NHS hearing aids remain the property of the NHS and are provided free of charge on a long-term loan basis. If a hearing aid is damaged due to negligence, damaged deliberately, or lost, there is a charge applied to repair or replace that device. The charge is set at £75 for one hearing aid, £150 for two. The maximum charge that can be applied by the department per incident is £150. These charges will be applied to all patients unless exempt.

List of exemptions 

  • The patient is under the age of 18.
  • The patient is in full-time education and under the age of 21.
  • The patient is registered blind.
  • The patient has a diagnosed learning disability.
  • The patient has a diagnosed cognitive impairment.
  • The patient was an inpatient in hospital or a resident of a care home at the time of the loss or damage.
  • The hearing aid(s) was stolen, and the patient has a crime reference number.
  • The patient receives means-tested benefits (such as Universal Credit, pension credit, income support).

Evidence that an exemption applies is required (e.g. proof of benefits will need to be shown).

What to do if you have lost your hearing aid

  1. Trace your steps to ensure that you have searched thoroughly for the lost device. Any charges that are applied are non-refundable. 
  2. Contact the department using the information in our ‘Contact Details’ section on our department home page. Include the following information:
  • Your name.
  • Your date of birth.
  • Your hospital and NHS number (if known).
  • Which hearing aid you have lost (i.e. left, right or both).
  • Whether you have lost the entirety of the hearing aid, or just some elements of it (i.e. just the hearing aid section or also the earmould/tubing).
  • Whether you would prefer the hearing aid to be posted back to you once repaired/replaced, or you would prefer to collect it from the reception desk once the request is completed.
  • Provide any evidence that you are exempt from the lost hearing aid charges if applicable.

​​​​​​​The department may request clarification if any details are missing or unclear.

  1. If the request can be processed, you will receive an email with a link to our payment page (if applicable).
  2. Once a payment has been made, the department will be notified, and the lost hearing aid request will be actioned. Depending on the style of hearing aid you have, a replacement may take anywhere from a couple of days up to 8 weeks to be ready. Based on your preference, we will either post the hearing aid back to you or leave the hearing aid on the reception desk for collection. If you have indicated you would prefer to collect the hearing aid, we will notify you once it is available for collection.