Raising awareness of the Veterans hearing fund

Armed Forces veterans are around 3.5 times more likely to experience hearing difficulties so as we approach armistice day, we are keen to raise awareness of the Veteran’s Hearing fund.

The Veteran’s Hearing fund is a government scheme which allows serving and ex-service men and women to gain FREE hearing help and equipment from Chime.

What is the Veteran’s Hearing Fund?

Following the Royal British Legion’s ‘Lost Voices’ report in 2011, which highlighted the hearing issues faced by veterans, the organisation lobbied the UK Government to do more to help those with hearing loss. Thanks to this campaign, in 2015, the Government responded by creating a new Veterans Hearing Fund, giving veterans free access to hearing technology. This means Chime is now able to offer hearing health advice that is second to none as well as the latest in hearing technology and equipment free at the point of service.

Chime Managing Director, Jonathan Parsons says: “Hearing damage, one of the less visible effects of warfare, is a key issue affecting the Armed Forces community but has received very little attention to date.

“Almost all service people, whether in service for 5 or 20 years, are likely to suffer from hearing difficulties after exposure, in training, service and active service, to a vast amount of noise from arms, artillery, engines, other machinery and explosive devices. This will inevitably take its toll on the auditory system.

“It is therefore not surprising, due to the nature of their roles, that current statistics reveal that Armed Forces veterans are around 3.5 times more likely than the general population to report hearing difficulty. We are keen to raise awareness of the fact that ex-servicemen and women needn’t suffer with hearing loss, as we can offer them expert advice and state-of-the-art technology that has been described by some of our clients as life-changing."

How do I apply?

Do you, or someone you know qualify for the Veteran’s Hearing Fund? There are two stages in applying, which starts by contacting Chime to open a case. Learn how to apply to the Veterans Hearing Fund.