ANNUAL
REPORT &
ACCOUNTS
RN
Supporting people
who are deaf, have
hearing loss or tinnitus
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## **CONTENTS**
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|Strategic Report|3|
|Chair’s Foreword|4|
|Chief Executive’s Foreword|6|
|Strategy|8|
|10|
|Public Benefit|
|Our Values|12|
|Our Plans for 25–26|14|
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## **Our Achievements and Performance:**
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|Changing Society and Public Attitudes|16|
|Changing Systems and Services|22|
|Changing Individual Lives, One by One|30|
|Fundraising and Engagement|38|
|Our Plans for 26–27|44|
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## **Trustees and Directors’ Report:**
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|Structure, Governance and|
|Management|48|
|Financial Summary and Review|52|
|Rest of Trustees Report|54|
|Financial Statements|62|
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## **OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS:**
**£1.5M invested into our biomedical research programme**
**Our 'It** does **matter' campaign reached more than 2 MILLION PEOPLE**
**together they contributed over**
**494 RNID Near You volunteers supported our services across the UK;**
## **18,100 VOLUNTEER HOURS**
**OVER £100,000 raised from our Christmas Appeal**
**Our semi– prompted brand awareness reached 15% – the highest level recorded**
**15%**
**50 runners took part in the TCS London Marathon as part of #TeamRNID**
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It is a genuine pleasure to once more introduce the Annual Report and Accounts for RNID, covering the financial year ended 31 March 2026. Despite a volatile operating environment, we continued to make material progress and to strengthen the impact we are having across the UK for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.
## **CHAIR’S FOREWORD Ewen Stevenson**
Over the last year, the organisation has grown in many areas, not least in leading conversations and convening expertise where we are uniquely placed to lead. One example of this is in our biomedical research programme, which is focused on finding effective treatments and cures to prevent and reverse hearing loss, and silence tinnitus. In November 2025 we held our second Hearing Therapeutics Summit in London, bringing together around 100 academic scientists, clinicians, investors, funders and industry representatives to discuss progress being made towards effective treatments, and what needs to happen to allow us to go faster.
Our role in this space is vital. Over the course of this financial year, we have awarded 13 grants to support the development of promising new therapies and treatments. And as we start new projects, we are seeing the fruits of grants awarded in previous years have an impact in the world today – over 52 research papers have been published this year alone disseminating RNID-funded research findings across the
**”Over the last year, the organisation has grown in many areas, not least in leading conversations and convening expertise where we are uniquely placed to lead.”**
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sector. For example, this year these research findings have included identification of a protein required to maintain the health of cells in the inner ear that detect sound, and research on effectively monitoring people’s hearing during chemotherapy, thereby helping to detect hearing problems caused by common cancer drugs earlier.
No one else is doing this work in the way that RNID is able to, and the progress we are making in this field is exciting and heartening. We believe that the impact of the research we are funding now will be nothing short of revolutionary for the future of hearing health of millions of people in the UK. We are looking forward to starting the new financial year with a refreshed Research Strategy, based on insight from the research community and people with lived experience of hearing loss and tinnitus, to push this work even more firmly forward and deliver on our big ambition to restore hearing, prevent hearing loss and silence tinnitus.
In many ways, our biomedical research programme is about investing today, to reap huge rewards in the future. In parallel, our work on inclusion for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus is having major impact right now.
One example I wanted to pick up on is the extension of our 'It **does** matter' campaign – which highlights how small changes in behaviour and attitude can make a big impact for our communities – to specifically focus on inclusion in the workplace.
We launched our 'It **does** matter' at work campaign in January 2026, and already we are seeing remarkable engagement with employers across sectors including banking, retail and broadcasting. Building these new corporate relationships and supporting initiatives to increase awareness and inclusion from offices to shop floors up and down the country, has the potential to improve countless lives.
I have taken the opportunity of highlighting just two examples of our work over this last year, and I hope you will enjoy reading about many more contained within this report. All of this is only able to happen because of the highly dedicated work and expertise of the RNID team, and the wider movement of people who support us.
**”The progress we have made this year would not have been possible were it not for the immense contribution we have seen from our partners, donors and volunteers.”**
Over the course of this financial year, we have said goodbye to two people who have made significant contributions to the RNID Board – Julian Meekings, who stood down in April 2025, and Quentin Summerfield, who finished his time with us as an independent member of the Finance and Risk Committee in the same month. I would like to extend my personal thanks, and that of the Board, to both of them for their time and commitment.
We also welcomed three new Board members over that period – Tanya Curry, Amber Kirby and Matt Stringer – who are already making a strong contribution to our Board meetings, our strategic decision-making and the positive challenge that it is so vital to bring to the organisation.
And looking externally, the progress we have made this year would not have been possible were it not for the immense contribution we have seen from our partners, donors and volunteers. Thank you to everyone who has helped us this year, in whatever capacity, to further our vital mission. I am invigorated by the steps forward we have made together over the last year, and motivated to see what we can achieve in the months and years ahead.
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A charity’s Annual Report and Accounts is a point in the year to reflect and take stock. In the busyness of life at RNID, it offers an opportunity to pause and tell the story of all that we have achieved – whether internal or externally focused, mass audience or specialist, unmitigated success or more challenging.
## **CEO’S FOREWORD Harriet Oppenheimer**
And looking through this report, 2025-2026 weaves itself into quite a rich tapestry of activity. As Ewen has said, it’s a privilege to be introducing it, and I’m proud that the headline is that it’s been a fantastic year for impact – our reach growing deeper and broader across the communities we are here to serve.
All our work is built on solid theories of change, with insight and research underpinning every decision we make. We have projects focused on biomedical research, inclusion, health and employment – often deeply interlinked and supporting joint outcomes. We find it helpful to view our work across all these programmes through three layers of change that we want to achieve:
- How RNID is changing society and public attitudes
- How RNID is changing systems and services
- How RNID is changing individual lives, one by one.
That’s how we are structuring the main body of our report this year, and I hope you find it a valuable and relatable way of breaking down an ambitious programme of work.
From across the wealth of case studies, projects and insight you’ll see in this document, I want to focus on just a few examples that jump out at me from each of those three layers.
