Deaf Awareness Week 2026

Deaf Awareness Week takes place from 4 – 10th May 2026. Deaf Awareness Week is about raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss and celebrating British deaf history, community and culture.  

What is deafness?

Deafness or hearing loss means that one or more parts of someone’s ear or ears are not working as well as they need to.

There are different types of deafness:

• Sensorineural deafness which is when the inner ear is not working effectively. This type of deafness can be permanent.
• Conductive deafness is when sound is not able to pass through the ear effectively due to blockages caused by wax or fluid. Conductive deafness can be temporary or permanent.
• Unilateral deafness is when a person has deafness in only one ear.

And there are different levels of deafness or hearing loss. One person could have mild hearing loss while another person could have profound hearing loss.  

People who are deaf or have hearing loss use different ways of communicating with others. Some people who are deaf speak. Some people who are deaf use sign language. And some people who are deaf speak and use sign language.

This year, the focus of Deaf Awareness Week is about raising awareness of signs of childhood deafness or hearing loss.  Please see the National Deaf Children’s Society for further information on the signs of childhood deafness or hearing loss.

Further information about Deaf Awareness Week can be found here:

Deaf Awareness Week 2026 | National Deaf Children’s Society