SignHealth

What SignHealth does

SignHealth is the UK's deaf health charity, founded in 1986 and registered in England & Wales (charity no. 1011056) and Scotland (SC044122) as a company limited by guarantee. It exists to improve the health and wellbeing of deaf people, with a service portfolio that includes psychological therapy delivered in British Sign Language via NHS Talking Therapies (ranked in the top 10 of 135 UK providers), domestic abuse support, social care services, the Deaf Health Roadshow (scaling to 9 regions), training and consultancy, a BSL Employee Assistance Programme, and the BSL Health Video Library (100+ topics). In 2026 it extended its digital surface with Deaf Wave, an online platform for deaf young people.

The underlying technology stack is service-delivery rather than product-led: video-based clinical and information services in BSL, an online platform for Deaf Wave, and content infrastructure for the video library. SignHealth is a deaf-led organisation, and its clinical staff are deaf or BSL-fluent therapists, with the charity having influenced the development of the NHS Accessible Information Standard. The head office is at Canopi, 82 Tanner Street, London SE1 3GN, with a workforce of approximately 101–250 employees.

Revenue is generated from a mix of NHS contracts (commissioned regionally by Integrated Care Boards following the March 2025 transition from a national contract), central government grants (including DSIT for digital inclusion), individual donations and fundraising, and commercial training and consultancy (e.g., £150 per person for training). The customer base is bifurcated: government and NHS commissioners on the B2G side, and deaf individuals and their families on the direct-service side.

Name

SignHealth

Legal name

SignHealth

Website

https://signhealth.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SignHealth is the UK's deaf health charity (founded 1986), delivering psychological therapy, domestic abuse support, social care, and digital health content in British Sign Language to deaf people across the UK, funded principally by NHS regional contracts and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Deaf Health and Social Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health & Substance Use Remote Monitoring (HLACAFAD), Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

Keywords

• Deaf health services
• BSL therapy services
• Domestic abuse support
• Social care outreach
• Deaf awareness training

Headquarters

HQ city

Balham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. NHS Contracted Services: SignHealth's therapy services are contracted with the NHS through regional Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). Following the end of the national NHS Talking Therapies contract in March 2025, services are now funded locally through each region's ICB commissioning process.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate partners, and supporters. The organization runs fundraising events, challenges, lottery programs, and receives legacy donations.
3. Government Grants: Funding received from government departments including Department of Science, Innovation and Technology for specific programs such as digital inclusion workshops.
4. Training and Consultancy Services: Professional training services sold to organizations including Healthy Minds training at £150 per person for professionals working with deaf children.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SignHealth is the UK's deaf-led health charity providing health and wellbeing services directly in British Sign Language. Its core offerings include an NHS-funded Psychological Therapy Service for anxiety and depression, a Domestic Abuse Service for deaf survivors, outreach Social Care support, and the Deaf Health Roadshow delivering mobile health workshops across England. The charity also runs Deaf Wave, an online platform for deaf young people, and maintains the BSL Health Video Library, the largest collection of health information in British Sign Language.

Product overview

SignHealth is a deaf health charity providing a portfolio of health and wellbeing services specifically for deaf people. The core offerings include a Psychological Therapy Service delivering NHS Talking Therapies in British Sign Language, a Domestic Abuse Service offering specialist support for deaf survivors, Social Care outreach services, and the Deaf Health Roadshow providing mobile health workshops. The organization also operates Deaf Wave, an online platform for deaf young people, and maintains the BSL Health Video Library, an extensive collection of health information videos in British Sign Language. Professional services include deaf awareness training and consultancy for healthcare providers, and a BSL Employee Assistance Programme. All services are delivered directly in British Sign Language or by deaf-fluent professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deaf Wave: An online space for deaf young people co-created with the deaf community, providing information, tips and stories accessible in both BSL and English.
• BSL Healthy Minds

