Free Hearing Tests Near You: At a local clinic or in your own home

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Local hearing tests with a local audiologist you can trust

Last Hearing Aid UK Update: 24/09/2026

Overview

Hearing Aid UK offers free hearing tests across the UK, at one of our 93+ local clinics or in your own home through a free home visit. Every test is carried out by one of our over 200 HCPC-registered audiologists, and there's no obligation to buy anything.

If hearing aids could help, they can often be fitted on the same visit, or at a follow-up if they need ordering. Whether you want a second opinion or just want to know where you stand, we make it simple, local, and convenient. On this page, we talk about what to expect from your hearing test, what your results mean, and what happens next.

Common questions about hearing tests

Thinking about booking a hearing test and not sure what the process is?

What happens at a hearing test?

It's completely natural to feel a bit nervous before your first hearing test, mostly because you don't know what to expect. The short version: a few questions about your health and hearing, a look in your ears, then a listening test where you press a button when you hear a sound; your audiologist will explain everything as they go.

Can they give me a second opinion on a test I've had before?  

Whether you're looking for a second opinion on hearing aids, a hearing test, or simply advice on hearing healthcare or pricing you've received elsewhere, we're here to help. 

If something didn't feel right about a previous hearing test or the advice you were given, that's a completely valid reason to seek a second opinion, and we'd encourage it.

A fresh assessment from one of our audiologists can either confirm what you've already been told and give you confidence to move forward, or pick up something that was missed. Either way, you leave with a clearer picture and no pressure to do anything you're not comfortable with.

What is a hearing test, and how do they work?

Your results are plotted on an audiogram: a chart showing the quietest sounds you can hear at different pitches. It's one part of your assessment with an audiologist, and the most useful. During the test, your audiologist uses an audiometer to play tones at different pitches and volumes through headphones.

You respond to these sounds by pressing a button when you hear them.  The quietest level you hear is recorded at each pitch, then plotted on the audiogram.  Your right ear is usually marked with a red circle and your left with a blue cross.

The higher up the chart your results sit, the better your hearing. The further down they sit, the louder a sound has to be before you hear it.

Your audiologist will explain what the results show for everyday things like speech and the TV. If anything suggests a medical issue, such as pain, discharge or a sudden change, your audiologist will recommend you see your GP, who may refer you to an ENT specialist.

Hearing healthcare in clinics

Other common FAQs

How long does a hearing test take?

Allow around an hour. The listening test itself takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and the rest is time to go through your results and ask questions.

If hearing aids could help, your audiologist will talk you through the options that suit your hearing, lifestyle and budget. Depending on the model, they can often fit them on the same visit. Your results also give you a baseline, so future tests can show whether anything has changed.

How often should you have a hearing test?

It all depends on how exposed you are to harmful sounds.  For example, under UK Health and Safety legislation, if you work on a building site, you would need to have an annual hearing test.  However, you should get your hearing checked immediately if you think your hearing might have changed, even if you already wear hearing aids. 

Other than that, on average, we would recommend testing your hearing at least every three years - unless your audiologist has stated otherwise.  Though if you're over 50 or have existing hearing concerns, more frequent checks are advisable. Untreated hearing loss can worsen over time and has been linked to social isolation and cognitive decline.

Hearing tests explained

What will your hearing test results show?

How is an audiogram measured?

• Air conduction hearing:   Tones played through headphones, which travel through your whole ear.
• Bone conduction hearing:   A small vibrating pad on the bone behind your ear, which sends sound straight to the inner ear.

How is an audiogram read?

Your audiologist compares your air and bone conduction results for both ears. That shows how much hearing loss there is, if any, and which part of the ear it's coming from. Some people refer to an audiogram as a 'hearing test chart' or 'hearing test graph'.

Hearing test tones and hearing test sounds

The audiogram’s vertical axis shows the volume or intensity of the sound given, measured in decibels (dBHL).  It begins at 10 dBHL and finishes at 120 dBHL.  The horizontal axis displays where the low-pitched sound starts and escalates in pitch as you go through your test.

When the audiologist reads the results for both ears and finds a level of hearing loss, it is generally found in both ears. However, sometimes there can be asymmetry and varying levels.  Your air and bone conduction tests are compared, and you will be shown if this is the case and if your loss is sensorineural, conductive, or both.

Hearing test frequency

What are decibels, and what are frequencies?  Decibels are what we measure sound in and are not permanent values like volts and meters.  This scale is logarithmic and doubles the sound pressure level, increasing by 6 dB. The dB scales vary according to the environment the sound travels through, using a calibrated decibel hearing level scale.

Frequency is the number of vibrations per second in each sound wave and is measured in Hertz (Hz).  The higher the level, the higher the frequency. 

The human ear can detect sounds from 20 to 20,000Hz, though clinical audiograms typically test the 250Hz–8,000Hz range most relevant to speech and daily hearing. Nature sounds such as birdsong sit at the higher end of that range, while a bass guitar sits at the lower end.

If you have a high-frequency loss, it generally means that you have problems hearing high-frequency sounds only.  Consonants like s, f, and sh are hard to make sense of.  Whereas low-frequency loss, being less common, affects the ability to hear vowels in conversation.

How much does a hearing test cost?

Wherever you go for your hearing test, it should be free, but some hearing aid providers do charge, especially if you want to test your hearing at home.  We recommend you ask your audiologist before you book your appointment to avoid any disappointment. 

At Hearing Aid UK, all our hearing tests, aftercare, digital hearing aid fitting, and programming are included in the price of the hearing aid(s). 

On another note, the NHS provides free hearing tests and usually, your GP will refer you to the NHS to book an initial appointment with an audiologist.