Our work to change society and public attitudes – and in the process make RNID a household name across the UK – is centred around our three mass campaigns – check your hearing, ‘It **does** matter’ and our emerging campaign on hearing protection due to launch in summer 2026. Over the last year, our ‘It **does** matter’ campaign has really found its voice and was named ‘Best Communications Campaign’ at the Third Sector Awards in September. Whilst we don’t do our work for awards, for me this recognition spoke to something deeper. We have intentionally built
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a team of experts within RNID that means we don’t use creative agencies for our campaigning work, instead drawing on specific support in specialisms like behaviour change only as and when we need it. The fact that our campaign, built in-house on rigorous research with deaf people and which has already touched the lives of tens of thousands, was picked for this sector honour felt like a major vote of confidence in our work.
In our work to change systems and services, I am particularly proud of the way we have positioned RNID as a champion of innovation and technological progress. Auracast™ is a great example of that. Auracast is a transformative Bluetooth technology that will allow anyone with an enabled hearing aid to get high quality audio in all sorts of different settings – from train stations to theatres. We are front and centre of driving adoption of Auracast and making sure it is well designed and implemented for the needs of our communities.
And in our work to change individual lives one by one, our RNID Near You services are continuing to grow from strength to strength – powered by an army of first-class volunteers up and down the UK. Last year we opened services in 100 new locations so that people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus can find support right in the heart of the communities they live in.
**“Our organisational values are to be passionate, insightful, curious and connected, and I can see all of them in play as I reflect on this busy year of delivery.”**
To deliver such ambitious change across society, systems and individuals requires us to be a well-run, digitally mature organisation. We continue our work to make sure that we are set up for success behind the scenes, and over 2025-2026 have continued to invest time and resource into our new CRM system. It’s been a challenging project, but as we close the year, we have Microsoft Dynamics up and running. I look forward to us being able to flex that new tool as we move into the new year, bringing our insight together to give our supporters the best possible experience with us.
We are also embracing the age of AI and looking to see what it means both for making our work more efficient and impactful and also making sure that societal change doesn’t leave any of our communities behind. We have kicked off a major new project, funded by Sciencewise and others, to ensure that the future of AI and British Sign Language (BSL) is developed with the views of BSL users front and centre – and we’re excited to be convening a whole range of deaf charities and organisations to do that work together.
We finished the year with our overall income and reserves slightly below our planned budget, but stable and in our acceptable tolerance range. Our legacy income was down this last year compared with the previous two – something we know inevitably fluctuates over time. We continue to invest across our fundraising activity, from mass market, to major donors, to corporates, and this year we kicked off a major new legacy marketing project to reach new audiences, sharing the impact and benefit that a gift in their will could bring about.
I hope that, by reading this report, you can get a sense of the momentum, dynamism and sheer energy that the RNID team is bringing to our mission. Our organisational values are to be passionate, insightful, curious and connected, and I can see all of them in play as I reflect on this busy year of delivery.
I’m incredibly proud to lead this team – of course by that I mean our staff team, but also our volunteers, our campaigners, our donors and our partners across sectors. I think this report shows what can be achieved when we pull together – with everyone playing an effective role and delivering tangible change. I relish the thought of much more of this change to come.
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## **STRATEGY**
**Our strategy is underpinned by robust, evidence-led theories of change, focused on our programmes of work across inclusion, health, employment and biomedical research.**
They are the foundation for every decision we make at RNID, and the launchpad for transformational change across three layers: to society, to systems, and to individual lives one by one.
This is our vision for 2040, which brings together all our work across RNID.
**We are changing society and public attitudes, so that:**
- everyone in the UK checks their hearing regularly – just like we do with our eyes and teeth
- people of all ages know how to protect their hearing from loud noise – and doing it is the ‘normal’ thing to do
- society stops shutting deaf people out of everyday conversations and activities – this is thanks to a step-change in public understanding of deafness
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## **We are changing systems and services, so that:**
- effective treatments and cures that prevent hearing loss, restore hearing and silence tinnitus are developed and are available to everyone
- every employer actively supports deaf people and people with hearing loss, recognising the value they bring and removing barriers to professional success
- all new products and services are accessible and inclusive for deaf people right from the start - whether you're out shopping, on the bus or accessing all forms of healthcare - this is thanks to leaps forward in tech, both for individual use and in society at large
- when people experience hearing loss, they can easily get help from the NHS in a way that suits them – whether that’s developing new options to conduct tests online or having hearing aids delivered to their door
## **And we are changing lives of individuals, one by one, through:**
- RNID Near You: our in-person drop-in centres, giving information and support, powered by volunteers and present in every community across the UK
- RNID Online and Contact RNID: providing tailored, trustworthy support and advice on deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus – the go-to resource for our communities and those there to support them
This 2025/26 Annual Report demonstrates that we are already a good way into achieving our aims and making tangible, meaningful changes for the communities we work with and support.
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
**For a deaf person in a hearing world, every day is a challenge. We are RNID: the national charity supporting more than 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.**
As we deliver our vision, our reach across communities continues to grow. We are having an increasing impact at every level, from shaping public attitudes and influencing national policy, to supporting employers, health professionals, researchers and individuals. This report highlights our key achievements and demonstrates how RNID is driving change across society, systems and services, and in people’s lives.
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## **OUR VALUES**
**At RNID, our values underpin everything that we do. They are at the heart of our work. We use them to challenge ourselves, to frame conversations and guide our own behaviours both internally and externally.**
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## **CONNECTED**
**We’re naturally collaborative with colleagues and partners and deeply connected to our communities.**
## **PASSIONATE**
**We’re passionate about our purpose, and dynamic and ambitious about making change happen.**
## **CURIOUS**
**We’re innovative, outward looking and open-minded in everything we do.**
## **INSIGHTFUL**
**We’re grounded in evidence and insight, meaning we’re confident in who we are and what we do.**
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## **OUR PLANS FOR 2025–26 What we said we’d do:**
## **In our work to change society and public attitudes last year, we set out to:**
- grow the reach of our free online hearing check; our goal was to get 125,000 people completing our free online hearing check over the year, encouraging everyone to make checking their hearing as much a part of life as checking eyes or teeth
- test new messaging for our ‘It **does** matter’ campaign – giving the general public basic communication tips to make sure people who are deaf or have hearing loss are fully included in society
- scope out a new public awareness campaign to inform the public about how they can protect their hearing, and develop the practical tools to help them do it
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## **In our work to change systems and services last year, we set out to:**
- continue our campaign to make our healthcare system accessible for people who are deaf or have hearing loss; with funding from Shionogi, to create tools for health professionals to ensure they understand how to meet the accessible information standard
- fund 12 new projects supporting cuttingedge biomedical research into treatments to prevent hearing loss, restore hearing and silence tinnitus
- create a fresh vision for audiology services in the UK based on research with our communities and workshops and interviews with experts – aiming to create pilots to test and learn, and push for change in this area
- continue our work to champion the potential of Auracast™ as a new technology, focusing on transport
**And in our work to change the lives of individuals, one by one, last year we set out to:**
- open eight new RNID Near You services, which would mean RNID Near You drop-in locations in 60 new locations across the UK
- provide support to 37,000 individuals at our in-person RNID Near You services
- give personalised support to over 23,300 people through Contact RNID
- reach over 700,000 people supported with authoritative and clear information and support through our website
- deliver over 300 presentations to local community groups through our RNID in Communities service to help raise deaf awareness across the UK
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## **CHANGING SOCIETY AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES**
**People who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are too often excluded in everyday life. Simple interactions such as following a conversation, watching television, or accessing information can become difficult when others lack awareness or confidence.**
At RNID we are working to change this by building greater public understanding of hearing loss and tinnitus, so that inclusive behaviour becomes the norm. By helping people recognise the importance of hearing health, communicating more confidently and considering the needs of others, we are creating a society where inclusion is expected, and nobody is excluded.
