The Equality Commission advises that refusing to take calls involving a third party from disabled people would be likely to be a breach of the Equality Act.
“A bank has a policy not to accept calls from customers through a third party. This could amount to indirect discrimination against a disabled person with a learning disability who may use a support worker to call the bank. The right sort of approach is to make sure the customer’s records show anyone who deals with them that they may be communicating using a support worker. This is also likely to be a reasonable adjustment.”
‘What equality law means for your business’, Equality and Human Rights Commission 2010
The Information Commissioner advises that taking calls via a relay service would not be a breach of the General Data Protection Regulation.
“The GDPR does not prevent individuals from contacting organisations using services such as textphone, NGT or even using a sign language interpreter. The matter at hand is not one of consent, but that the organisation should have appropriate security in place to protect against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data, as outlined in Article 5, principle (f) of the GDPR.
The same level of security should be in place for a customer using the above services as for one who is not. The organisation must have appropriate processes in place to authenticate the customer, regardless of if they are using one of the above services, before processing any personal data.”
Letter to UK Council on Deafness from the Information Commissioner’s Office, October 2018
Calling your bank by video relay
You may also like to know that some banks provide video relay so that their customers can contact them in sign language.
For more details on which banks offer this service, please refer to the directory pages of the video relay service providers:
A phone connection enables users to make calls to, and receive calls from, any telephone number. If it was an over-the-top relay service, anyone you wanted to call or who wanted to call you would have to use the same software as you.
The phone call enables deaf users who want to speak to the hearing party to do so. Similarly, users with some hearing can listen to the other end of the call while reading the captions, and speech-impaired people can listen to the call and type what they want to say.
A purely web-based system would require a continuous data connection on mobile devices in order for users to know that they had an incoming call. This could lead to battery drain and/or higher data consumption.
For emergency text relay calls, location information can be used to find the caller in exactly the same way as any other emergency call. Ofcom requires UK communications providers to make caller location information available free of charge on emergency calls.
The phone call identifies the telecoms provider responsible for paying for the relay call, and also helps prevent relay fraud from being perpetrated (this has been a serious problem in the United States).
It may also be helpful to note that the 2G and 3G mobile networks are gradually being switched off over the next few years. This will affect customers using older mobile devices and services. If you have a 4G or 5G mobile device or service, this change is unlikely to affect you. Please see Ofcom's advice page on the 2G and 3G switch off for more information.
UK telecommunications regulations apply to traditional telecom providers. Parliament has not given Ofcom the power to regulate internet-based services, such as FaceTime and WhatsApp, which do not dial a telephone number and are often known as "over-the-top" (OTT) services.
Many platforms, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Facetime (on iOS 16 and above) provide live automatic captioning that transcribes spoken words in real time. Users can enable captions during calls, making it easier for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to follow.
The relay service is free at the point of use. The cost is paid by the telecoms providers.
The phone call on which it is used is chargeable, however disabled users are entitled to a special tariff to compensate them for the additional time taken by relay calls. This reflects the fact that all their calls are likely to be made using the relay service.
Fixed line providers generally meet the requirement for a special tariff by applying a rebate to chargeable calls on which text relay is used. Calls that are included in an unlimited bundle are already zero-rated so will not attract a rebate.
Mobile providers generally meet the requirement by zero-rating text relay calls made by their disabled customers. This is because mobile calls are often purchased in bundles, a set number of minutes per month. Because there isn’t a per-minute charge for these calls, it is difficult to apply a rebate.
Calls that do not attract a rebate typically include directory enquiries, international directory enquiries, international calls and calls to revenue sharing numbers (i.e. where the telecoms provider will be passing most of the cost of the call to another party).
Hearing aids operate in either acoustic coupling or telecoil coupling mode.
In acoustic mode, hearing aids receive and amplify all sounds, both wanted (e.g. speech) and unwanted (e.g. background noise).
Hearing aids on the ‘T’ setting avoid unwanted noise by turning off the microphone and receiving only signals from magnetic fields, for example an induction loop in a meeting room or theatre.
Mobile handsets can interfere with hearing aids, causing buzzing or other noises. However, some handsets have an integral telecoil, meaning that they can be used by hearing aid users on the ‘T’ setting.
There is an American standard used to rate how well a particular handset works with a hearing aid on ‘T’ (telecoil) and also on ‘M’ (microphone mode). The scale is from 1-4, with 4 being the best. A phone rated T3/M3 or T4/M4 will generally work best for people using hearing aids.
You may find it easier to hold the telephone slightly behind, rather than directly over, the ear to obtain the clearest signal.
If you still find an unsatisfactory level of noise when using a handset directly, you may like to try an inductive earhook plugged into the headset socket, or a neck loop.
Most smartphones and mobiles are compatible with hearing aids. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People has information on using your smartphone or mobile with your hearing aid.
Specialist mobile handsets with a rating of at least T3/M3 are available from commercial suppliers and also from charities supporting deaf people.
If you use a search engine to look for “hearing aid compatible mobile phones” and restrict your search to the UK, you should find a wide range of suppliers.
If you are a deaf person buying a specialist handset for your own use you should not need to pay VAT - your supplier will be able to advise you.
Companies supplying equipment such as amplified phones and induction loops include Connevans, Sarabec, Hearing Direct.
Telephones for use on a fixed line can be analogue or digital. You may see the acronym DECT, which stands for digitally enhanced cordless telephone.
