FACTSHEET 1 - Organisations

National Organisations
Communication Support
Technical Devices and Aids
Education
Local Authorities
Government Departments & Agencies
Rail and Coach Travel
Books

National Organisations

British Deaf Association (BDA) – see Sign Community

British Tinnitus Association (BTA)
Provides information and support, training and raising awareness. Produces a quarterly magazine for members.
BTA, Ground Floor, Unit 5, Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield S8 0TB
Freefone Helpline: 0800 018 0527
Telephone: 0114 2 50 9922
Textphone: 0114 258 5694
Fax: 0114 258 2279
Email: info@tinnitus.org.uk
Website: www.tinnitus.org.uk

Deafness Research UK
Is the medical charity for deaf and hard of hearing people. The website has a lot of information on deafness. They have a booklet entitled Managing Tinnitus which is available on request.
Deafness Research UK, FREEPOST WC 4938, LONDON WC1X 8BR
Freefone information line: 0800 808 2222
Telephone (voice): 0808 808 2222
Textphone: 020 7915 1412
Fax: 020 7278 0404
Email: info@deafnessresearch.org.uk
Website: www.deafnessresearch.org.uk

DeafPLUS
Works to encourage integration and equality between deaf and hearing people in all areas of life.
National Office: First Floor, Trinity Centre, Key Close, Whitechapel, London E1 4HG
Telephone:020 7790 6147
Textphone: 020 7790 5999
Fax: 020 7790 6147
Email: info@deafplus.org
Website: www.deafplus.org

Equality and Human Rights Commission Disability Helpline (England)
FREEPOST MID02164
Stratford upon Avon
CV37 9BR
Telephone: 08457 622 633
Textphone: 08457 622 644
Fax: 08457 778 878
Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9.00am to 5.00pm; Wed 9.00am to 8.00pm
Website: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/Pages/default.aspx

Hearing Concern LINK
Formed in September 2008 by the union of Hearing Concern, a national charity dedicated to improving the quality of life of those who are hard of hearing, and LINK, which provides a variety of services for deafened people, their families and professionals who work with them, including rehabilitation programmes for those who have recently become deaf and their families.
Hearing Concern LINK, 19 Hartfield Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2AR
Telephone (voice): 01323 638230
Telephone (text): 01323 769998
Fax: 01323 642968
Email: info@hearingconcernlink.org
Website: www.hearingconcernlink.org

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Select and train dogs to alert deaf people to sounds they cannot hear such as the alarm clock, baby cry, smoke alarm and many others.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, The Grange, Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire HP27 9NS
Telephone: 01844 348 100 (voice & textphone)
Fax: 01844 348 101
Email: info@hearing-dogs.co.uk
Website: www.hearing-dogs.co.uk

LINK - see Hearing Concern LINK

Ménière’s Society
Helps people with Ménière’s (vertigo), tinnitus and deafness
The Ménière's Society, The Rookery, Surrey Hills Business Park, Wotton, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6QT
Helpline: 0845 120 2975
Textphone: 01306 876883
Fax: 01306 876057
Email: info@menieres.org.uk
Website: www.menieres.org.uk

Music and the Deaf
Supports music opportunities for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Organises workshops, courses and signed theatre performance.
Music and the Deaf, The Media Centre, 7 Northumberland Street, Huddersfield HD1 1RL
Telephone: 01484 483115
Textphone: 01484 483115
Fax: 01484 483116
Email: info@matd.org.uk
Website: www.matd.org.uk

National Cochlear Implant Users Association (NCIUA)
Provides information and support for cochlear implant users. NCIUA, PO Box 260, High Wycombe, Bucks HP11 1FA
Fax: 01296 670700
Email: secretary@nciua.org.uk
Website: http://www.nciua.org.uk/

National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS)
The only UK charity providing a comprehensive range of support and services to all deaf children and their families.
NDCS Head Office, 15 Dufferin Street, London EC1Y 8UR
Telephone: 020 7490 8656
Textphone: 020 7490 8656
Fax: 020 7251 5020
Email: ndcs@ndcs.org.uk
Website: http://www.ndcs.org.uk/

RNID
The largest charity representing deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.
RNID Head Office, 19-23 Featherstone Street , London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone: 0808 8080123
Textphone: 0808 8089000
Fax: 020 72968199
E-mail: informationline@rnid.org.uk
Website: www.rnid.org.uk

