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UK Hearing Loss Statistics for 2026
An overview of what you need to know
Overview | Hearing Loss in the UK | Types of hearing loss | Tinnitus stats | The age factor | Impact on quality of life | Dementia risk | Conclusion | Key organisations and resources
Last Hearing Aid UK Update: 22
Overview
Hearing loss is far more common than most people realise, and for many it creeps in gradually over years, quietly reshaping the way they communicate long before they ever seek help.
This page brings together the most up-to-date UK statistics on hearing loss, hearing aid use, tinnitus, and related health outcomes, drawing on data from RNID, the Lancet Commission, Tinnitus UK, and the NHS. Each figure is sourced and dated, and the page is reviewed regularly to reflect new research as it emerges.
Whether you are here to understand your own hearing, to support someone you care about, or to reference the data for research or editorial purposes, we hope this gives you a clear and honest picture of where things stand.
Hearing loss is common in the UK
According to RNID, hearing loss affects around 18 million people in the UK, and is more common among older adults. Over half of the population aged 55+, and 80% of those aged 70 and older, experience hearing loss.
These are worrying numbers with concerning consequences when left untreated, as hearing loss is known to greatly impact the quality of life, and is associated with loneliness and social isolation, with a higher risk of cognitive decline.
Hearing loss classification and economic impact
Hearing loss is classified as conductive, sensorineural, or mixed, yet new research suggests that nearly 50% of people in the UK think that hearing aids, unlike glasses, still carry stigma. Another worrying statistic is that 11% would rather live with hearing loss than wear hearing aids at all.
Consumer technology giants are beginning to enter the hearing care space in ways that could shift public attitudes. In September 2024, Apple announced a Hearing Test feature for AirPods Pro 2, based on clinical-grade pure-tone audiometry, allowing users to assess their hearing levels at home in around five minutes.
The Hearing Test feature became available to UK users in December 2024. A separate Hearing Aid feature, which would allow the AirPods Pro 2 to function as an over-the-counter hearing aid for mild to moderate loss, has received FDA clearance in the United States but has not yet received regulatory approval from the MHRA for use in the UK.
While the full hearing aid capability remains unavailable here, the broader trend signals a shift in how hearing health is perceived, particularly as familiar consumer devices begin to incorporate hearing support.
Tinnitus
Around 30% of people in the UK will, at some point in their lives, experience tinnitus, and around 1 in 7 adults are living with permanent tinnitus right now.
However, tinnitus is more common among those who already have hearing loss, with 80% of people with severe to profound hearing loss having the condition. If you have ever noticed a persistent ringing or buzzing in your ears that no one else can hear, that is tinnitus, and it is far more disruptive to daily life than many people expect.
The relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus is a complex one. Many experience both conditions at the same time, with tinnitus sometimes being the first sign of underlying hearing damage.
Age factor
Hearing loss becomes more common as you age.
- Over half of people 55+ in the UK have hearing loss.
- 80% of people above the age of 70 experience some level of hearing loss. (Source for both points: RNID)
The number of people living with hearing loss is expected to continue rising as the UK population ages. The figure has already surpassed projections made just a decade ago, when 14.5 million was considered a future estimate for 2031 (NHS England Action Plan, 2015).
The current baseline of 18 million is now the figure recognised across public health, charity, and clinical settings.
Impact on quality of life
Does hearing loss make you miss out on conversations or cause you to avoid socialising? You're not alone.
- People who are deaf or have hearing loss are twice as likely to experience mental health problems.
- 38% of people who think they may have a hearing loss have not spoken to their local GP. (Source for both points: RNID)
People with untreated hearing loss often withdraw from social situations, leading to loneliness and problems with future hearing health.
Children
Approximately 50,000 children in the UK have hearing loss. Around half are born with it, whilst the other half lose their hearing during childhood. In fact, 1 to 2 babies in every 1,000 are born with permanent hearing loss in either one or both ears. This signifies an important population requiring specialist support and early intervention.
Dementia
The link between hearing loss and dementia is now well established. Research by Frank Lin and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University (2011) found that people with hearing loss face a meaningfully higher risk of developing dementia, with that risk increasing alongside the severity of the loss.
The link between hearing loss and dementia is one of the most important findings in hearing health research in recent years. The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention has identified untreated hearing loss as the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia — meaning it is the one thing most likely to increase your risk that can actually be addressed. Their 2024 update put that increased risk at 37%, which is a figure that is hard to ignore.
