Veterans hearing Fund

The Veterans Hearing Fund (VHF) provides support to veterans who acquired hearing loss during Service.

Applying to the Veterans Hearing Fund hasn’t always been an easy process but please do not let that put you off from getting the better hearing you are entitled to.

At Liverpool Hearing Centre we have a great deal of experience in providing veteran hearing aid assistance. We take the hassle out of the application by going through everything face to face and have helped many deserving veterans get free hearing aids from the Veterans Hearing Fund.

"We take the hassle out of the application by going through everything face to face and have helped many deserving veterans get free hearing aids from the Veterans Hearing Fund."

Who should apply for the veterans hearing fund?

The Veterans Hearing Fund is open to those who have a well-being needs that cannot be met through statutory services (such as the NHS). VHF may fund hearing aids, accessories and therapies (e.g. lip reading, tinnitus treatment, etc). The Royal British Legion administers the fund, which is financed by HM Treasury.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH nhs hEARING aIDS?

Due to budgetary issues, the hearing aids provided by the NHS tend to be some of the least powerful and less technologically advanced available. These may be OK for people with mild hearing loss who live quiet lifestyles in unchallenging hearing environments, hearing aids for war veterans tend to need to be much more powerful and with a higher levels of clarity and connectivity to aid specific Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Premium private hearing aids have features and accessories that can stream audio from your phone, TV or radio directly to your hearing aids, remote controls and extra microphones. These can make a significant difference to veterans hearing and wellbeing, but are generally not provided via the NHS.

Privately, Liverpool Hearing Centre is able to provide more time with you at the testing, selection and fitting stage. This is extremely important to people with NIHL.

"PREMIUM PRIVATE HEARING AIDS HAVE FEATURES AND ACCESSORIES THAT CAN STREAM AUDIO FROM YOUR PHONE, TV OR RADIO DIRECTLY TO YOUR HEARING AIDS, REMOTE CONTROLS AND EXTRA MICROPHONES. THESE CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE TO VETERANS HEARING AND WELLBEING. These ARE GENERALLY NOT PROVIDED VIA THE NHS."

How do I Qualify?

In order for The Royal British Legion to determine whether hearing loss was acquired during Service, veterans who would like to apply to the programme must submit one of the following as documented evidence that their hearing loss was acquired during Service (or inform the RBL that the veteran no longer have documented evidence if this is the case - see Subject Access Request form download below):

War pension AFCS award for hearing loss.
Lump sum payment for hearing loss.
Applied for compensation for your hearing loss, however although refused, it was accepted that the hearing loss was acquired during Service.
Provided hearing aids by the MOD.
Have service medical records that show hearing loss.

Liverpool Hearing centre will print the correct form you need and help you complete it as part of our service

If you would rather download and complete the forms yourself then please use the download buttons below:

VHF Eligibility Application

Print and complete if you match any one of the criteria above

veterans-hearing-fund-eligibility-applic

Microsoft Word Document 76.8 KB

Download

Subject Access Request

Applicants who do not have a copy of their Service Medical records must complete a Subject Access Request form

Subject Access Request.pdf

Adobe Acrobat Document 62.1 KB

Download