## **Building public understanding of hearing health and inclusion**
This year we continued to build public understanding of hearing health and inclusion. Public awareness of RNID rose steadily across the year, with semi-prompted brand awareness reaching 15%, our highest level recorded. This growth reflects sustained investment in campaigns, media and digital content that connect hearing loss to everyday life and make inclusion feel relevant to everyone.
A central part of this work has been helping to normalise hearing checks as a routine part of looking after our health, encouraging people to see checking their hearing as something everyone should do regularly – just like visiting the optician or dentist. As part of our health inequalities work, we also recognised that we are not reaching some groups, and worked with partners including the Race Equality Foundation, Caribbean and African Health Network, and South Asian Health Action to co-develop approaches and materials that better connect with a wider range of communities.
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## **Changing everyday behaviour through our ‘It does matter’ campaign**
During Deaf Awareness Week, our 'It **does** matter' campaign reached more than two million people, through a combination of paid social media activity, influencer partnerships and national and regional media coverage. The campaign focused on everyday communication, encouraging people to reflect on their own behaviour and take simple, practical steps to be more inclusive. By the end of the year, more than 45,000 people had signed up for RNID’s free deaf awareness tips and British Sign Language (BSL) videos. These sign ups represent an engaged audience choosing to change how they communicate, providing strong evidence that awareness is translating into action.
The impact of 'It **does** matter' was also recognised externally. During the year, the campaign received sector recognition, including a **Third Sector award for 'Best Communications Campaign'** , providing independent validation of RNID’s approach to changing attitudes through emotionally resonant, evidence-led storytelling.
## **Taking deaf awareness into the workplace**
We also extended this work into workplaces, recognising that attitudes at work play a major role in whether people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus feel included and able to succeed. An employer-focused version of 'It **does** matter' launched in early 2026, offering practical resources to help organisations build deaf awareness into everyday working practices. By the end of the year, nearly 1,000 employers had signed up to RNID’s free workplace resources, with 118 individual registrations for Deaf Awareness Week webinars, representing organisations of all sizes, across various sectors. This growing engagement demonstrates increasing demand from employers to move beyond good intentions and take concrete steps to improve awareness and create more inclusive working environments.
Jack, 34 has lived with hearing loss since childhood, and at 21, he received NHS hearing aids. He works in the financial services sector and has experienced both inclusion and exclusion in the workplace, highlighting the difference that supportive colleagues and inclusive behaviour can make.
**“Unfortunately, there have been times when I’ve felt excluded in previous roles with other companies, especially in discussions where I was overlooked. It was heartbreaking to feel invisible, as if my voice didn’t matter and my contributions didn’t hold any weight. These experiences highlight the challenges many deaf individuals face in traditional workplaces, where the pace can feel overwhelming. When people take the time to ensure I’m included, it eases my anxiety that can stem from communication barriers. I feel empowered to share my ideas without the fear of being misunderstood."**
## **– Jack**
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## **Highlighting the need for accessible healthcare**
We also used evidence and lived experience to challenge unsafe and unequal healthcare. Despite legal protections under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), many deaf people and people with hearing loss continue to face barriers in NHS care. RNID’s ‘Still Ignored: The Fight for Accessible Healthcare’ campaign revealed the scale of the problem, with new research showing that 92% of NHS staff in England had not completed training on these legal duties. This lack of awareness can lead to missed diagnoses, misunderstandings and serious risks to patient safety. By combining this data with powerful personal stories, we generated more than 230 pieces of national and regional media coverage, helping to move accessible healthcare from being a specialist concern to an issue of public and political attention. This increased visibility has helped strengthen calls for change and contributed to growing expectations that healthcare services should provide safe, accessible communication as standard.
## **Raising awareness and understanding of tinnitus**
Public engagement around tinnitus and prevention also grew. During Tinnitus Week, we combined new polling with creative storytelling to highlight the daily impact tinnitus can have on people’s lives. The campaign generated over 130 pieces of media coverage, including broadcast news, and led to record downloads of RNID’s tinnitus guide across RNID’s website and digital channels. For many people, this was the first time their experience felt recognised and explained, helping to reduce isolation and encourage earlier support seeking.
Brit Award-winning and Grammy®-nominated Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall shared her personal story with us during Tinnitus Week. She said: "It’s very difficult to explain to someone who does not have tinnitus what it’s like. It’s life-changing. It can be very isolating. It can make you feel alone because you’re trapped in the sound of it and cannot get out. I think it would be life-changing, for a lot of people, to have a cure.”
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## **Shifting attitudes towards hearing protection**
Alongside improving recognition and understanding, our work on tinnitus also helped reinforce the importance of prevention. By combining stories about the real life impact of tinnitus with clear information about risk and protection, we helped encourage people to think about protecting their hearing and take steps to prevent future damage.
Together, this work shows how RNID is changing society and public attitudes. Accessibility is increasingly being demanded, hearing health is taken more seriously, and the voices of people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are more present in public debate, media and law. By combining campaigning, evidence, lived experience and practical tools, RNID is helping to create a society where inclusion is standard, and exclusion is no longer accepted.
