News and stories

Apply for Pension Credit to qualify for the 2024 Winter Fuel Payment

14 October 2024 Support services

You now need to be receiving Pension Credit, or another means-tested benefit, to be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments. Find out how to apply for Pension Credit.

Imagining the future of hearing health: Ideas from Nathan Hall

9 October 2024 Hearing health, Technology and assistive devices

Nathan Hall, NHS England Deputy Director (Physiological Science), shares his ideas on how we can improve hearing healthcare in the UK.

Come fly with me: RNID and Virgin Atlantic

26 September 2024 Deaf awareness, How we've helped employers

Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with deaf Gladiators star, Jodie Ounsley, and deaf twin content creators, Hermon and Heroda Berhane, to help better understand the needs of its deaf customers and customers with hearing loss as part of the airline’s commitment to ensuring every customer has a positive and inclusive travel experience.

The Darzi Review and reform of the English NHS: RNID Responds

13 September 2024 Hearing health, Technology and assistive devices

The Prime Minister has set out the three major changes the Government wants to bring to the NHS in England. Our Director of Strategy, Crystal Rolfe, explains how we believe these reforms should be applied to NHS audiology services.

Lipreading Awareness Week

11 September 2024 Deaf awareness

We all lip read and watch a person’s facial expressions in conversation without realising it, but it’s an especially vital skill for many people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

RNID and the Disability Charities Consortium are taking part in the UK Covid Inquiry

9 September 2024 Campaigns, Hearing health

Our Director for Insight and Policy, Victoria Boelman, explains RNID’s involvement in the inquiry and sets out what we are hoping to achieve.

Doctors urged to treat people with sudden hearing loss within seven days

5 September 2024 Hearing health

New research from University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) has highlighted the importance of people with sudden hearing loss receiving medical treatment as quickly as possible. What is sudden hearing loss? Sudden hearing loss, also known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss, takes place in the inner ear, sometimes happening overnight. For people who are not treated quickly, it can cause permanent hearing loss. Unfortunately, sudden hearing loss can be confused with temporary causes of hearing loss, such as...

Caroline’s story: sudden hearing loss

5 September 2024 Hearing health, Your stories

Caroline is 46 and lives in Essex. A few years ago, her life changed forever when she woke up with a blocked ear, tinnitus and vertigo. Although she sought medical support, unfortunately due to delays and misdiagnosis, she was not given potential treatment quickly enough and her hearing loss became permanent. Now, as new research highlights the importance of doctors treating patients with sudden hearing loss within seven days, Caroline wants to raise awareness about the importance of taking...

New research finds 1 in 3 would try and hide hearing aids if they needed them

4 September 2024 Hearing health, Social research, Technology and assistive devices

In a poll of 2768 members of the public, we found that more than one in three people (34%) would try to hide hearing aids if they needed them.

Imagining the future of hearing health: 3 ideas from Crystal Rolfe

29 August 2024 Hearing health

Around 6 million people who need hearing healthcare in the UK aren’t accessing it. This is approximately one third of all those who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. Those not in the healthcare system face an increased risk of social isolation, depression, and developing dementia. RNID believes there is a real opportunity to transform NHS hearing healthcare to meet these demands and deliver a more cost-effective model, leading to better health outcomes. We’ve been excited to hear ideas from...