BID Services
BID Services is a UK registered charity founded in 1872 providing BSL interpreting, assistive technology, employment support, benefits advice, and rehabilitation services to D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, and deafblind individuals across nine English regions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1872
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What BID Services does
BID Services is a UK registered charity (no. 1053184) and company limited by guarantee (no. 3124204) founded in 1872, providing sensory impairment support services to D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, deafblind, and disabled individuals across nine regions of England. Its core service portfolio includes BSL interpreting and communication support (BSL interpreters, Deaf Relay, Deafblind interpreters, lip-speakers, note-takers), assistive technology and equipment provision, benefits and money advice, employment support, health and wellbeing services (including hearing aid maintenance, tinnitus support, Eye Clinic Liaison), independent living and habilitation/rehabilitation training, mental health advocacy, BSL training (Levels 1–3 accredited by Signature), and children/young people's services (youth clubs, Chance to Meet).
Operationally the organisation runs from the UK's first Deaf Cultural Centre on Ladywood Road, Birmingham (opened 2007), with regional offices in Birmingham, Coventry, Cumbria, Leeds, Leicester/Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire, Milton Keynes, Northumberland and Solihull, plus the Chesterberry Residential Care Home in Erdington and The Signing Tree conference venue. Distribution is community-led: face-to-face local advisors, outreach, professional referrals from NHS/local authorities, and remote/video BSL interpreting.
The revenue model is mixed and characteristic of a grant-funded charity: donations and individual fundraising (via Enthuse platform), Easyfundraising affiliate micro-donations, legacy gifts, grants from trusts and foundations (notably The National Lottery Community Fund), corporate donations, and statutory service contracts with local authorities. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are provided free to beneficiaries. Marketing is multi-channel (website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, BSL video content, community events) and accessibility-first. Recent strategic activity includes acquiring Vista's statutory services in April–May 2026 and rolling out a Digital Inclusion Project introducing BSL video interpreting apps.
BID Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BID Services
- Legal name
- BID Services
- Website
- https://bid.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1872
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- BID Services is a UK registered charity founded in 1872 providing BSL interpreting, assistive technology, employment support, benefits advice, and rehabilitation services to D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, and deafblind individuals across nine English regions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BID Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability and sensory impairment support services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD), Supported Employment & Job Coaching (EDAKANAE), Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)
Keywords
Where BID Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
BID Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: BID Services operates as a registered charity (number 1053184) relying on donations from individuals, community fundraising events, and supporter activities to fund services for people with sensory impairments.
- Trusts and Foundations Grants: The charity receives support from trusts, foundations and grant providers including The National Lottery Community Fund which funds services like Chance to Meet.
- Easyfundraising Partnership: Registered with Easyfundraising to receive percentage donations from supporters shopping with over 7,000 partner brands.
- Legacy Gifts: Receives legacy donations from supporters who leave gifts in their wills to help continue the charity's work.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
BID Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BID Services is a registered charity providing a comprehensive suite of support services for people who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, deafblind, or living with other disabilities. Its core offerings include BSL interpretation and communication support, assistive equipment and technology, employment coaching, benefits and money advice, health and wellbeing services (including hearing aid maintenance and tinnitus support), independent living training, mental health advocacy, accredited BSL training, and children and youth programmes, delivered through regional offices across nine regions of England and supported by the UK's first Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham.
Product overview
BID Services is a registered charity (number 1053184) providing a comprehensive range of support services for people who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, deafblind, or living with other disabilities across England. The organization operates from the Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham and delivers services through regional teams in Birmingham, Coventry, Cumbria, Leeds, Leicester/Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire, Milton Keynes, Northumberland, and Solihull. The service portfolio includes Equipment and Technology (assistive technology), Benefits and Money advice, Health and Wellbeing support (including tinnitus and hearing aid services), Employment Support, Interpreting and Communication Support (BSL interpreting, Deaf Relay, Deafblind interpreting, lip-speaking), Independent Living services, Groups and Events, Training (BSL courses and Deaf Awareness Training), Sensory Services by region, Children and Young People Services (youth clubs, holiday activities), Chance to Meet (Lincolnshire), Mental Health Advocacy Services, and Volunteering opportunities. Facilities include the Deaf Cultural Centre, The Signing Tree Venue conference space, and Chesterberry Residential Care Home. The organization also operates a fundraising platform via Enthuse for donations and fundraising activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Interpreting and Communication Support Provides British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, Deaf Relay interpreters, Deafblind interpreters, lip-speakers and note-takers to support communication between deaf sign language users and hearing people. Services are available across all nine English regions and remotely.