**“RNID’s Tinnitus Guide has testimonials from lots of** ~~**diferent people with tinn**~~ **itus, so you don’t feel like the odd one out. It’s got transparent information and advice about tinnitus and how to get relief.”**
**- Caris**
Social media influencer and tinnitus advocate, Caris says: “Tinnitus for me is like constantly having a play button stuck. I can’t turn it off or put it on pause - it’s a constant ringing, hissing, buzzing. A few years ago, if you’d asked me to describe tinnitus, I’d have said ‘carnage’. ‘Chaos’. ‘A living hell’. But, during my search for support, I discovered a beacon of hope in the RNID website and Tinnitus Guide.
“RNID offers reliable information and compassionate advice – they helped me feel understood for the first time, and their resources gave me the tools I needed to start moving forward with confidence.
## **KATE Richard’s daughter**
**"When cancer came into my dad’s life, and into ours, him being shut out as a deaf British Sign Language (BSL) user changed everything. He FaceTimed me in a panic and just said ‘I can’t see. Everything is black.’ I drove him to a hospital which has an A&E especially for eyes – but no interpreter. They did lots of tests and at the end of the day they said to me: ‘can you tell your dad he’s got cancer?’ So I told him. We went home in complete shock.**
**“Multiple healthcare providers failed to provide my dad with professional communication support and as a result, his diagnosis and treatment were delayed. There were small delays at each stage, but when you add these all up together, it culminated in a significant delay. This played on his mind, and when we were told the cancer hadn’t been removed soon enough and he was terminal, we wondered whether it would have been different if he was hearing.**
**“At times he was frustrated and could not understand the information given to him as it was not being relayed to him by a qualified, independent interpreter whose interpretation was not affected by their own grief, or skill and ability to do something they weren’t professionally trained to do.**
**“He disengaged with his care and withdrew from the world. He even withdrew from me. It was traumatising. For him. For me. For our whole family.**
**“Conversations between Dad and I were all medical, there was no time for anything else, and I felt like I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye properly. Cancer stole his life, but the failure to provide access to healthcare that treated him with the dignity he deserved stole the precious time we had left together.**
**“RNID services have been designed for deaf people with their needs and communication preferences in mind. This makes a huge difference for deaf people who are often indirectly discriminated by services that don’t meet need.”**
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## **CHANGING SYSTEMS AND SERVICES**
**At RNID we are working to reshape systems and services across the UK so that they work for deaf people and people with hearing loss. We’re working towards structural change, influencing policy, better tech and investment into biomedical research.**
Too often the systems and services in our society are built without accessibility in mind and it’s having a negative impact on our communities who can be left feeling isolated, excluded and frustrated.
People who are deaf, who have hearing loss or tinnitus are facing barriers daily; in the workplace, when using public transport and when trying to access healthcare - everyday things that many of us take for granted. In addition to improving daily challenges that people face, we want to change systems so that people can benefit from new technology to improve their hearing. And we want life-changing treatments to silence tinnitus and restore hearing to be available to everyone.
## **Research: accelerating the discovery and development of treatments**
To help accelerate progress towards life-changing treatments, we are supporting researchers and funding research projects around the world. Last year, we invested £1.5m into our biomedical research programme. Funding was awarded to support:
- Five new Innovation Seed Fund projects helping to kick start new lines of research. Our new projects aim to improve how we assess hearing problems in older people; improve diagnosis of genetic hearing loss; increase our understanding of changes in the hearing brain as we age; open up new approaches to treating ‘metabolic’ hearing loss; and identify how the brain’s activity differs in tinnitus compared to hyperacusis so we can better diagnose these conditions.
- Four Discovery Research projects to improve our understanding of the processes involved in glue ear (the most common cause of hearing loss in children) to find ways to treat it, better define the link between age-related hearing loss and dementia, improve our understanding of the processes involved in tinnitus, and test a new sound-processing algorithm to see if it can improve speech perception in noisy backgrounds.
- Two Translational Research projects helping to advance gene therapies for two different types of childhood deafness.
- Two fellowships helping to build future capacity. Our two new fellowships are focused on improving perception of pitch for cochlear implant users to improve listening outcomes and investigating the biological processes by which exposure to loud noise can accelerate the onset of hearing loss later in life.
Every penny of investment is spent in areas that we think will deliver results and help us to achieve our strategic aim of effective treatments that prevent hearing loss, restore hearing and silence tinnitus being developed; and that are available to everyone.
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**RNID on the international research stage** We continued to raise RNID’s profile within the international research community. At the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) Midwinter Meeting in Puerto Rico – the world’s largest hearing research conference – our exhibition stand, along with a number of scientists acknowledging our funding in their presentations, helped to raise awareness of RNID’s work to drive forward research into treatments. While there, we promoted our funding schemes, caught up with our grant holders and learned about the latest research into treatments. It raised our profile as a funder shaping the future of hearing research.
We also joined leading tinnitus researchers, clinical experts and research funders at an event to discuss priorities for accelerating progress towards a cure for tinnitus, hosted by Tinnitus Quest (a recently established German charity focused on supporting tinnitus research). The discussion highlighted strong support for greater collaboration across the field.
We hosted our second Hearing Therapeutics Summit in November, bringing together around 100 academic researchers, clinicians, investors, research funders and industry representatives. The summit provided an opportunity for attendees to share research and treatment breakthroughs, discuss the challenges involved in bringing new medicines to the clinic, and form connections to push the field forward.
We hope the collaborations sparked at the summit will help attract investment and accelerate the development of treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus. We are grateful to our sponsors and supporters who helped make this event such a success.
**“Only by working together across sectors can we bring about new treatments to prevent hearing loss, restore hearing and silence** ~~**tinnitus. So, it was wonderful to**~~ **see new connections being made at the summit and the unique role RNID is playing to bring academic scientists, clinicians, investors, funders and industry representatives together to drive efforts to find treatments faster.” – Director of Research, RNID**
## **Spotlight on Professor Karen Steel’s project: Repairing the cochlear battery to restore hearing**
Professor Karen Steel and her team at King’s College London are seeking to test whether they can reverse progressive hearing loss caused by defects in the stria vascularis – thought to be a common cause of hearing loss as we get older. This is the part of the inner ear that maintains the electrical potential, acting like a ‘battery’. It provides the energy required to convert sounds into signals that the brain can understand.
