Please install the Flash Plugin What’s the problem?

Popping out to the shops, managing your money at the bank or using public services should be simple, but for the two million hearing aid users in the UK, even the basics can pose an unnecessary challenge.

Simple equipment such as hearing loops (external link, opens new browser window. PDF file), which amplify speech over noise, should be working to help hearing aid users to communicate.

Many places are failing to get the basics right. Hearing loops are often absent, switched off, uncharged or left in a drawer, and staff can rarely offer help.

What do we want?

We want everyday services to make basic adjustments for people with hearing loss:

• high street shops and services to commit to improving their loop provision
• tourist attractions and hotels to be more accessible in time for the Olympics in 2012
• to help people hold businesses to account - have a look at what we are saying to businesses.

Help us to improve access to shops and services!

• Feedback to services and let us know if you’ve had any problems
  Telling your local shops and services that you have had difficulty accessing them due to your hearing loss and letting us know whenever you have a difficult experience is the important first step to getting businesses to improve their accessibility.
  
• Run a loop squad in your local town
  If you’re part of a local lipreading, hard of hearing or other local group, we can help you to campaign for better hearing loop provision in your local town.
  
• Share your story
  Have you had a long battle to improve loop provision in your local shop, bank, cinema or health centre? Do loops help you on a daily basis? Your story can help us to encourage services to improve.