Help with hearing in the workplace or school

Do you need help with hearing in the workplace or school? Did you know you might be entitled to a free assistive listening device? At times, your hearing aids or cochlear implants alone may not be enough to overcome loud background noise, hearing in lectures, meetings at work or at family parties.

There are accessories that enhance the performance of your hearing aids, or cochlear implants, in these difficult listening situations.

Hearing grants are available that offer you free equipment to help you with your hearing loss and help with hearing in the workplace.

Scheme 1 – Access to Work

Funding support for adults in work or about to go into work

An Access to Work (ATW) grant offers financial support for assistive listening devices to enhance your hearing aids. The grant does not need to be repaid and will not affect your other benefits. It is designed to give you help with hearing in the workplace and can help you keep your job if your hearing is failing or help you get a new position. Importantly Access to Work provides help with hearing in the workplace but is free for your employer too!

Below is a self-check list to give you an overview of the initial criteria:
Do you wear hearing aids?
Are you over 16 years old?
Do you live in England, Scotland or Wales?
Are you in employment, self-employment, work experience or about to start a job?

Scheme 2 – Disability Students’ Allowance

Funding support for students in higher education

As a higher education student living in the United Kingdom, you can apply for a Disability Students’ Allowance (DSA) if you have a disability. If you wear a hearing aid(s), an assistive listening device to enhance your hearing can be applied for and may be fully funded. Help with hearing support is in addition to any student grant or loan, is not affected by income and does not have to be repaid.

Below is a self-check list to give you an overview of the initial criteria:
Do you wear hearing aids?
Are you over 16 years old?
Do you live in the United Kingdom?
Are you an undergraduate or post-graduate?
Do you qualify for Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland or Student Awards Agency Scotland?

For more information on how to apply visit: www.hearinggrants.co.uk
Email: enquiries@hearingsupport.info
Call: 0800 035 6670

Scheme 3 – Veterans’ Hearing Fund

Medical funds programme for veterans who have served in the Armed Forces

The Royal British Legion’s veterans medical fund is a programme for veterans that have been affected during their service in the Armed Forces. The Veterans’ Hearing Fund (VHF) provides help with hearing to veterans who acquired hearing loss during Service. This funding can be used to purchase assistive listening devices to enhance your hearing aids.

Below is a self-check list to give you an overview of the initial criteria:
Do you wear hearing aids?
Have you served in the Armed Forces?
Was your hearing loss acquired during service?
If you have answered ‘yes’ to the above, visit www.hearinggrants.co.uk for more information and to receive your application form.

Not eligible? – Self Funding

Purchasing products privately

There are a variety of additional products available to purchase outside of these schemes should you be ineligible, or a parent looking to acquire additional technology to work with your childs hearing aid(s). This technology can be purchased directly from a number of Hearing Care Professionals.

Gordon Morris
www.gordonmorris.co.uk
Tel: 0800 276 1025

FM Hearing Systems
www.fmhearingsystems.co.uk
Tel: 01535 279285

Connevans
www.connevans.co.uk
Tel: 01737 247571

Action on Hearing Loss
www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk
Tel: 0808 808 0123

You can download all the information above from Phonak in PDF format at this link.

A broad portfolio of products to help with hearing are avaialbe and can be used in specific situations, examples include clip on microphones to table mics and items that can help when using mobile phones.