The link is thought to work in two ways: social withdrawal caused by hearing loss is itself a dementia risk factor, and the additional mental effort required to process sound with impaired hearing may strain cognitive resources over time.
Crucially, the Lancet Commission recommends hearing aids as a step that appears to reduce this excess risk. The evidence is now clear that addressing hearing loss earlier rather than later is one of the most practical things a person can do to support their long-term cognitive health.
| UK Hearing Loss Statistics 2026 | |
| Key facts and figures on hearing loss, hearing aids, and quality of life in the UK | |
18 Million people in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus — more than a quarter of the population Source: RNID, 2024 | |
| Prevalence by Age | |
| Adults over 55 have hearing loss | 50%+ |
| Adults over 70 experience hearing loss | 80% |
| Young people aged 6–19 with some hearing loss | 15% |
| Children in the UK with hearing loss | ~50,000 |
| Hearing Aid Use in the UK | |
| People in the UK currently using hearing aids | 2 Million |
| Hearing aid users who report satisfaction | 82% |
| Hearing aid users who report improved quality of life | 96% |
| Would rather live with hearing loss than wear hearing aids | 11% |
| Stigma & Barriers to Help | |
| Believe hearing aids carry stigma that glasses do not | 47% |
| Concerned about looking old | 20% |
| Concerned about what other people think of them | 18% |
| Have not spoken to their GP despite suspected hearing loss | 38% |
| ⚠️ People with hearing loss are twice as likely to experience mental health problems — Source: RNID | |
| Tinnitus & Future Projections | |
| UK people who will experience tinnitus at some point | 30% |
| Adults living with permanent tinnitus right now | 1 in 7 |
| People projected to have hearing loss in the UK by 2031 | 14.5 Million |
| Estimated annual cost of hearing loss to the UK economy | £30 Billion |
Why has the number of people with hearing loss jumped in the UK from 12 million to 18 million?
Why did the number of people with hearing loss in the UK suddenly jump? Back in June 2024, RNID wrote an article explaining the change in this calculation.
Firstly, it now uses population data from the 2021-22 census instead of the 2011 census, which informed the previous estimate of 12 million people.
Secondly, it includes those with milder levels of hearing loss and those with hearing loss in one ear, who were previously excluded. By including anyone with any degree of hearing loss, whether in one ear or both, it as of now exactly shows the accurate total of adults affected by hearing loss in the UK.
Types of hearing loss
- Conductive hearing loss is caused by problems in the outer or middle ear, which is often treatable.
- Sensorineural hearing loss results from damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve, which is usually permanent.
- Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
Hearing aid usage
Approximately 3 million people in the UK currently use hearing aids, yet an estimated 10 million adults could benefit from them (RNID). That means fewer than one in three people who would benefit from wearing hearing aids actually do so.
Despite the clear benefits, millions of people put off doing anything about their hearing. Stigma plays a significant part, as do worries about cost, but often it simply comes down to the fact that hearing loss tends to creep up so gradually that people do not realise how much they are missing until someone else points it out.
On average, people wait around ten years from first noticing a change in their hearing before speaking to a professional about it. Attitudes are a significant part of the picture. RNID research published in September 2024 found that:
- Nearly half (47%) of people believe hearing aids have not been accepted by society in the way that glasses have
- One in five (19%) would not want to wear hearing aids because they feel it would make them look old
- 18% were concerned about what other people would think of them
- 11% said they would rather live with hearing loss than wear hearing aids at all
Effectiveness
The satisfaction figures speak for themselves. EuroTrak UK (2025) found that 82% of hearing aid users are satisfied with their devices, and 96% say life simply sounds better when wearing them.
Today's hearing aids barely resemble the devices of even ten years ago. AI-powered processing, seamless smartphone connectivity, and discreet designs that sit invisibly in or behind the ear are quietly changing minds among people who once thought hearing aids were not for them.
Hearing loss awareness and education
Increasing awareness of hearing loss and supporting frequent hearing checks is so important, especially among older adults.
NICE guidelines recommend that individuals with aidable hearing loss in both ears should be fitted with two hearing aids for improved speech clarity, especially in noisy surroundings. They also recommend follow-up appointments 6-12 weeks after fitting, with ongoing care to continue to meet those needs.
