Royal National Institute for Deaf People
Professional services
UnclaimedA UK charity working to improve inclusion, health, employment, research and everyday support for deaf people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) is a United Kingdom charity representing and supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or experience tinnitus. Its work combines public campaigning, policy advocacy, information and community support, research funding, employment and accessibility work, and practical assistance related to hearing technology and audiology. The organisation describes its potential constituency as approximately 12 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. RNID began in 1911 as the National Bureau for Promoting the General Welfare of the Deaf. It was established by Leo Bonn, a deaf merchant banker and philanthropist, at his London home. The organisation was reorganised as the National Institute for the Deaf in 1924 and gradually developed from a policy and welfare body into a provider of care, research sponsor and public-facing source of information. During the creation of the National Health Service in the 1940s, it campaigned successfully for hearing aids to be made available without charge through the welfare state. Royal recognition shaped the organisation's identity. Prince Philip became its patron in 1958, and in 1961 Queen Elizabeth II approved the addition of the word “Royal”, creating the Royal National Institute for the Deaf. The institute expanded its medical and technological work during the 1960s and 1970s, including involvement in the development of behind-the-ear hearing aids supplied through the NHS. It later helped develop telephone relay services for communication between voice telephone users and deaf textphone users. The service became known as Typetalk and later Text Relay; RNID operated it for BT until 2009, after which BT became solely responsible for its operation. In 1992, the organisation adopted the legal name Royal National Institute for Deaf People while retaining the RNID acronym. For much of the 2010s it traded publicly as Action on Hearing Loss, a name intended to communicate that its work covered the full range of hearing loss rather than profound deafness alone. In 2020 it returned to the RNID name after research and strategic work during the COVID-19 period led to a renewed focus on inclusion and a purpose centred on making life fully inclusive for deaf people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus. The organisation's modern activities include lobbying governments on audiology and accessibility, supporting improvements to NHS hearing services, funding biomedical and social research, providing information about deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus, offering local drop-in support through RNID Near You, and producing learning materials for employers and other organisations. RNID also provides a free online hearing check designed to help users identify possible hearing difficulties, particularly in situations involving speech and background noise. RNID historically operated substantial care and support services. In 2020 it announced the sale of 23 care homes together with supported-living, community and domiciliary services. Those services in England and Wales were acquired by Achieve Together in 2021, allowing RNID to concentrate more heavily on campaigning, inclusion, information, research and specialist support. Its collections and rare books, formerly associated with the Ear Institute Library, are now held in University College London's Special Collections. The charity remains active in public awareness and inclusion campaigns. In 2024 it worked with sportswear technology company Sela and Newcastle United on “Unsilence the Crowd”, a project involving a haptic football shirt that translated stadium sound into touch sensations for deaf supporters. RNID continues to work nationally across the UK, combining direct support with efforts to change public services, workplaces, law and social attitudes.
History
RNID was founded on 9 June 1911 as the National Bureau for Promoting the General Welfare of the Deaf by Leo Bonn, a deaf merchant banker and philanthropist. The founding meeting took place at Bonn's home in Mayfair, London. The organisation was reorganised as the National Institute for the Deaf in 1924. Its early remit combined advocacy with welfare work, and by the late 1920s and early 1930s it had begun providing care for deaf people and people with hearing loss who had additional needs. During the 1940s, the organisation campaigned for free hearing aids through the emerging NHS and wider welfare-state system. Its influence and public standing increased in the post-war period. Prince Philip became patron in 1958, and in 1961 Queen Elizabeth II approved the addition of the Royal prefix. The resulting Royal National Institute for the Deaf expanded its role during the 1960s and 1970s into medical, technological and research activity, including work associated with NHS behind-the-ear hearing aids. In the 1980s, RNID developed the Telephone Exchange for the Deaf, a relay system that enabled communication between voice telephone users and deaf textphone users through an operator. The service became Typetalk in 1991 and was funded by BT while being operated by RNID on BT's behalf. In 2009 RNID withdrew from operation; the service, renamed Text Relay earlier that year, subsequently became fully owned and managed by BT. The organisation changed its name to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People in 1992, preserving the RNID initials. In 2000, working with the National Deaf Children's Society, it supported the introduction of universal newborn hearing screening offers through the NHS. In 2004, RNID-funded research linked a form of microRNA to hearing loss, contributing to a developing area of genetic and molecular hearing research. For its centenary in 2011, the organisation began trading as Action on Hearing Loss while retaining its legal name. The alternative trading name was intended to reflect the range of people affected by hearing loss, including people who were profoundly deaf and people experiencing gradual loss of hearing. Its work continued to span lobbying, public education, audiology, research, employment and direct support. Financial pressure became more visible in the late 2010s. Accounts for 2017/18 recorded income of £40.1 million against expenditure of £42.7 million, and the auditor raised material uncertainty about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. RNID subsequently implemented a financial recovery plan during 2019/20. The accounts signed in November 2019 did not repeat the earlier going-concern concern, although the COVID-19 pandemic created additional pressure across the charitable sector. In 2020, following strategic work and research conducted partly in response to the pandemic, the organisation returned to the RNID name. It stated a purpose focused on making life fully inclusive for deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus. That year it also announced the sale of its 23 care homes and related supported-living, community and domiciliary services. Achieve Together acquired the charity's care and support services in England and Wales in 2021. RNID's current model concentrates on inclusion, health, employment and research. It campaigns for better laws and public policy, works on the modernisation of NHS audiology, funds hearing-loss and tinnitus research, provides information and practical help through RNID Near You sessions, and develops resources for businesses and organisations. Its online hearing check is designed to identify possible hearing problems in a short assessment involving speech and background noise. The organisation also continues to use partnerships to make accessibility visible in popular culture and sport. In April 2024, RNID worked with Sela and Newcastle United on the Unsilence the Crowd campaign. A specially developed haptic shirt converted stadium noise into tactile feedback for deaf supporters, and Sela donated front-of-shirt sponsorship for Newcastle United's match against Tottenham Hotspur to the charity. RNID's historical archive and rare printed books are held in University College London's Special Collections following the closure of the Ear Institute Library.
