What Hearing Link does

Hearing Link Services is a UK-based charitable support service that operates as a division of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a registered charity (no. 293358 in England and Wales; SC040486 in Scotland) founded in 1947. The organization provides emotional and practical support, peer connection, and informational resources to people affected by hearing loss, as well as their families and support networks. Its core offerings include a Helpdesk staffed by responders with lived or professional experience of hearing loss, a community-based peer support network delivered across the UK, a free webinar program, a video content library covering topics such as hearing aids, tinnitus, sudden hearing loss, and clinical appointments, an information resource hub, and a small e-commerce operation (shop.hearingdogs.org.uk) selling assistive products including alerting and listening technology and communication aids such as lipreading badges and cards.

The revenue model is multi-stream and donation-led. Income is generated through charitable donations (one-time and recurring), corporate philanthropy and partnerships, community fundraising and events, puppy sponsorship, legacy giving, and modest online shop sales. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries across the UK, and the organization maintains a multi-channel digital presence across Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube, supplemented by email newsletters and beneficiary storytelling. The charity holds Royal Patronage from HRH The Princess Royal and is registered with the UK Fundraising Regulator, lending institutional credibility. No proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML systems, or app-based delivery mechanisms are described; service delivery is built on human peer responders, volunteer networks, and standard digital publishing tools, with a headcount of 11-50 employees.

Name

Hearing Link

Legal name

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

Website

https://hearinglink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hearing Link Services is a UK charity division of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People that provides free emotional, practical, and informational support to people affected by hearing loss through a Helpdesk, community peer support network, webinars, video library, and online shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Hearing loss support
• Peer support services
• Hearing loss products
• Deaf community services
• Charitable support programmes

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable donations from individuals, including one-time and recurring gifts. The organization also mentions corporate philanthropy and partnerships as a way to support their work.
2. Online Shop Sales: Sale of hearing loss products including technology products for alerting and listening, communication aids such as pin badges and cards. Products are sold through their e-commerce storefront at shop.hearingdogs.org.uk.
3. Fundraising and Events: Revenue generated from fundraising activities, events, sponsored activities, and community-led fundraising initiatives.
4. Sponsorship Programs: Puppy sponsorship program allowing supporters to sponsor a hearing dog puppy during its training.
5. Legacy Giving: Donations received through legacy bequests and gifts in wills.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hearing Link Services delivers emotional and practical support for people affected by hearing loss through a Helpdesk, community-based peer support network, webinars, and a video library, all operated under the UK charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. The organisation also sells hearing loss products (alerting and listening technology, communication aids such as pin badges and cards) through an online shop to support independence and confidence. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded primarily through donations, fundraising, sponsorships, and legacy giving.

Product overview

Hearing Link Services is a portfolio of support services offered by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a UK charity. The service portfolio includes a Helpdesk staffed by people with lived or professional hearing loss experience, community-based peer support, online webinars, a video library covering hearing loss topics, an online shop selling hearing loss products, and informational resources. These services are designed to provide emotional and practical support for people affected by hearing loss at any stage of their hearing journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hearing Loss Helpdesk A helpdesk service providing information, support, and someone to talk to for people affected by hearing loss. Responders have lived or professional experience of hearing loss.
• Community Support A peer support network operating in communities across the UK to help people live well with their hearing loss through practical and emotional advice delivered via community sessions.
• Webinars A free online programme of webinars on hearing loss topics, providing information for any stage of the hearing journey.
• Videos A free library of videos covering topics such as hearing aids, tinnitus, sudden hearing loss, appointments and treatment, targeted at people affected by hearing loss as well as audiologists and sensory teams.
• Online Shop - Hearing Loss Products An online shop selling technology products for alerting and listening, and communication aids such as pin badges and cards to increase independence and confidence for people with hearing loss.
• Useful Organisations Directory A directory of organisations providing support around hearing loss, including specialists on tinnitus, campaigning, technology, and local-based hearing support.
• Groups and Clubs A list of affiliated groups and clubs offering hearing loss and support services, including lipreading classes and hearing loss support groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Beneficiaries report significant boost to self-esteem after engaging with Hearing Link Services

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People: Hearing Link's parent charity, providing hearing dogs alongside broader support services for deaf people. Comparable as a UK deaf-services charity but broader in scope, with the puppy sponsorship and training programme that funds Hearing Link's activities.
• Sense (UK disability charity): Large UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities including deafblindness. Comparable as a disability-services organisation but broader in scope and significantly larger in headcount and budget.

Direct peers

• National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS): UK charity focused on deaf children and their families, providing information, support, and advocacy. Comparable to Hearing Link in the deaf-services charity space, though with a younger beneficiary focus and overlapping family/support-network segment.
• SignHealth: UK charity focused on the health and wellbeing of deaf people, combining advocacy with direct service delivery. Comparable to Hearing Link as a deaf-focused UK charity serving a similar beneficiary population with emotional and practical support.
• British Deaf Association (BDA): UK membership organisation led by deaf people, campaigning for equality and providing community support. Comparable to Hearing Link in its deaf-community focus and lived-experience leadership, though weighted toward campaigning and cultural advocacy.
• RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People): The largest UK charity supporting people with hearing loss, providing information, advocacy, and community services. Directly comparable to Hearing Link in mission and beneficiary base, but operating at significantly greater scale and fundraising capacity.

Emerging players

• Deafblind UK: UK charity supporting people with combined sight and hearing loss. Comparable as a disability-support charity in the UK serving a partially overlapping beneficiary population, though narrower in condition scope.
• C2Hear: Evidence-based online hearing-loss information resource developed at the University of Nottingham. Comparable to Hearing Link's video/webinar content offering, but as a digital-only resource rather than a multi-channel peer-support service.
• Tinnitus UK: UK charity providing information and support specifically for people with tinnitus. Comparable as a UK hearing-condition charity with overlapping information and helpline services, but narrower in condition focus.

Regional players

• Hearing Health Foundation: US-based nonprofit funding hearing-loss research and education. Comparable in mission (hearing-loss support and information) but operates in a different geography and is research-led rather than peer-support-led.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hearingdogs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HearingDogs1
• Facebookfacebook.com/hearing.dogs
• Instagraminstagram.com/hearingdogs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Hearing Link