Jewish Deaf Association sees record surge in demand
New figures reveal sharp rise in Jewish families and children seeking hearing support across the UK
The Jewish Deaf Association (JDA) has reported the highest level of demand in its history, with the number of people it supports almost doubling in just one year, new figures show.
Marking World Hearing Day, the specialist charity reveals it supported 4,829 people in 2025 – a 93 percent increase on the previous year and a dramatic rise compared with previous years.
The figures reflect growing pressure on hearing support services across the UK Jewish community, with JDA warning that more families, children and adults are coming forward for help than ever before.
The charity said demand had remained broadly steady in the years prior – it had supported 2,410 people in 2022 and 2,510 in 2023 – before a sharp rise last year.
The scale of the increase has been felt across frontline provision. In 2025, JDA supported 196 people from hearing families with deaf babies and children, delivered hearing and home-based support to 130 people, and provided intensive ongoing care to 212 vulnerable individuals.
The surge in demand has also driven up costs. JDA’s annual expenditure rose from around £910,000 in 2022 to nearly £1.3 million in 2024, reflecting the expansion of frontline support and specialist services.
Through its training and consultancy work, JDA trained 242 professionals working in community welfare organisations and supported a further 192 care home and domiciliary workers, extending specialist deaf awareness across the community.
One of those supported is Immanuel, aged five, a pupil at an independent Jewish day school in north London, who has a vision and hearing impairment and wears a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA).
After JDA became involved, the charity fundraised to install sound-absorbing “acoustic clouds” in his classroom to reduce echo and background noise.
His mother, Ayala, said: “The clouds really soften the noise in the room. They absorb the extra sounds that would otherwise make the room more echoey and overwhelming for him.”
She added: “JDA fundraised specifically for him and put acoustic clouds into his classroom – and they’re portable, so they’ll be able to move with him into his next classroom too. These classrooms are big and noisy with kids running around, so the clouds are actually useful for everyone, not just him.”
Ayala said JDA managed the entire process: “JDA organised all of it – they liaised with the company, had them come in, did a whole plan of where each cloud should go, and helped the school sort out things like hiring a tower. It was really amazing,” she said.
Another child supported by JDA is Emily, aged seven, who was diagnosed deaf as a baby. Born in Israel, she was fitted with cochlear implants at seven months old and moved to the UK with her family at the age of two.
Since settling in London, Emily – now a pupil at Wolfson Hillel Primary School – has received ongoing support from JDA, including the installation of acoustic clouds in her classroom.
Her mother, Lisa, said: “A mainstream classroom with 30 children is noisy, and that makes it harder for Emily to hear clearly, especially with group work. She often finds it easier to play football with the boys because it’s less talk-based and provides a listening break.”
“The sound that Emily hears from her cochlear implants cannot compare to normal hearing, so she benefits from a quieter environment,” she added.
Lisa said the charity had played a crucial role in helping Emily thrive. “JDA has gone above and beyond to make Emily’s school work for her, improving and growing inclusivity with deaf children within our community. We feel lucky that the JDA is here for us.”
She added: “JDA has connected us with other Jewish families with deaf children. Emily now has friends her age who are also deaf, which is so important because she’s the only deaf child in her school.”
“We’ve formed real friendships as parents, too. There are fundays, children’s clubs, parent WhatsApp groups and a real sense of community. It makes everything feel less isolating.”
Talking about her daughter, Lisa said: “She’s fun, smart and happy and becoming a strong self-advocate who is proud of her deaf identity. We couldn’t ask for more and JDA has played a huge part in that.”
JDA’s chief executive, Sue Cipin OBE, said the figures highlight both rising need and the charity’s responsibility to respond.
“With one in three people now living with hearing loss, at JDA we are seeing record levels of demand for our services, with more people and families needing help than ever before,” she said.
“As the community’s specialist organisation in deafness and hearing loss, JDA has a responsibility to ensure that Jewish deaf people of any age do not feel isolated or marginalised. They should feel respected, and be able to access the education, community services and support they need. They should be fully included in their family life, their work and in the wider community.”
She added: “World Hearing Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness, remind people that they are not alone and encourage our community organisations to show they take hearing loss seriously by putting it on their agenda.
“At JDA, we support deaf people and their families in whatever way they may need, which can include helping parents liaise with schools, working with care homes to put the right support in place, or guiding families through applications for allowances and grants they may not even realise they are entitled to.
“As hearing loss continues to rise, awareness and outreach are essential to ensuring hearing loss is identified early, and no one is left feeling isolated or overlooked.”
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