RNID Typetalk
The only national telephone relay service which enables deaf, deafblind, deafened, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people to communicate with hearing people anywhere in the world. It is run by the RNID and funded by BT.
RNID Typetalk, PO Box 284, Liverpool L69 3UZ.
Text Helpline: 18001 0800 500 888
Voice Helpline: 0800 7 311 888
Fax: 0151 709 8119
Email: helpline@rnid-typetalk.org.uk
Website: www.typetalk.org

Sign Community (formerly British Deaf Association)
A charity which represents the Sign Language community. The BDA has a number of regional offices.
London Office: Sign Community, 69 Wilson Street, London EC2A 2BB
Videophone IP: 81.138.165.105
Textphone: 020 7588 3529
Telephone: 020 7588 3520
Fax: 020 7588 3527
Email: info@signcommunity.org.uk
Website: www.signcommunity.org.uk
For addresses of regional offices, see
www.signcommunity.org.uk/contact/contact.php

STAGETEXT
Provides captioning services. The text is displayed as the actors speak/sing, enabling people with a hearing loss to understand fully.
STAGETEXT, 54 Commercial Street, London E1 6LT
Telephone: 020 7377 0540
Textphone: 020 7247 7801
Fax: 020 7247 5622
Email: enquiries@stagetext.org
Website: www.stagetext.org

TAG
Aims to ensure that deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people have access to electronic communication services and facilities at the equivalent cost and with similar ease of use to that enjoyed by hearing people.
TAG , 36 Victoria Street, Wetherby, Yorkshire LS22 6RE
Fax: 01937 580956
Email: tagenquiries@hotmail.com
Website: www.tagcomm.org.uk

United Kingdom Council on Deafness (UKCoD)
The national umbrella organisation for charities and professional bodies concerned with deafness.
UK Council on Deafness, Westwood Park, London Road, Little Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4BS.
Telephone: 01206 274075
Textphone: 01206 274076
Fax: 01206 274077
Email: info@deafcouncil.org.uk
Website: www.deafcouncil.org.uk

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Contacts for Communication Support

Association of Lipspeakers (ALS)
The professional body that represents Lipspeakers. Promotes lipspeaking, runs professional development workshops and provides a forum for discussion on matters related to lipspeaking.
ALS Information Office, 5 Furlong Close, Upper Tean, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST10 4LB
Telephone: 01538 722482
Textphone: 01538 722442
Fax: 01538 722442
Email: information@lipspeaking.co.uk
Website: www.lipspeaking co.uk

Association of Notetaking Professionals
The professional body representing manual and electronic notetakers who work with deaf and disabled people.
ANP office: 102 Shurland Avenue, Barnet, EN4 8DD
Email: mail@anpnotetakers.co.uk
Website: www.anpnotetakers.co.uk

Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults (ATLA)
Maintains and develops standards of lipreading teaching to adults; promotes understanding of the needs of people with acquired hearing loss; provides a professional and recognised association for qualified teachers of lipreading to adults.
ATLA, Westwood Park, London Road, Little Horkesley, Colchester CO6 4BS
Email: ATLA@lipreading.org.uk
Website: www.lipreading.org.uk

Association of Verbatim Speech to Text Reporters (AVSTTR)
Offers a support network for STTR's, training and development opportunities to maintain a high standard of service to its users.
AVSTTR, c/o UKCoD, Westwood Park, London Road, Little Horkesley, Colchester CO6 4BS
Telephone: 01206 274075
Textphone: 01206 274076
Fax: 01206 274077
Website: www.avsttr.org.uk

British Institute of Verbatim Reporters (BIVR)
The leading professional body for pen and C.A.T. (Computer Aided Transcription) machine shorthand writers in the UK eg. Speech to Text Reporters. Secretary: Mary Sorene
Email: sec@bivr.org.uk
Website: www.bivr.org.uk

Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP)
A UK awarding body offering a wide range of qualifications in communication methods by deaf people and in deaf awareness and is the registration body for professional British Sign Language/English interpreters, Lipspeakers, Deafblind Manual Interpreters and Speech to Text Reporters. Produces a directory of registered Interpreters and other Language Service Providers.
CACDP, Durham University Science Park, Block 4, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3UZ
Telephone: 0191 383 1155
Textphone: 0191 383 7915
Fax: 0191 383 7914
Email: durham@cacdp.org.uk
Website: www.cacdp.org.uk

Cued Speech
The aim of Cued Speech for deaf children and adults is to help to overcome the problems of lipreading by making all the sounds of the spoken language clearly visible.
Website: www.cuedspeech.co.uk

STTRs Direct
specialise solely in Speech to Text communication (using either Palantype or Stenograph) for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people who need communication support of this type in order to participate fully in work settings, educational settings etc.
Telephone: 01707 642307
Email: enquiries@sttrsdirect.co.uk
Website: www.sttrsdirect.co.uk

Verbatim Reporting Services
For booking a speech-to-text reporter.
Website: www.verbatimreporting.co.uk

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Technical Devices and Aids

These companies sell environmental and technical devices such as loop systems, textphones, alerting devises etc and can give advice on specific equipment.