Conclusion
The numbers on this page tell a consistent story: hearing loss touches more people than most of us realise, its consequences when left unaddressed reach well beyond hearing itself, and the barriers stopping people from seeking help are largely not clinical but personal.
Around one in three adults in the UK lives with some degree of hearing loss, tinnitus, or deafness. The links to social withdrawal, mental health difficulties, and increased dementia risk are now well established in the research.
And yet only around one in three people who could benefit from hearing aids actually wear them, with the average person waiting a decade before speaking to a professional.
That gap matters because the evidence is equally clear that acting early makes a genuine difference. Over 96% of hearing aid users report an improvement in their quality of life. Modern devices are more discreet, more capable, and more accessible than any previous generation of hearing technology.
If you have noticed changes in your hearing, or a family member has, a free hearing test with one of our qualified audiologists is a straightforward place to start. There is no obligation, no pressure, and no cost. Call us free on 0800 567 7621 or book an appointment online.
Key organisations and resources for hearing loss and hearing aids
- NHS (National Health Service): Website - https://www.nhs.uk/
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID): Website - https://rnid.org.uk/
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): https://www.nice.org.uk/
- Tinnitus UK: https://tinnitus.org.uk/
- National Library of Medicine (NLM): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- British Academy of Audiology (BAA): https://baaudiology.org/
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Summary of UK hearing loss statistics for 2026
Knowing the numbers about hearing loss and hearing aid use in the UK can help public health plans and make it easier for people to get the care they need.
If you think your hearing has deteriorated, we can support you locally by putting you in touch with an audiologist you can trust in your area.
We also offer free appointments either in a local clinic or in the comfort of your own home for free.
Other hearing loss awareness articles you might like...
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FAQs
In general, any audiologist will always recommend to you the hearing aid model that best suits your needs. Here is a useful checklist to make sure that is the case.
- Audiologist's level of knowledge: The audiologist you have seen will hopefully have a wide knowledge of all available hearing aids; however, some will only be familiar with a small number of brands and, therefore, may not really be in a position to know which model is the best for you. It is OK to challenge their recommendation and ask them to justify why this particular brand is the one for you.
- Do research: Read about the hearing aid that was recommended. Does it seem like it will suit your lifestyle? Does it have more or fewer features than you need?
- Be aware of sales targets: Many high street retailers have specific tie-ins to a particular manufacturer/brand. The hearing aid they have suggested may still be the correct one for you, but do your research so that you know why they might have recommended it. You can read our best hearing aids of this year here
If you have significant hearing loss in both ears, you should be wearing two hearing aids. Here are the audiological reasons why:
Localisation: The brain decodes information from both ears and compares and contrasts them. By analysing the minuscule time delays as well as the difference in the loudness of each sound reaching the ears, the person is able to accurately locate a sound source.
Simply put, if you have better hearing on one side than the other, you can't accurately tell what direction sounds are coming from.
Less amplification is required: A phenomenon known as “binaural summation” means that the hearing aids can be set at a lower and more natural volume setting than if you wore only one hearing aid.
Head shadow effect: High frequencies, the part of your hearing that gives clarity and meaning to speech sounds, cannot bend around your head. Only low frequencies can. Therefore, if someone is talking on your unaided side, you are likely to hear that they are speaking, but be unable to tell what they have said.
Noise reduction: The brain has its own built-in noise reduction, which is only really effective when it is receiving information from both ears. If only one ear is aided, even with the best hearing aid in the world, it will be difficult for you to hear in background noise as your brain is trying to retain all of the sounds (including background noise) rather than filtering them out.
Sound quality: We are designed to hear in stereo. Only hearing from one side sounds a lot less natural to us.
Fancy some further reading on this topic? You can read about why two hearing aids are better than one in our article, hearing aids for Both Ears, here
For most people, the main benefit of a rechargeable hearing aid is simple convenience. We are used to plugging in our phones and other devices overnight for them to charge up. Here are some other pros and cons:
For anybody with poor dexterity or issues with their fingers, having a rechargeable aid makes a huge difference, as normal hearing aid batteries are quite small and some people find them fiddly to change.
One downside is that if you forget to charge your hearing aid, then it is a problem that can't be instantly fixed. For most, a 30-minute charge will get you at least two or three hours of hearing, but if you are the type of person who is likely to forget to plug them in regularly, then you're probably better off with standard batteries.
