

You will be shown your results plotted as an audiogram. This is a graph that shows how well you hear low, middle and high-pitched tones.

What happens next if I decide to buy a hearing aid?

Once the dispenser has tested your hearing, they will discuss which kind of hearing aid will be best for you. Some people benefit from wearing a hearing aid in each ear, rather than just one. However, remember that this will usually mean paying out almost twice as much. Also, ask the dispenser to give you information about all the different types of aid that might suit you and their prices. Be wary if they don’t give you any choices.

If you decide to buy a hearing aid from the dispenser, they will usually then take an impression of your ear and send it to a laboratory for the earmould – or the casing, if it is a hearing aid that goes completely in the ear – to be made. This takes about a week. When this is ready, you will need to visit the dispenser again for them to fit and programme the hearing aid to suit your hearing loss and explain to you how to use it.

There are also some other, smaller types of earpiece, which can sometimes be used with BTE hearing aids instead of an earmould. These look like a tiny soft plug round the tip of the tubing and are called ‘open ear fittings’. They are less noticeable than hearing aids with earmoulds but are only suitable if your hearing loss is not severe. They can give you very natural sound. If you have this kind of fitting, you can have your hearing tested and get your hearing aid fitted all in one appointment.

Can I get my money back if I’m not happy?

Dispensers should give you a 28-day trial period with a money-back guarantee so that you can return the hearing aid if you aren’t happy with it. If the dispenser isn’t prepared to offer this or suggests a guarantee for repair only, instead of giving you the option of a refund, go somewhere else. You are unlikely to get a full refund because the price you pay usually includes the hearing tests and fitting. Some companies charge a 12.5% cancellation fee so check the small print and returns policy carefully before buying.

How long is the hearing aid guaranteed for?

You will have to pay for repairs after the guarantee on the hearing aid runs out. The cost of these can mount up. Guarantee (‘warranty’) periods are often two years but can range between one and four years, so find out what the guarantee period is for the hearing aid you are being offered. You can usually insure your hearing aid against loss or damage through your household insurance, but it’s a good idea to check this with your household insurance company first, before you buy the hearing aid.

What should I check before signing the agreement to buy? 

  • Are you getting the hearing aid you want at a price you can afford?
  • What does the price include and what will you need to pay for in the future?
  • Is there a discount for buying two if you need a hearing aid for both ears?
  • Will you be able to contact and see the dispenser quickly if you have a problem with your aids?
  • Before you sign anything, make sure you get everything in writing and that you understand all the terms of the agreement to buy your hearing aid.

What do I do if I have a problem with my hearing aid?

Most people are happy with the hearing aid they buy and with the service they get from their private hearing aid dispenser, but some people run into difficulties because:

  • the aid doesn’t help them to hear as well as they had hoped or were led to believe
  • the dispenser pressurised them to buy a hearing aid
  • the aid gives repeated trouble – for example, it may whistle or be uncomfortable – and the dispenser cannot put this right.

If you have any problem at all with a hearing aid you have bought, the first thing you should do is ask your dispenser for help and advice. Make a note of the problems you experience over a period of a few days so that you can explain what is wrong and help the dispenser to sort it out.

If, after a period of time, you are still unhappy with the aid, or feel the dispenser is not providing a good and professional service, write to the HAC. Describe the problems you have had with the hearing aid dispenser, include copies of any correspondence or other documents connected with the sale of the aid, and give the name and address of the dispenser or company that sold you the aid.

If the HAC Disciplinary Committee decides a dispenser has broken any of its regulations, it can fine them. In extreme cases, a dispenser may be struck off the HAC’s register and will then be unable to continue to sell hearing aids. If you still aren’t happy with the outcome, and feel the HAC has not addressed your concerns, it may be worth pursuing a claim through the Small Claims Track (external link, opens new browser window). Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (external link, opens new browser window) will be able to advise you about this.

Can I buy a hearing aid abroad?

You may have read about buying hearing aids abroad at cheaper prices, particularly in Germany and Denmark. RNID can’t recommend any particular hearing aid models, manufacturers or services. We would advise you to think carefully before buying a hearing aid abroad.

The initial cost of buying a hearing aid abroad may be lower than in the UK, but you may need to see the dispenser for adjustments – sometimes several times – which could be expensive and inconvenient. It is important to check before you buy what will happen if you need more help or if your hearing aid breaks down once you are back home.

Where can I get further information?

If you have any concerns about your hearing, you should always seek medical advice from your GP or audiologist. 
 
Hearing Aid Council (HAC)
Visit the HAC’s website for a list of hearing aid dispensers.
Hearing Aid Council, 70 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8BD
Telephone 020 3102 4030  Fax 020 3102 4476
Website: www.thehearingaidcouncil.org.uk/ (external link, opens new browser window)

Further information from RNID

Our Information Line offers a wide range of information on many aspects of deafness and hearing loss. Contact us for further copies of this factsheet and our full range of information factsheets and leaflets. You can also contact us if you would like information in Braille, on audiotape or large print.

RNID Information Line
19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone 0808 808 0123  Textphone 0808 808 9000  Fax 020 7296 8199
Email: informationline@rnid.org.uk
Website: www.rnid.org.uk (external link, opens new browser window)

RNID Tinnitus Helpline
19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone 0808 808 6666  Textphone 0808 808 0007  Fax 020 7296 8199
Website: www.rnid.org.uk/ (external link) 

Buying equipment from RNID
Visit www.rnid.org.uk/shop (external link, opens new browser window) or contact RNID Information Line for a copy of our Solutions catalogue, full of products for deaf and hard of hearing people.