Resources

• Get attention: Gently tap their shoulder, or wave your hand before speaking. Make eye contact.

• Environment: Ensure good lighting and reduce background noise. Move to a quiet place if possible. Allow for regular breaks to manage concentration fatigue.

• Ask, never assume: Always ask how they prefer to communicate, or if they have any communication requirements. Everyone communicates differently; some use BSL, SSE, lip-reading, or a combination. Some may use various hearing devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, or BAHAs.

• Face them and speak clearly: Face the person and speak naturally, clearly, without over-enunciating or shouting. Use clear, concise language.

• Talk directly to them: Talk directly to the Deaf person, not their communication support.

• Be patient and understanding: Allow time for communication. Take turns, repeat, rephrase, use gestures and visual cues. Write things down, use your phone notes app. Never say ‘I’ll tell you later’, or ‘it doesn’t matter’.

• Increase Deaf Awareness: Learn about Deaf Culture, its views, and history. For many, Deafness is a unique cultural identity.

• Get guidance: Action Deafness is here to support with information, advice and guidance, from booking communication support, to Deaf Awareness Training and BSL taster sessions.

• Year-round commitment: Remember, accessibility and inclusion are ongoing commitments.

Keen to learn more communication tips? Sign up for our Deaf Awareness Training.

• 999 BSL - 24/7 Emergency Video Relay Service to contact 999 in BSL (App or Web)

• Emergency SMS | Relay UK - 24/7 Emergency relay service to contact 999 by typing (App, SMS text message or Textphone)

• PAPYRUS - 24/7 Hopeline Suicide prevention helpline Video Relay Service in BSL (App or Web)

• SHOUT 85258 - 24/7 Free crisis text messaging service for mental health support - Text: SHOUT to 85258

• Non-emergency Police: Visit your local Police website for contact information or use directories: SignVideo | Convo (App or Web)

• NHS 111 BSL - 24/7 Video Relay Service to contact NHS 111 in BSL (App or Web)

• NHS - Information and services to help you manage your health

• Audiology (Hearing Support) - For hearing tests, ear health, support with hearing loss and hearing technologies:

  • See your GP for referral to NHS audiology or ENT.

  • Some areas allow self-referral for routine hearing tests.

  • Private options: Specsavers, Boots Hearingcare, or local clinics offer direct booking.

• Cardiac patient education videos (BSL)

• Childline Deaf Zone - Advice and support in English and BSL for under 19s. Call via Video Relay Service (App or Web), 1:1 chat, or email.

• Deaf4Deaf Therapy - Counselling support for BSL, Hearing Loss and CODA

• Dementia information in BSL

• Healthwatch - Champions views of Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing people to improve health and social care services

• Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support - BSL services and accessible cancer information, emotional and practical support

• SignHealth - Deaf health charity providing support through mental health challenges, domestic abuse, accessible health resources

• PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) - Helps Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing people resolve issues with NHS services

• Refuge - National Domestic Abuse Helpline - BSL video support (Web or App)

• Tinnitus UK

• Sign Language Week - March

• World Hearing Day - 3 March

• Free Wills Month - March

• National British Sign Language (BSL) Day - 28 April

• Deaf Awareness Week - May

• Global Accessibility Awareness Day - May

• Deafblind Awareness Week - June

• International Day of Charity - 5 September

• Lipreading Awareness Week - September

• Usher Syndrome Awareness Day - September

• International Week of Deaf people - September

• International Day of Sign Languages - 23 September

• National Inclusion Week - September

• Remember a Charity Week - September

• Free Wills Month - October

• Disability History Month - November/December

• International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December

• UK Charity Week - December

• ABSLTA - Association of British Sign Language Teachers and Assessors

• ALAS - Association of Lipspeakers with Additional Sign

• ASLI - Association of Sign Language Interpreters and Translators

• ATLA - Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults

• Deafness Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL)

• Lipspeaker UK

• Signapse - AI powered sign language translator

• Signature - Awarding body for deaf communication and language qualifications UK

Learn BSL resources

• British Sign Language Dictionary

• BSL SignBank

• Let's Sign BSL Deaf Books

• Sign BSL - British Sign Language Dictionary

• The School of Signs

Education

• BATOD - British Association of Teachers of Deaf Children and Young people

• Deaf Minds Education - Training and resources to improve mental health and education for Deaf youth

• GCSE British Sign Language (BSL) Guidance | Gov.uk

• UK Deaf Students' Union

History

• BDHS - British Deaf History Society

• Deaf Careers - Find Deaf jobs and career opportunities

• Access to Work (AtW) - Grants for support at work if you have a disability (varies slightly in Northern Ireland)

• Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

• Citizens Advice (CAB) - Free, confidential advice on legal, financial, housing, and employment issues

• Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)

• HMRC - Tax and Income-related support

• Jobcentre Plus – Employment support and benefit services

• Local Council - Provide support with housing, welfare, social care and more

• Priority Services Register (PSR) - Offering extra support during electricity, gas or water supply interruptions

• Benefits (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) - Such as:

  • Carer's Allowance

  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - Benefit for extra living costs due to disability

  • And more

• Benefits (Scotland) - Such as:

  • Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

  • Child Disability Payment (CDP)

  • Carers

  • And more

• BBC Cbeebies Magic Hands

• BBC See Hear

• CEA Card - Allows disabled cinema guests to get a complimentary ticket for a companion at the cinema

• Channel 4

• Deaf Day - City Lit, London

• Deaffest - Deaf Film and Arts Festival

• Deaf Lottery UK

• Deafinitely Theatre

• Deaf Rave

• Deaf Where? - Deaf events, all in one place

• D-Live! - Theatre

• Fuse Theatre

• Graeae - Theatre

• ITV Signed Stories

• LumoTV - Deaf entertainment

• Performance Interpreting - Interpreters for live performances e.g. concerts and theatre

• Stagetext - Captioned theatre

• Taking Flight Theatre

• TheatreSign - British Sign Language Interpreted Performances

• The Limping Chicken - Deaf news

• YourLocalCinema - Subtitled cinema

• AccessAble - Accessibility guides featuring venue access for disabled people

• Access Card - Photo ID to easily communicate a disabled person's access requirements at events and venues

• Amsaan Tours - Accessible travel for Deaf communities

• Deaf Camping and Caravanning Club UK

• Deafland Rally Camping and Caravanning Club

• Disabled Person's Bus pass

• Disabled Persons Railcard

• Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard - A simple way to show a hidden disability and signal the need for extra support

• Holidays for Deaf people and those with hearing loss

• Passenger Assistance App

• VoluntEars - Accessible travel for Deaf communities

• Age UK - Hearing Loss

• British Deaf Association (BDA)

• Deaf and Hearing Trailblazers - Training provider and UK Deaf Leadership Summit

• DeafKidz International

• Disability Rights UK

• European Union of the Deaf (EUD)

• European Union of the Deaf Youth (EUDY)

• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

• National Association of Deafened People (NADP)

• National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS)

• RNID

• Sense

• Usher Kids UK

• UK Council on Deafness (UKCoD)

• World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)

Legal and regulatory frameworks

Acts and Standards

• Accessible Information Standard (AIS) - Making health and social care information accessible

• British Sign Language Act 2022

• British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015

• Care Act 2014

• Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - Northern Ireland

• European Accessibility Act (EAA)

• Equality Act 2010 - England, Scotland, Wales

• Irish Sign Language Act 2017 - Republic of Ireland

Bills (Proposed Legislation)

• British Sign Language (BSL) Wales Bill

• Sign Language Bill Northern Ireland (BSL and ISL)

Advisory and Regulatory Bodies

• British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board

• Care Inspectorate Wales

• Care Quality Commission

• Ofcom - UK communications regulator for accessibility in broadcasting and telecoms

• NRCPD - Voluntary regulator for language service professionals

BSL information/services

• Scottish Government - British Sign Language

• UK Government - The British Sign Language (BSL) report 2022

• Welsh Government - Find information published in British Sign Language (BSL)

• Senedd.tv - Welsh Parliament BSL videos

UK Video Relay Services (VRS) connecting BSL users to live BSL interpreters via video call. Includes contact directories of services, organisations, and businesses:

• 999 BSL - 24/7 Emergency Video Relay Service to contact 999 in BSL (App or Web)

• Emergency SMS | Relay UK - 24/7 Emergency relay service to contact 999 by typing (App, SMS text message or Textphone)

• Non-emergency Police: Visit your local Police website for contact information or use directories: SignVideo | Convo (App or Web)

• NHS 111 BSL - 24/7 Video Relay Service to contact NHS 111 in BSL (App or Web)

• Contact Scotland BSL

• Convo

• Interpreters Live

• SignVideo

• Relay UK - Free UK service that enables Deaf and Hard of Hearing to communicate over the phone via text

• Black Deaf UK

• Deaf Muslim UK

• Children of Deaf Adults | CODA UK & Ireland

• DEWA - Deaf Ethnic Women's Association

• Deaf Rainbow UK - LGBTQIA+ resources

• Deafinitely Women

• IOCN - Interpreters of Colour Network

• JDA - Jewish Deaf Association

• Deaflympics GB

• Deaflympics

• Deaf Sports Personality of the Year

• International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD)

• UK Deaf Sport - Directory of individual sports