**“Making progress in developing generic treatments for progressive hearing loss, based on the type of cells affected in the inner ear, would hugely impact our ability to stop or reverse declining hearing function.” - Professor Karen Steel**
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## **Influencing national health systems**
When somebody experiences hearing loss and needs help and support, they should be able to get help from the NHS in a way that suits them. It is RNID’s ambition that in the future, people will be able to access newly developed online hearing checks or have hearing aids delivered straight to their door.
We were incredibly encouraged when the UK government published their 10 Year Health Plan for England – Fit for the Future – which sets out changes that they want to make in the NHS. At RNID we want to work with policy makers and service providers to take advantage of the opportunities the plan will create. We’ve identified three key areas where we believe there are exciting opportunities to make real systemic change.
- reforming audiology services
## **Research excellence**
RNID continues to demonstrate to our supporters, partners and the research community that we are following the highest standards of research funding practice, passing the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) 2025 Expert Review Audit with no areas of concern. RNID funded researchers reported raising £9.7m in follow on funding last year, demonstrating that our funding leads to further investment into the hearing research field, driving the development of new treatments.
**“RNID plays an incredibly important role in supporting research directed towards delivering treatments for hearing loss. Without RNID a significant percentage of research in our field, particularly in the UK, would not have been possible over the last 25 years. It provides support for groundbreaking research but also for training the next generation of researchers in the UK that will take our field into an exciting future.” - Professor Jonathan Gale, University College London**
- prompting and supporting people to take action when they have hearing loss
- making the NHS accessible for people who are deaf or have hearing loss
One of the key themes underpinning developments across the NHS Health Plan is the expanded use of the NHS app. We are working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England to get this right.
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## **Setting new expectations for digital accessibility**
In the last year, we have prioritised projects that push the tech industry to create new technologies and services with accessibility at their heart and right from the start. We need change to happen at scale across public services, within our local communities and in people’s everyday lives. The impact needs to be widespread and meaningful.
One of the clearest examples of this shift came through our role in securing secondary legislation to implement the Media Act 2024. For years, video-on-demand platforms operated without consistent accessibility requirements, leaving many deaf people and people with hearing loss unable to access mainstream entertainment, news and public information. We worked alongside partners to influence the legislation so that major platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4 are now covered by stronger accessibility regulation. This has created a clear legal baseline that is already shaping how platforms approach subtitles, signing and other access features, and sets a precedent for future digital services where accessibility is expected from the outset rather than added later.
In September 2025 we published our report: 'Hearing Care Reimagined: How Technology Can Transform Hearing Healthcare'. Developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals, academics, technology experts and people
**"The barriers to accessing my GP mean that I often avoid seeking medical care altogether, which inevitably has a negative impact** ~~**on my health.**~~ **” - Samantha Baines, RNID Ambassador**
with lived experience, the report explores how existing and emerging technologies could transform hearing healthcare. When accessibility and inclusion are built in from the start, our communities can access the world more independently. The report has been shared with key NHS platforms and is already receiving strong interest and engagement.
RNID is also influencing how new technologies are assessed at a national level. We submitted evidence to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as part of its evaluation of digital hearing aids, so that the needs and experiences of hearing aid users can be prioritised in how NICE will evaluate hearing aids as a technology prescribed by the NHS.
Alongside this national work, RNID is driving change at a local level. We worked with NHS Somerset to complete the design, build and internal testing of an online self referral tool which will go through external testing before being launched later in the year. The online tool will include RNID's hearing check and is part of an ongoing project with RNID Near You to provide more healthcare services locally.
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## **Sign language rights strengthened across the UK**
Progress in legislation is helping to embed accessibility at a national level. RNID played a key role in shaping the Northern Ireland Sign Language Bill which formally recognises British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL).
In March 2026, the Welsh Parliament (Senedd) unanimously passed the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill. The Act will establish a National BSL Strategy, a BSL Adviser and Advisory Panel, mandatory plans from public bodies, and regular reporting.
RNID was front and centre throughout the campaigns – from writing briefings and giving committee evidence to mobilising supporters. We have helped shape legislation that will improve access, rights and opportunities for generations to come. These historic campaign wins are the result of years of cross sector campaigning, strong cross-party political support and sustained pressure.
Together, these changes bring us closer to a future where healthcare, education, employment and public information are equally accessible for deaf people. In the past six months alone, we’ve seen stronger government reporting commitments, clearer accountability frameworks, and renewed momentum across all four nations.
## **Evidence led pressure for Access to Work reform**
We are working to ensure that every employer actively supports deaf people and people with hearing loss, recognising the value they bring and removing barriers to professional success.
Around 5,000 people who are deaf or have hearing loss are recipients of the Access to Work scheme, but many are experiencing delays and other challenges. To better understand this, we launched a survey which received 358 responses. Notably, 267 BSL users took part – our highest-ever response from the BSL community.
“My working hours are the same but for some reason the award has been cut, restricting my use of BSL interpreters and further development. [There] appeared to be no clear reasoning” - Male BSL user, aged 45-54 who is employed full-time.
We presented our findings to the National Audit Office (NAO) as part of its investigation into the scheme. Its report, published on 6 February 2026, confirmed long processing delays and significant backlogs in both applications and payments, causing serious problems for deaf and disabled people and their employers.
Together with evidence and information from people with lived experience, we are driving pressure for change and more effective delivery of support.
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## **Technology and inclusion systems: embedding accessibility in products and infrastructure**
Auracast™ is a rapidly emerging new technology that streams audio directly to hearing devices and has the potential to reduce barriers and transform accessibility for our communities. Further to the collaboration with Ampetronic detailed on page 41, we undertook independent user testing of the Bristol Temple Meads installation in March 2026. This work, funded by Motability, strengthens the evidence used in our influencing work.
After a period of constructive dialogue, the Department for Transport has agreed to reference Auracast in future strategic plans, including rail upgrades and accessibility standards. We also demonstrated Auracast at the launch of the Royal Society’s Disability Technology report to over 100 attendees including scientists, technology companies and inclusion experts.
Alongside this, we are influencing product design in the private sector. Working with Sonos across 2024 and 2025, we helped them develop a new speech enhancement feature co-designed with people with hearing loss – first available on their flagship soundbar, the Arc Ultra. This collaboration meant that lived experience was part of the design process from early prototypes through to people with hearing loss getting early access to the soundbar in their homes. By working with us and members of our research panel the result is a feature with four levels of control which make dialogue substantially easier to follow, giving people with hearing loss greater access to their favourite TV shows and movies.