- Equipment and Technology Provides specialist assistive equipment and technology for home and on the go, including workplace assistive tech and hearing aid support and maintenance, for people with sensory impairments.
- Benefits and Money Advice Provides advice on benefits, money management, and financial support for individuals with sensory impairments, delivered through local advisors across England.
- Health and Wellbeing Supports mental health, provides hearing aid maintenance, tinnitus support, and general health services for people with sensory loss.
- Employment Support Helps people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or visually impaired gain employment or access education, training and volunteering opportunities. Includes CV writing, job applications, interview practice, and Access to Work support.
- Independent Living Supports individuals to live independently in their own homes with assessments, equipment provision, and training in independent living skills.
- Training (BSL and Deaf Awareness) Offers British Sign Language courses (Level 1, 2, 3) and Deaf Awareness Training at the Deaf Cultural Centre, with qualifications accredited by Signature.
- Children and Young People Services Weekly youth clubs for deaf/hard of hearing children aged 8-18, holiday activities, and parenting groups for parents of children with sensory impairments.
- Chance to Meet (Lincolnshire) Provides accessible activities and social opportunities for children aged 0-18 who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired or deafblind, and their families, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.
- Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) Service Provides emotional and practical support for people newly diagnosed with sight loss at hospitals and in the community.
- Habilitation and Rehabilitation Services Delivers mobility training, independent living skills training, Braille training, and rehabilitation support for individuals with sight impairment.
- Mental Health Advocacy Services Provides advocacy services including Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA), Building Community Advocacy (BCA), and mental health support for individuals accessing mental health services.
- Groups and Events Organizes social groups, activities, and community events for D/deaf, hard of hearing, and sight impaired communities, including BID Fest and Birmingham Community Days.
- Regional Sensory Services Local-authority-commissioned sensory services delivered across Birmingham, Coventry, Cumbria, Leeds, Leicester/LLR, Lincolnshire, Milton Keynes, Northumberland and Solihull, providing support for people with sight or hearing impairments. Includes statutory services transferred from Vista in April-May 2026.
- Chesterberry Residential Care Home Residential care home in Erdington, Birmingham providing 24/7 support for Deaf people who may have other sensory impairments and learning disabilities.
- Deaf Cultural Centre UK's first Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham, housing BID Services' head office and The Signing Tree Venue, serving as a community hub for the Deaf community.
- The Signing Tree Venue Conference space and hospitality venue at the Deaf Cultural Centre, available for external hire for events and meetings, generating income for the charity.
- Volunteering Services Offers various volunteering opportunities including volunteer befrienders, hearing aid support volunteers, and general support roles across the charity's regions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 15 summer activities organized for youth club members in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use BID Services
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BID Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
BID Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PURE Project (Birmingham City Council)corePartnership to place vulnerable urban residents into employment. BID Employment Service works alongside PURE Project to support deaf and disabled job seekers. BID staff attended PURE Awards ceremonies and won Outstanding Achiever Award.
- Vista (Leicester Sensory Services)coreVista was unable to secure funding for long-term future. BID Services took on responsibility for delivery of Vista's statutory services in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland from 6th May 2026, continuing services without interruption.
- EasyfundraisingminorEasyfundraising platform enables supporters to raise money for BID Services when shopping online with over 7,000 partner brands including major retailers like Boots, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's.
- West Midlands Fire ServicesminorReferral partnership where BID refers clients with sensory impairments for home safety assessments. Fire services provide and fit flashing smoke detectors, vibrating pillow pads and strobe lights.
- Solihull Borough Talking Newspaper AssociationminorPartnership providing audio news recordings for visually impaired clients who receive USB recordings of latest news and events.
- Age UKminorPartnership providing BID clients with contacts for home maintenance support including gardening, plumbing, heating, electrics, computers, telephones.