If a phone is described as 'hearing aid compatible' then it has an inductive coupler, which works directly with a hearing aid to give a clearer sound. To use the inductive coupler your hearing aid has to be switched to the ‘T’ (telecoil) setting.
As with mobile handsets, the number of DECT phones that work well with hearing aids switched to ‘T’ is small, but there are some available.
If you use a search engine to search for “hearing aid compatible DECT” and restrict your search to the UK, you should find a range of models and suppliers, both commercial and charitable.
If you are a deaf person buying a specialist handset for your own use you should not need to pay VAT - your supplier will be able to advise you.
Telephones for use on a fixed line can be analogue or digital. You may see the acronym DECT, which stands for digitally enhanced cordless telephone.
If a phone is described as 'hearing aid compatible' then it has an inductive coupler, which works directly with a hearing aid to give a clearer sound. To use the inductive coupler your hearing aid has to be switched to the ‘T’ (telecoil) setting.
As with mobile handsets, the number of DECT phones that work well with hearing aids switched to ‘T’ is small, but there are some available.
If you use a search engine to search for “hearing aid compatible DECT” and restrict your search to the UK, you should find a range of models and suppliers, both commercial and charitable.
If you are a deaf person buying a specialist handset for your own use you should not need to pay VAT - your supplier will be able to advise you.
Companies supplying equipment such as amplified phones and induction loops include Connevans, Sarabec, Hearing Direct.
No, but the technology that supports them is being upgraded over the next few years. Telephone providers are replacing the current analogue network for landline phones with newer digital or IP (Internet Protocol) networks. In future, voice telephone calls will be carried in the same way as data over a broadband connection.
The change is led by broadband and phone companies. The government and communications regulator, Ofcom, are working with industry to help ensure they deliver a smooth transition.
Over time, everyone who wants a landline will move over to the new system. Nearly everyone will be able to keep their current phone number and use their existing phone – but if your handset is very old, you might need to change it. You don’t need to do anything yet – your phone company will get in touch with you.
For more information, please refer to Ofcom’s moving landline phones to digital technology: what you need to know page.
Many providers offer low-cost SIM-only deals that include unlimited texts, which might be a good option. These SIM-only plans usually come with a small amount of data and minutes for calls, in addition to unlimited texts, and can be as low as £3 to £8 per month, depending on the provider and plan duration.
Ofcom accredits a number of digital comparison tools. More information can be found on Ofcom's comparison resources page.
Disabled people are not automatically eligible for discounts – you have to be on means tested benefits to qualify.
Some providers offer cheaper broadband packages that are only available to customers on certain benefits.
BT and KCOM also provide cheaper voice-only landline tariffs to eligible households. If you or someone in your household claims Universal Credit, you could switch to any of the tariffs available.
All major providers also include people on Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support.
Some providers might include additional benefits, like Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance.
The person receiving the benefit needs to be the main person on the contract.
To check if your current provider offers a social tariff please see our table on the Social Tariffs page which lists all of the tariffs available now. You can apply for most tariffs online, or call your provider and ask to switch.
If your provider doesn’t offer a social tariff, you can switch to one that does. Your provider might let you leave your current contract without paying a penalty fee. Read our guide to switching broadband to find out more.
Organisations such as the British Wireless Fund for the Blind and WaveLength can provide easy to use audio equipment designed for people with visual impairments. In some circumstances, equipment can be provided on a free permanent loan.
Cost can act as a barrier to ownership of accessible equipment for many disabled people. Here is some information about sources of funding for accessible equipment.
In the workplace: Access to Work can help to fund the cost of equipment or alterations to existing equipment needed in the workplace, for example, accessible phones.
At home: Disabled people are entitled to a community care assessment from their social services department, and social services can provide equipment such as accessible mobile phones - increasingly, social services are providing direct payments so that people can buy equipment of their choosing.
Government guidance says that local authorities should try to complete assessments within 28 days. The law sets out in general what social services departments must provide, but local policies and resources will influence the services that are available locally.
Local authorities cannot refuse to assess your needs if you are disabled, and if you are assessed as needing a service according to the local eligibility criteria, then social services must provide that service.
For more information, you can go to Scope’s Paying for disability equipment and assistive technology page.
Ofcom does not have powers to set specific rules on the presence of background sounds on TV in the UK, which is an editorial decision for broadcasters and producers. However, we are aware that background sounds may be a distraction to some viewers and reduce the intelligibility of the dialogue for viewers with hearing loss.
You may wish to contact the broadcaster direct if you have difficulty with particular programmes.
Using subtitles may help if you are experiencing difficulty hearing television dialogue clearly. Many broadcasters now provide subtitles on a high proportion of their programmes (see the accessibility section of our website for more information on Ofcom’s rules on subtitling and the levels of subtitling provided).
Adjusting the sound settings on the TV set itself may also help. As well as bass and treble controls, modern TV sets often have a variety of different digital sound settings, some of which may reduce or enhance the clarity of the dialogue in some cases, although much depends on the characteristics of the individual receiver.
Ofcom accredits a number of digital comparison tools. More information can be found on Ofcom's comparison's resources page.
As part of the audit process, Ofcom assesses the methods of providing information to consumers with a variety of disabilities and access needs, for example, providing a phone number to allow customers to do an offline comparison.
The accredited companies’ websites have been tailored to cater for consumers with visual impairments and are written in plain English.