Holiday season is upon us, but new research has revealed a lack of public willingness to help deaf people – making managing public transport tricky for many of the UK’s 18 million people with hearing loss.
The challenges faced by our communities
Our new research has found that only 65% of people surveyed would offer help to someone wearing a hearing aid on public transport – for example, if they missed a passenger announcement – compared to 83% who would assist a wheelchair user, 80% who would help an older person, and 79% who would help someone who was pregnant.
The findings, which have been released to mark Deaf Awareness Week 2025 (5– 11 May), underscore the significant challenges faced by deaf people every day and the barriers they face whilst using public transport.
According to the survey, almost 1 in 5 (19%) members of the public admitted that they would avoid someone who is deaf or has hearing loss on public transport, and more than 1 in 5 (21%) said that it’s not their responsibility to try and communicate with a deaf person on public transport.
Held back but wanting to help
Whilst the findings show the worrying extent to which deaf people face challenges whilst travelling or using public transport – the research also suggests that many members of the public want to help but are held back by uncertainty.
Two in five (41%) people surveyed said they are worried about getting it wrong or coming across as patronising, (40%) if they did try to communicate, and over a third (36%) said they are unsure how to communicate effectively with someone who is deaf or has hearing loss.
However, more positively, 3 in 5 (59%) say they would offer help if they noticed if someone wearing hearing aids appeared to miss a platform change announcement. Furthermore, the vast majority (73%) say they would be more likely to offer help if they were given simple, practical tips on how to approach and support someone with hearing loss.
Show that ‘It does matter’
This Deaf Awareness Week, we are on a mission to break down the communication barriers, challenges and misconceptions faced by people who are deaf or have hearing loss, in everyday situations like public transport. We’re calling on everyone to join our ‘It does matter’ campaign – signing up to free basic BSL lessons and some simple communication tips – taking easy actions that can make a huge difference.
Teri Devine, Associate Director of Inclusion at RNID, said:
This research highlights a concerning issue: the fact that deaf people and those with hearing loss are significantly less likely to receive help from the public in places like train stations. A big reason for this is not a lack of compassion, but a lack of confidence. Many people are simply unsure how to offer support.
What’s encouraging however is that with a little bit more knowledge and awareness, we know that more people will be empowered to step in and help deaf people on public transport when needed. We also know from previous research that the majority of deaf people or people with hearing loss, do want people to interact with them and support them if needed.
With more people taking advantage of the warmer weather and spring bank holidays to get out and about – this is the perfect time to be more deaf aware on public transport and places like train stations. By making small changes to how we communicate, we can make a huge difference and help send the message that it does matter.”
Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event celebrating the deaf community and raising awareness of the challenges experienced by people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
This year, our campaign is supported by a host of stars, including: Jodie Ounsley, also known as Fury from BBC One’s Gladiators, singer songwriter KT Tunstall, Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri and Tyrique Hyde, actor and writer Samantha Baines, presenter Scarlette Douglas and musician Zak Abel. An enormous thank you to them for their support.