Connevans Ltd.
Connevans Ltd, 54 Albert Road North, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9YR
Telephone: 01737 247571
Textphone: 01737 243134
Fax: 01737 223475
Email: info@connevans.com
Website: www.connevans.com

Northern Acoustics
Northern Acoustics, 117 Townhead, Kirkintilloch G66 1NX
Telephone/Fax: 0141 776 2556
Textphone: 0141 775 2365
Email: sales@northern-accoustics.co.uk
Website: www.northern-accoustics.co.uk

RNID Shop
(Formerly RNID Sound Advantage)
1 Haddonbrook Business Centre, Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6YX
Telephone: 0870 789 8855
Textphone: 01733 238020 (Text)
Fax: 0870 789 8822
Website: www.rnid.org.uk/shop

Sarabec Ltd
Sarabec Ltd, 15 High Force Rd, Middlesbrough TS2 1RH
Telephone: 01642 247789
Textphone: 01642 251310
Fax: 01642 230827
email: mail@sarabec.co.uk
Website: www.sarabec.co.uk

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Education

Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) Offers guidance and advice on funding for those studying in post-16 education in the UK.
EGAS, 501-505 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AU
Telephone: 020 7254 6251 (2-4pm, Tue, Wed, Thu)
Website: www.egas-online.org

City Lit Centre for Deaf People The City Lit Centre for Deaf People provides education, training and support for deaf and deafened people and those wishing to work with deaf people.
The City Lit, Keeley Street, London WC2B 4BA
Telephone: 020 7383 7624
Textphone: 020 7380 0416
Fax: 020 7380 1076
Email: cfdp@citylit.ac.uk
Website: www.citylit.ac.uk

National Union of Students
Provides research, representation, training and expert advice for individual students and students' unions.
NUS, 2nd floor, Centro 3, Mandela Street, LONDON NW1 0DU
Telephone: 0871 221 8221
Textphone: 020 7380 6649
Fax: 0871 221 8222
Email: nusuk@nus.org.uk
Website: www.nusonline.co.uk

Skill - National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
A national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of disability in post-16 education, training and employment across the UK.
Skill Head Office, Chapter House, 18-20 Crucifix Lane, London SE1 3JW
Telephone/ Textphone: 020 7450 0620
Fax: 020 7450 0650
Email: skill@skill.org.uk
Website: www.skill.org.uk

Student Awards Agency for Scotland
Deals with financial support and gives advice to eligible Scottish students in higher education throughout the United Kingdom, together with certain related roles in connection with student loans, hardship funds and educational endowments.
The Student Awards Agency for Scotland, Gyleview House, 3 Redheughs Rigg, Edinburgh EH12 9HH
Telephone: 0845 111 1711
Fax: 0131 244 5887
Email: saas.geu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.saas.gov.uk

Student Loans Company Ltd
Administers loans to eligible students in higher education in the United Kingdom. It is wholly owned by the UK Government and operates within the policy context set by the Government, Scottish ministers and the legislative framework.
Student Loans Company Limited, 100 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 7JD
Telephone: 0141 306 2000
Fax: 0141 306 2005
Website: www.slc.co.uk

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Local Authorities

Local authorities deal with many different groups of people with particular needs, including people who are deaf. Social services departments throughout the UK will offer deaf people quite different services and support. By registering with your local authority, you may qualify for a Disabled Person’s Railcard which provides cheaper train travel and you may also find it easier to get other help such as a free travel pass for public transport.