**BSL and AI: What is the future? Meaningful engagement with the BSL community about AIenabled sign language technologies** There are about 151,000 BSL users in the UK and, of these, 87,000 are deaf and 21,000 use it as their main language. BSL users face daily exclusion due to systemic barriers in service design and delivery. AI-enabled BSL translation could transform and enhance how the signing community, government, business and public services interact. However, done poorly and without meaningful community co-design, it risks creating new barriers and even endangering the language itself.
Our new public dialogue project, ‘BSL and AI: What is the Future?’ takes on this challenge, having secured the necessary match funding in January 2026 from a consortium of funders. This project is part of UKRI’s Sciencewise programme, which is a government-backed programme supporting and delivering public dialogue on complex scientific topics. This initiative will allow a meaningful public dialogue with the BSL community to take place, about the development and use of AI-enabled BSL technologies.
Once completed, the project will deliver guidance and recommendations that come directly from the BSL community about how AI should be designed, used and procured for the technology industry, the public sector and businesses.
**“When I was very young, the doctor spoke to my mum and dad about cochlear implants and explained how it would be the best choice for me. My parents wanted me to have the best possible access to sound and communication, so after learning more and thinking carefully, they decided to go ahead.**
**“My mum especially wanted me to have every opportunity – to hear sounds, people’s voices, and to develop my speech if I wanted to. She also made sure I learned BSL because she wanted me to have both – sign language and spoken language.**
**“I loved primary school and had lots of friends. But, when I started high school, things began to change. I had the support of an interpreter in lessons so I could understand everything - it was outside the classroom that was most challenging. I experienced a lot of bullying, which was very upsetting. I told my mum that I didn’t feel safe - she immediately wanted to find me a different school where there would be more understanding of deafness.**
**“We were in the car when my mum told me I would be moving to a specialist deaf school,**
**BILAL Cochlear implant wearer and BSL user**
**and I started crying; I was so happy. When I started, it was the first time I felt understood and included. People were able to communicate with me in a manner that suited me and I was no longer feeling isolated. I absolutely loved it! I felt more confident and made lots of friends.**
**“I think it’s easy for people to become deaf aware and to have more understanding of how to communicate with deaf people. When someone goes out of their way to include me in a conversation, I feel valued and comfortable.**
**“To me, inclusion means making sure everyone feels accepted, respected, and able to fully participate regardless of their differences or communication needs. Looking at someone when you’re talking or even some simple fingerspelling makes a big difference.**
**“Inclusion matters because it enables individuals to feel positive, supported and never left out.”**
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## **CHANGING INDIVIDUAL LIVES, ONE BY ONE**
**People who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus need practical support they can rely on in their everyday lives. Alongside long-term influence, RNID provides direct support that helps people live well now. This work sits at the heart of our RNID vision: improving lives one by one, so no one has to face hearing loss, deafness or tinnitus alone**
## **RNID Near You: local support, when it matters most**
RNID Near You delivers practical, trusted support in communities across the UK. Over the year, RNID Near You grew significantly, expanding from 200 to 300 community locations and supporting more than 47,000 people via 2,929 support sessions, exceeding annual targets. The most common services provided were hearing aid support, followed by information and hearing checks, reflecting the everyday challenges people face and the value of having local, practical help available.
New services opened in Wales, England and Scotland during the year, bringing support closer to where people live and reducing the need for long journeys into hospital audiology departments. We also successfully re-tendered to continue providing services across Northern Ireland, helping to maintain consistent, trusted support for local communities. By offering help in community settings, RNID Near You supports earlier action and complements NHS priorities to provide care in ways that are accessible, local and flexible.
The impact of this support can be seen in the difference made day-to-day, from hearing aids being repaired so conversations become possible again, confidence being restored to take part in social activities, and people avoiding unnecessary hospital visits because reliable support is available locally.
**“Thank you so much, you've saved me a trip to audiology. I wasn't sure how I was going to get there but I don't have to now.”**
**– RNID Near You service user.**
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## **Working in partnership with the NHS**
Through the newly established RNID Near You project in Somerset, we worked in partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to bring hearing support directly into communities across the county.
Demand for these services has grown rapidly as they become established in communities. Sessions that began with smaller numbers have seen significant increases over time, with some locations more than doubling attendance numbers within a few months. For example, in Bridgwater, attendance increased from 14 in January 2026 to 42 by March 2026. Similar patterns were seen across other locations, showing how accessible, local provision encourages more people to come forward and seek support.
The partnership supports earlier action and provides a more joined up experience for people living with hearing loss, demonstrating how community-based services can improve access and outcomes at a local level.
**“We were pleased to see the NHS and RNID working together, and what a difference it makes to my mum’s life not having to** ~~**need a hospital visit. We get to**~~ **spend more time together on nicer things”**
**– Somerset service user**
This work began with a focus on supporting people in care homes. During the year, RNID delivered support across 24 care homes in Somerset, in some cases returning on multiple occasions, with numbers reaching 35 residents supported in a single visit. By bringing services directly to people in care settings, RNID helps ensure that those who are most at risk of isolation for untreated hearing loss can access timely support.
One Somerset care home resident shared their feedback: "What a great idea it is for you to come in and see us. I would never be able to get to the hospital, and the taxi that normally takes me isn't on the road at the moment, and there are no other taxis for wheelchairs. It's a godsend."
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## **Volunteers: extending our reach into communities**
Volunteers are central to our work. By the end of March 2026, 494 registered volunteers were supporting RNID Near You services across the UK, with 115 new volunteers completing recruitment in the final quarter alone. Together, they contributed over 18,100 volunteer hours, a 17% increase compared to the previous year.
Volunteers play a vital role in extending RNID’s reach, providing continuity, trust and practical support within communities. Their contribution means that RNID Near You services can respond to growing demand, reach more people locally and reduce isolation for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.
This impact was further strengthened through a successful pilot of RNID in Communities, where volunteers delivered talks and hearing checks directly in local settings, engaging with over 7,000 people. This work shows how volunteers can help reach new audiences, raise awareness and encourage people to take early action on their hearing health.