- 2024
Unsilence the Crowd haptic shirt campaign
[1]RNID, Sela and Newcastle United created a shirt translating stadium noise into tactile sensations for deaf supporters.
- 2021
Care services transferred to Achieve Together
[1]Achieve Together acquired RNID care and support services in England and Wales.
- 2020
Return to RNID branding
[1]The organisation reverted to the RNID name and adopted a purpose focused on full inclusion.
- 2011
Action on Hearing Loss trading name introduced
[1]For its centenary, the charity began trading publicly as Action on Hearing Loss while retaining its legal RNID name.
- 2004
MicroRNA research linked to hearing loss
[1]RNID-funded research connected a type of microRNA with hearing loss, opening a line of genetic and molecular investigation.
- 2000
Newborn hearing screening campaign
[1]Following campaigning with the National Deaf Children's Society, newborn babies began to be offered NHS hearing screening.
- 1992
Name changed to Royal National Institute for Deaf People
[1]The institute adopted its current legal name while retaining the RNID acronym.
- 1991
Typetalk relay service introduced
[1]The telephone relay service developed by RNID became known as Typetalk.
- 1961
Royal prefix approved
[1]Queen Elizabeth II approved the addition of the Royal prefix, creating the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.
- 1940
Campaign for free NHS hearing aids
[1]The institute campaigned for hearing aids to be provided without charge through the post-war welfare system and NHS.
Products and positioning
A UK-wide deafness and hearing-loss charity combining rights-based campaigning with practical information, community support, research and inclusion services.
Digital health information
RNID online hearing check
A free online screening-style check intended to help people identify possible hearing difficulties. It takes approximately three minutes and assesses the user's ability to hear speech in background noise. It is an awareness and signposting tool rather than a substitute for a clinical audiological assessment.
Community support
RNID Near You
Local drop-in sessions in towns and cities across the UK where people can obtain information about deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus. Teams can also provide practical help, including assistance with maintaining hearing aids and navigating relevant support.
Telecommunications accessibility · 1980
Text Relay
A relay service lineage developed through RNID's Telephone Exchange for the Deaf and later known as Typetalk and Text Relay. It enabled voice telephone and textphone users to communicate through an intermediary. RNID stopped operating the service in 2009, and BT subsequently became its sole operator.
Research programme
Hearing loss and tinnitus research
RNID funds and supports biomedical, genetic, social and practical research into hearing loss and tinnitus. Its research activity has included work on hearing technology and a 2004 finding linking a form of microRNA with hearing loss.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024Unsilence the Crowd
United Kingdom
RNID partnered with Sela and Newcastle United to demonstrate a haptic football shirt that converted stadium noise into tactile sensations for deaf supporters.
Outcome. The shirt was used around Newcastle United's match against Tottenham Hotspur, while Sela donated front-of-shirt sponsorship to RNID.
- 2000Newborn hearing screening
United Kingdom
RNID campaigned with the National Deaf Children's Society for routine hearing screening offers for newborn babies.
Outcome. The NHS began offering newborn hearing screening.
- 1940Free hearing aids through the NHS
United Kingdom
RNID campaigned for hearing aids to be provided free through the post-war NHS and welfare-state system.
Outcome. The campaign contributed to the provision of free hearing aids through the NHS.
Brand decisions
2020
Sale of care and support operationsStrategyBackground
RNID faced financial and strategic pressures, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and had operated 23 care homes plus supported-living, community and domiciliary services.
Action taken
The charity announced the sale of its care and support services.
Aftermath
Achieve Together acquired the services in England and Wales in 2021, while RNID focused more strongly on campaigning, inclusion, research and information.
2020
Return to RNID name and renewed purposeStrategyBackground
Research and strategic work, partly undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic, led the charity to reconsider its identity and priorities.
Action taken
The organisation reverted from Action on Hearing Loss to RNID and stated a purpose centred on full inclusion for deaf people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus.
Aftermath
RNID continued to emphasise inclusion, health, employment and research alongside direct community support.
2011
Adoption of Action on Hearing Loss trading nameStrategyBackground
The organisation marked its centenary and sought a public name reflecting support for people across the spectrum of hearing loss.
Action taken
It began trading as Action on Hearing Loss while retaining Royal National Institute for Deaf People as its legal name.
Aftermath
The Action on Hearing Loss identity was used through the 2010s before the charity returned to RNID branding in 2020.
2009
RNID exits Text Relay operationStrategyBackground
RNID had operated the BT-funded Typetalk relay service, later called Text Relay, on BT's behalf.
Action taken
RNID stepped down from operating the service on 7 December 2009.
Aftermath
BT became solely responsible for owning, running and managing the relay service.
Recent events
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