Products and services

• Psychological Therapy Service NHS-funded psychological therapy for deaf people experiencing anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions, delivered by deaf or BSL-fluent therapists in British Sign Language. Free at point of use.
• Domestic Abuse Service Specialist support service for deaf people experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence, including advocacy, safe accommodation referrals, therapeutic support, and workshops for the deaf community and professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 10 of 135 NHS Talking Therapies services with higher percentage of recovery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Lumo TVmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership on investigative journalism series 'Open Your Eyes: Maternity in Crisis' featuring SignHealth CEO Lucy Warnes and exposing systemic failures in maternity services for deaf parents.
• BBC (Lifeline Programme)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026BBC One Lifeline programme featuring SignHealth work with presenter Rachel Shenton, showcasing therapy, domestic abuse, and children services through three impactful stories.
• RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Collaboration on Still Ignored: The Fight for Accessible Healthcare policy and research report published April 2025. Partnership to improve evidence base on barriers to NHS healthcare access for deaf people and advocate for policy change.
• Coalition of Disability Charities (RNIB, Healthwatch England, Learning Disability England, Macular Society, Royal Association of Deaf People, RNID, Sense, Visionary)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Coalition of eight charities partnered to review NHS Accessible Information Standard implementation, surveying over 900 people including 714 disabled people and 196 health/social care professionals.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Sick Of It report providing academic rigor to health disparities research.
• University of East AngliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth economists at University of East Anglia calculated that misdiagnosis and poor treatments cost the NHS £30 million a year.
• MaydensupportingTechnology or IntegrationOnline referral system provider for SignHealth therapy services self-referral portal and professional referral system.
• British Red CrosssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create BSL first aid videos including emergency response content such as diabetic emergencies and heavy bleeding.
• National Maternity and Neonatal InvestigationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned by the national investigation body to facilitate two research focus groups with deaf and deafblind women to inform improvements to maternity care nationally.
• NHS England and Regional ICBscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS contracted therapy services delivered across England through regional Integrated Care Boards following end of national contract in March 2025.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deafblind UK: UK charity supporting people with dual sensory loss through advocacy, befriending, and information services. A coalition partner in the AIS review and a near-peer in delivering specialist support to a sensory-disability population.
• National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS): UK charity focused specifically on deaf children and young people and their families, providing information, advocacy and family support. Highly comparable to SignHealth's Deaf Wave and Healthy Minds training programmes serving deaf youth.
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): UK's leading sight-loss charity, providing accessible information, advocacy and direct services. A coalition partner in the 2022 AIS review and a direct functional peer to SignHealth in providing accessible health information and disability-led support services.
• British Deaf Association (BDA): UK deaf-led membership organisation campaigning for BSL users' rights and community empowerment. Shares SignHealth's deaf-led ethos and BSL-first service principle, with overlapping political and community engagement missions.
• Royal Association of Deaf People (RAD): UK deaf-led charity providing advice, advocacy, interpreting, employment support and community services to deaf BSL users. A member of the AIS review coalition and a direct comparator in BSL-delivered social and advocacy services.
• RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People): UK's largest charity for people with hearing loss, campaigning and providing services across hearing health, equipment, and research. Co-publisher of the 2025 Still Ignored report with SignHealth, making it the closest peer in mission, target population, and policy advocacy.
• Sense: UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities including deafblindness. A member of the coalition of disability charities that partnered with SignHealth on the 2022 NHS Accessible Information Standard review, with overlapping disability-services and social-care delivery models.

Broad incumbents

• Samaritans: UK-wide emotional support charity offering a 24/7 listening service. A broad incumbent in the same UK mental health and wellbeing charity sector as SignHealth, but serving a general population rather than deaf BSL users specifically.
• Mind: UK's largest mental health charity, providing information, support, and campaigning across all populations. A broad incumbent peer to SignHealth's Psychological Therapy Service, but without SignHealth's deaf-specialist and BSL-native delivery model.
• Refuge: UK charity providing specialist domestic abuse support, refuges and advocacy. A broad incumbent peer to SignHealth's Domestic Abuse Service, but operating at national scale across the general population rather than deaf-specific pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SignHealth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SignHealth
• Facebookfacebook.com/signhealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/signhealth
• Instagraminstagram.com/SignHealth
• TikToktiktok.com/@signhealth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SignHealth