**"Some people don’t realise they have hearing loss, but loved ones have highlighted unconscious coping mechanisms. They come to RNID Near You because they’re curious. We make it clear that RNID’s hearing check was developed with universities and is accurate. If they show signs of hearing loss, we advise that a conversation with their GP could be beneficial, and that hearing devices might improve their quality of life. It's about keeping positive and connecting them to the help they may need. I wish I’d known about this service when I was getting used to hearing aids. I look at the lives of people I've seen interact with RNID Near You, and I can just measure the difference."**
– **Adam, RNID Volunteer and hearing aid wearer**
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## **Taking action on hearing health**
Many people live with hearing loss for years without realising it. Changes can be gradual and easy to explain away – turning the volume up a little higher, missing parts of conversations in busy places, or relying more on others to repeat themselves. For many, it takes a small moment or comment to prompt the question: could it be my hearing?
RNID’s online hearing check is designed to make that first step simple and accessible. Available for free online, it allows people to check their hearing in just a few minutes, in their own time and in a familiar environment. For some, it provides reassurance. For others, it offers an early nudge to seek further support, often much sooner than they otherwise would have done.
During the year, **more than 120,000 people completed our RNID hearing check** , showing the scale of unmet need. Consistently high completion rates indicate the accessibility and ease of use, with more than eight in ten people saying they found it useful, reinforcing our hearing check’s role as a trusted first step for people concerned about their hearing. For many, the hearing check is also the start of an ongoing relationship with RNID, with over 120,000 people signing up to receive follow up information and guidance.
~~**“I would recommend RNID’s hearing**~~ **check to anyone, it’s so important that we become more aware of what we’re not hearing. My first Christmas with hearing aids was so special, I was able to play more games and feel more a part of Christmas – rather than a spectator. It has been amazing.”**
**– Marie, hearing aid wearer**
Use of the hearing check consistently increases during public awareness moments, such as Deaf Awareness Week and winter campaigns, reflecting how timely information and encouragement can help people recognise changes in their hearing and do something about it.
People regularly share how the hearing check helped them put words to something they had been struggling to name. Many describe surprise, uncertainty, or disbelief at their results, followed by relief at having a clearer understanding and a next step. For some, the hearing check becomes the moment they finally book an appointment, start a conversation with family, or begin to ask for the support they need.
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## **Contact RNID: Trusted information, when people need it**
Alongside digital tools, RNID provides tailored information and reassurance through Contact RNID, offering support by phone, email, live chat and other channels so people can get help in the way that works best for them. People contact RNID for trusted information on living with and managing their hearing loss, deafness and tinnitus, often at moments of uncertainty or change. During the year, more than 9 in 10 people said they would recommend RNID after using Contact RNID, reflecting consistently high satisfaction and the value of having a reliable source of support to turn to for guidance, clarity and reassurance when it matters most. The impact of this support is reflected in consistently high satisfaction scores. Helpfulness ratings reaching up to 89% and recommendation rates exceeding 90% in some months.
**“I would like to say a very big thank you for being there to help when I didn’t know where to turn. Jess, who emailed me, was very understanding and sympathetic to my situation regarding my mother’s hearing difficulties. The email from Jess relieved some stress because she had alerted me to the many resources available for people with hearing difficulties. I cannot praise RNID enough and I will promote RNID whenever I can.” - Anonymous**
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## **Supporting people at work**
Workplaces can be another source of exclusion for people who are deaf or have hearing loss. RNID’s Disclosure Guide and CPD accredited training help individuals explain their needs with confidence and support employers to remove barriers. Through corporate partnerships, this support reached thousands of employees during the year, combining practical tools with changes in workplace practice so individuals are better able to stay in work.
## **Lives changed, one by one**
Through direct support, early intervention and community engagement, RNID is improving lives now. Each repaired hearing aid, answered call, volunteer interaction or completed hearing check represents an individual moment of impact. Together, these moments add up to lasting change, helping people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus to live more confidently, independently and connected lives.
## **SIAN Hearing aid wearer**
**“When my husband Gregor and I started to share lifts about six years ago, that was the first time that anyone had pointed out that I might have a problem with my hearing. He would tell me that the music in the car was really loud. I’d just say that’s the way I like it and this went on for about 18 months, with me saying that everything was fine.**
**“Eventually, something triggered the conversation about being deaf and I finally said that I’d do an online hearing check. I found the RNID hearing check, put my headphones in and did the test.**
**“At first, I thought that the test wasn’t working properly. So when the results came up and said that I may have signs of hearing loss, I didn’t really believe it. However, I did book an appointment with an audiologist. My husband came with me to the appointment and I even told the audiologist**
**that I was there to prove him wrong! At the end of the appointment, he said, ‘Your husband was right’. I couldn’t believe it.**
**“When we explored it further, I realised that having measles as a child may have caused my hearing loss. I was eight when I had measles, so I’ve gone for almost 40 years not being able to hear properly. Looking back, I realise that I’ve missed so many conversations over the years, especially in noisy bars and cafes – I just didn’t recognise it.**
**“The day I got my hearing aids, I carried on as normal and went back in to work that afternoon. It turned out to be the worst decision I could have made – the noise was overwhelming. The adjustment to wearing hearing aids took a long time.**
**“Since embracing my hearing aids, I’m so much more confident to tell people that I am deaf and to ask for what I need. The diagnosis has given me a different outlook and perspective, and the RNID hearing check started it off so I am very grateful. I feel a bit sad that I didn’t do it sooner!”**
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FUNDRAISING
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ENGAGEMENT
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This year, we continued to innovate in how we engage supporters and inspire action, launching new products and campaigns that deepen understanding of deafness while generating vital income. In April 2025, we launched **RNID Connect** , a new 12 month subscription designed to help people build deaf awareness skills and learn the basics of British Sign Language (BSL). Through monthly packs combining practical communication tips, activities and insights, RNID Connect enables supporters to become “deaf awareness allies” while contributing directly to RNID’s mission.
Alongside this, event fundraising remained a powerful way to bring our community together. In April 2025, 50 runners took part in the TCS London Marathon as part of #TeamRNID, raising funds and awareness for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. The event was supported by volunteers at key points along the route, whose encouragement created a strong sense of collective purpose and spurred our runners on in those last gruelling miles.