Rechargeable aids are also a little bit bigger and are only available in Behind-the-Ear models.
Finally, just like with a mobile phone, the amount of charge you get on day one is not going to be the same as you get a few years down the line. Be sure to ask what the policy is with the manufacturer's warranty when it comes to replacing the battery.
For most people, the answer is yes. But it's never that simple.
The majority of hearing problems affect the high frequencies a lot more than the low ones. Therefore, open fitting hearing aids sound a lot more natural and ones that block your ears up can make your own voice sound like you are talking with your head in a bucket. Therefore, in-ear aids tend to be less natural.
However, the true answer is we can't tell until we have had a look in your ears to assess the size of your ear canal, and until we have tested your hearing to see which frequencies are being affected.
People with wider ear canals tend to have more flexibility, also there are open fitting modular CIC hearing aids now that do not block your ears.
There is also the age-old rule to consider, that a hearing aid will not help you if it's sat in the drawer gathering dust. If the only hearing aid you would be happy wearing is one that people can't see, then that's what you should get.
Most people can adapt to any type of hearing aid, as long as they know what to expect. Have an honest conversation with your audiologist as to what your needs are.
Generally speaking, six or more. Unless it's none at all. The number of channels a hearing aid has is often a simplistic way an audiologist will use to explain why one hearing aid is better than another, but channels are complex, and it is really not that straightforward. Here are some reasons why:
Hearing aids amplify sounds of different frequencies by different amounts. Most people have lost more high frequencies than low, and therefore need more amplification in the high frequencies. The range of sounds you hear is split into frequency bands or channels, and the hearing aids are set to provide the right amount of hearing at each frequency level.
Less than six channels, and this cannot be done with much accuracy, so six is the magic number. However, a six-channel aid is typically very basic with few other features and is suitable only for hearing a single speaker in a quiet room. The number of channels is not what you should be looking at; it's more the rest of the technology that comes with them.
As a final note, different manufacturers have different approaches. One method is not necessarily better than any other. For example, some manufacturers have as many as 64 channels in their top aids. Most tend to have between 17 and 20. One manufacturer has no channels at all.
Manufacturer's warranties typically last between 2-5 years, depending on the brand and model, and cover defects in materials and workmanship. This includes repairs for component failures, electronic malfunctions, and manufacturing defects, but excludes damage from misuse, accidents, or normal wear. Most manufacturers also include loss and damage insurance for the first year.
We handle all warranty claims on your behalf, liaising with manufacturers and ensuring you get replacement devices quickly when needed. This comprehensive warranty coverage, combined with our lifetime aftercare, gives you complete peace of mind. Find out more about our warranty cover here
Our hearing tests are completely free, whether at our clinics or in your home. Unlike other providers who charge £30-£100 for home visits, we believe hearing healthcare should be accessible without financial barriers. Our comprehensive assessments include examination by an HCPC-registered audiologist, audiogram results, and personalised recommendations.
All testing, future adjustments, and ongoing support are included at no extra cost. While NHS tests are also free, typical 6-week waiting periods often lead people to seek immediate private testing. We provide prompt, professional assessments that fit your schedule and budget.
Yes, we offer completely free home visits throughout the UK, and this service is included in our prices with no additional charges. Home visits are particularly valuable for people with mobility issues, busy schedules, or those who simply prefer the comfort and convenience of their own environment.
Our audiologists can conduct full hearing tests, fit hearing aids, and provide ongoing support in your home. This service sets us apart from many providers who either don't offer home visits or charge extra for them.
We can offer prices up to 40% lower than high street retailers because of our business model. As a network of 200+ independent audiologists, we don't have the massive overheads of large retail chains - no expensive high street premises, no sales targets pushing audiologists to sell the most expensive options, and no costly marketing campaigns.
However, we maintain the same buying power as the big chains because we purchase on behalf of our entire nationwide network. This means you get access to the same premium hearing aids with professional service, but at genuinely competitive prices.
We offer a comprehensive 60-day money-back guarantee, which gives you twice the industry standard time to properly assess whether your hearing aids are right for you. This extended period recognises that adjusting to hearing aids takes time, and your brain needs several weeks to adapt to the amplified sounds.
Unlike many providers who offer just 30 days, we believe 60 days gives you the confidence to test your hearing aids in all the situations that matter to you - from quiet conversations at home to busy restaurants and outdoor activities.
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