- TogethernessminorPartnership to create new learning resource supporting hearing parents of deaf children.
- Lincoln Deaf Children's Society (LDCS)minorPartnership with NDCS-affiliated group for families with deaf children. BID runs local events in conjunction with LDCS.
- National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS)minorAffiliation for Lincoln Deaf Children's Society. Partnership supporting families of deaf and hard of hearing children.
- Signature (Deaf qualifications body)coreAwarding body for BSL qualifications. All BID's British Sign Language courses are accredited by Signature.
- Sharper ArtsminorCreative arts organization that visits Deaf community sessions, providing accessible art activities for children.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BID Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): UK's leading sight-loss charity providing rehabilitation, advice, employment support and assistive products for blind and partially sighted people. Directly comparable to BID's sight-impairment services, ECLO function and rehabilitation/habilitation offerings, though at significantly larger national scale.
- Deafblind UK: National charity supporting people with combined sight and hearing loss through befriending, advocacy, equipment and communication support. Directly comparable niche to BID's deafblind specialist interpreting and sensory services offering, at smaller scale.
- Sense: UK charity supporting people with deafblindness and complex disabilities, offering communication, housing, and employment services. Most directly comparable to BID as a national deafblind/sensory-impairment service provider with overlapping assistive-tech, advocacy, and independent-living offerings.
- Makaton Charity: UK charity supporting communication for people with learning or communication difficulties through Makaton language programmes. Comparable as a communication-access charity; linked to BID via trustee Hannah (Director of Membership and Partnerships at Makaton).
- SignHealth: UK deaf-health charity delivering health advocacy, residential services, BSL psychotherapy and domestic abuse support for Deaf people. Overlaps with BID's BSL interpreting, mental health advocacy, and residential care (Chesterberry), though with a narrower health-and-housing focus.
- Hearing Dogs for Deaf People: UK charity training hearing dogs and providing deaf awareness support, hearing aid advice and community services. Comparable in mission and charitable funding model to BID, though centred on dog-assisted services rather than interpreting and advocacy.
- National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS): UK charity for deaf children and their families, providing information, events, advocacy and youth programmes. Overlaps with BID's Children and Young People Services (youth clubs, Chance to Meet, family events) and serves as a partnership channel via Lincoln Deaf Children's Society.
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID, formerly Action on Hearing Loss): UK charity for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have tinnitus, providing communication support, equipment, employment services and advocacy. Closest large-scale direct competitor to BID's BSL interpretation, hearing aid support, tinnitus services and deaf employment programmes.
Broad incumbents
- Sightsavers: International disability charity focused on preventing avoidable blindness and supporting inclusive education, with UK operations. Comparable in mission around sight impairment but operates globally rather than delivering regional UK sensory services.
- Guide Dogs for the Blind Association: Large UK charity providing mobility services for blind and partially sighted people, including guide dog training, habilitation and advocacy. Broader incumbent overlapping BID's sight-loss rehabilitation and independent-living services, but with national scope and larger fundraising base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BID Services social profiles
Digital presenceBID Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
BID Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BID Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
BID Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
BID Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BID Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BID Services
What does BID Services do?
BID Services is a registered charity providing a comprehensive suite of support services for people who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, sight impaired, deafblind, or living with other disabilities. Its core offerings include BSL interpretation and communication support, assistive equipment and technology, employment coaching, benefits and money advice, health and wellbeing services (including hearing aid maintenance and tinnitus support), independent living training, mental health advocacy, accredited BSL training, and children and youth programmes, delivered through regional offices across nine regions of England and supported by the UK's first Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham.
Is BID Services a public or private company?
BID Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BID Services founded?
BID Services was founded in 1872. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is BID Services based?
BID Services is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does BID Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are trusts and Foundations Grants, easyfundraising Partnership and legacy Gifts.
Who are BID Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Deafblind UK, Sense, Makaton Charity, SignHealth, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) and Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID, formerly Action on Hearing Loss). Broad incumbents are Sightsavers and Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
Does BID Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for BID Services.
What industry is BID Services in?
BID Services's product category is Disability and sensory impairment support services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAM, Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech), with a secondary code of EDALAGAD, Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.