Contact your town hall or your local social services office to find out about the range of services available. Contact details may be found in public libraries, newspapers and telephone directories. Most local authorities will have a website which will take the form www.(name of authority).gov.uk (e.g. www.sheffield.gov.uk)

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Government Departments and Agencies

Benefit Enquiry Line
Confidential advice and information for people with disabilities, and their carers and representatives, about social security benefits and how to claim them.
Benefit Enquiry Line, 2nd floor, Red Rose House, Lancaster Road, Preston PR1 2QP
Telephone: 0800 88 22 00
Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
Fax: 01772 23 89 53
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk/contact/contact_atoz.asp#bel

Department for Education and Learning Northern Ireland (DELNI)
Responsible for third level education, training and a range of employment measures aimed at giving people the skills, knowledge and opportunities to work. See other details on website.
Website: www.delni.gov.uk

Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
Responsible for all aspects of Education and Training in England and Wales. If you have a disability and are studying or plan to study a Higher Education course you may be entitled to a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) from your Local Education Authority (LEA).
Website: www.dfes.gov.uk

Department of Health (DoH)
Runs the National Health Service, mostly through locally based Primary Care Trusts (PCT) and Acute Hospital Trusts and is responsible for setting health and social care policy. These organisations are responsible for the provision of hearing aids, cochlear implants, hearing therapy, speech therapy as well as all other treatment available through the NHS.
Website: www.dh.gov.uk

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Responsible for all matters relating to employment and benefits. The Department employs disability advisers, runs jobcentres and administers benefits and tax credits and is responsible for a range of benefits and services for people who are sick or have a disability
Telephone: 020 7712 2171 (Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm)
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk
The DWP’s Disability Policy Division has its own website:
www.disability.gov.uk

Directgov
Has the widest range of government information and services. Information for disabled people in areas such as employment, health and education. There's also advice on independent living, leisure, financial support and rights.
Website: www.direct.gov.uk/DisabledPeople/fs/en

Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
If you are eligible for these benefits they are paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you. Contact your social security office for a claim form. Find your local office on the DWP website or look in the phone book under Benefits Agency, Jobcentre Plus or social security.
Warbreck House, Warbreck Hill, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0YE
Telephone: 0845 712 3456
Textphone: 0845 722 4433

Jobcentre Plus
Part of the DWP. Provides help and advice on job hunting and extra support
Correspondence Manager, Jobcentre Plus Secretariat, Ground Floor, Steel City House, West Street, Sheffield S1 2GQ
Telephone: See local telephone directory

Jobseeker Direct
A phone service which keeps you in touch with the latest job vacancies and helps you find the job that's right for you.
Telephone: 0845 6060 234
Textphone: 0845 6055 255

Pension Credit
Pension Credit is an entitlement for people aged 60 or over living in Great Britain. This could mean extra money for you every week.
Telephone: 0800 99 1234
Textphone: 0800 169 0133
Website: www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

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Contacts for Rail and Coach Travel

Disabled Person’s Railcard
Depending on the nature of your disability, you may qualify for a Disabled Persons Railcard.
Disabled Persons Railcard Office, PO Box 163, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE12 8WX
Telephone: 0845 605 0525
Textphone: 0845 601 0132
Website: www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk

National Rail Enquiries Online
Offers information on rail travel and the purchase of tickets through an authorised online retailer
National Rail Enquiry Service Ltd, 3rd Floor, 40 Bernard Street, London WC1N 1BY
Website: www.nationalrail.co.uk

National Express
Provides coach travel and the purchase of tickets.
National Express Limited, Ensign Court, 4 Vicarage Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3ES
Telephone: 08705 808080
Textphone: 0121 455 0086
Website: www.nationalexpress.com

The Trainline
Find out times, book tickets and reserve seats for any train operator in mainland UK.
Website: www.thetrainline.com

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Books and Other Publications

Forest Bookshop
Books, videos etc relating to deaf and hard of hearing issues
Forest Books, The New Building, Ellwood Road, Milkwall, Coleford, Glos. GL16 7LE
Telephone/Text: 01594 833858
Fax: 01594 833446
Website: www.forestbooks.com

NADP
NADP, PO Box 50, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6XB
Telephone: 0845 055 9663
E-mail: enquiries@nadp.org.uk
Website: www.nadp.org.uk

RNID Library
Houses collections relating to the audiology and deaf studies
RNID Library, Institute of Laryngology and Otology, 330-336 Grays Inn Rd, London, WC1X 8EE
Telephone/Textphone: 020 7915 1553
Fax: 020 7915 1443
Website: www.rnid.org.uk/information_resources/rnid_library/

N.B. The information in this factsheet is given in good faith but NADP cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or injury resulting from its use.

NADP, PO Box 50, Amersham, Bucks HP6 6XB
E-mail: enquiries@nadp.org.uk
www.nadp.org.uk


Updated February 2008

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