Our **Christmas Appeal** , the largest moment in our fundraising calendar, once again demonstrated the power of storytelling to mobilise support. Centred on a deeply personal story of the daughter of a deaf man denied accessible healthcare, the campaign highlighted the devastating consequences of communication barriers—bringing to life RNID’s ‘Still Ignored: The Fight for Accessible Healthcare’ campaign and the urgent need for change. Through a compelling multi-channel approach, the appeal
**“After going through such a hard time with my hearing, it was great to get back to doing things I love. I climbed Snowdon a few years ago and wanted to** ~~**challenge myself to do it again.**~~ **RNID help people in the same boat as me – deaf or hard of hearing – so I thought instead of climbing it for my own benefit I’d also try to help others through sponsorship” – Audrey**
asked supporters to provide both immediate, life saving support through Contact RNID and to fund long-term campaigning for accessible healthcare.
The campaign resonated strongly with supporters, raising over **£100,000** and achieving its income target. This success reflects both the strength of the creative and the continued generosity of our supporters in responding to clear, urgent need. By connecting individual experiences with systemic change, the appeal reinforced RNID’s dual approach: supporting people in crisis today while driving lasting improvements for the future.
This year saw the launch of our new legacy message ‘for a world more welcoming’. To develop this, we spoke to RNID supporters to gain an understanding of why people leave a gift in their Will to RNID, allowing us to motivate future supporters to do the same. In response to the new messaging, we saw over 1,000 people enquire about leaving a gift in their Will to RNID, and we look forward to inspiring many more to do the same in the future.
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encourage early action, which is critical to long– term outcomes.
## **Corporate partnership spotlight: HSBC UK**
Since October 2024, HSBC UK has partnered with RNID with the ambition of becoming the leading financial services organisation for inclusivity for both colleagues and customers with hearing loss. The partnership has delivered strong internal engagement, with over 4,000 colleagues completing RNID’s “Understanding Hearing Loss” training, improving their awareness of hearing loss and learning practical strategies to better communicate with colleagues and customers with hearing loss.
The success of the programme has also been recognised externally, with the “Understanding Hearing Loss” e–learning shortlisted for an industry award.
A key pillar of this partnership has been the promotion of the RNID hearing check to HSBC colleagues. Of the 2,000 colleagues who took the check, 1,240 were identified as potentially having hearing loss and signposted towards further support. This highlights both the scale of the issue and the value of simple, evidence– based interventions in prompting people to take the first step towards diagnosis and support. By normalising conversations about hearing health and making it easy for colleagues to assess their hearing, HSBC UK has helped reduce stigma and
HSBC UK has also become the first in the sector to roll out British Sign Language training to all staff and has established an active “Hear Together” peer support network. The group has already attracted more than 60 members, reflecting strong internal appetite for connection and shared understanding. Employee resource groups such as this play an important role in sustaining cultural change: they enable lived experience to be heard, foster peer learning, and help ensure that accessibility remains an ongoing organisational priority rather than a one–off initiative.
The partnership has also driven innovation and external impact, including founding support for an RNID–led AI/BSL project, awareness campaigns, colleague fundraising, and volunteering in banking hubs to test customers’ hearing. This work is helping to strengthen accessibility and better meet the needs of people with hearing loss.
For RNID, this partnership provides a valuable blueprint for future corporate collaborations. It shows how combining our expertise with the reach and influence of a global organisation can deliver impact at scale: identifying unmet need, empowering individuals to act, and building more inclusive environments. As we look ahead, we will
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continue to build on these learnings, working with partners to replicate and expand this model across other organisations and sectors.
## **Advancing accessible audio through Auracast** ™
This year, RNID played a key role in advancing the adoption of Auracast broadcast audio, an emerging technology with the potential to transform accessibility in public spaces. Working in partnership with Ampetronic, Network Rail and Connected Places Catapult, we supported a major trial at Bristol Temple Meads – one of the UK’s busiest and most acoustically challenging railway stations.
For many passengers, particularly those who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, traditional public address (PA) systems can be difficult to understand due to background noise, reverberation and complex station layouts. The Auracast trial aimed to address this by broadcasting live announcements directly to passengers’ personal devices—including hearing aids, cochlear implants, smartphones and earbuds – without the need for pairing or additional apps.
RNID played a central role in evaluating the real– world impact of this technology. Through structured user testing, including speech intelligibility assessments and passenger feedback sessions,
we gathered robust evidence on its effectiveness. The results were compelling: average speech intelligibility improved to around 95% when using Auracast, compared to approximately 77% via the station PA alone – an increase of nearly 18 percentage points. In some of the most challenging areas, improvements were even more pronounced, with relative gains of up to 62%.
Beyond the numbers, participants reported that announcements were clearer, easier to follow, and required less effort to understand. They said that this would increase their confidence and reduce anxiety, particularly during busy or disrupted travel conditions.
The trial also demonstrated how Auracast can complement existing accessibility infrastructure, such as hearing loops, creating a hybrid model that meets a wider range of needs. Importantly, the technology can be implemented without disrupting existing systems, offering a scalable and future– ready solution for transport operators.
This work positions RNID at the forefront of innovation in inclusive audio design. By combining technical collaboration with lived experience insight, we are helping to shape solutions that not only improve access to information but enable people to travel with greater independence and confidence.
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## **With special thanks to the below:**
## **Corporate partners**
- Google.org
- Channel 4
- Ampetronic Ltd
- Contacta Systems Ltd
- Connevans
- Meta
- Sonos
- Shionogi & Co., Ltd
- HSBC Holdings Plc
- BT
- Acousia Therapeutics
- Norgine Pharmaceuticals Limited
- Turner Scientific
## **Major Donors**
- Prof Elizabeth Russell
- The Exilarch’s Foundation
- Keith and Pam Butler–Wheelhouse
- Mrs Margaret Starkie
- Dr Roger J Allport
- The Galanthus Trust
## **Trusts and Foundations**
- Masonic Charitable Foundation
- Q Charitable Trust
## **WITH SPECIAL THANKS**
- Motability
- National Lottery Community Fund (RNID Near South & West Wales)
- NHS England – Sciencewise Funder
- UK Government – Government Commercial Agency – Sciencewise Funder
- The Royal Society – Sciencewise Funder
- The British Academy – Sciencewise Funder
**None of our work would be possible without the commitment and dedication of our wonderful supporters. We are incredibly grateful to work alongside so many generous individuals and organisations.**
We also extend our sincere thanks to those we have not been able to include here. Every single person, funder and partner plays a vital role in creating a society where people who are deaf, have hearing loss and tinnitus are truly included.
RNID
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**OUR PLANS FOR 2026–27**
**In 2026/27, RNID will focus on delivering lasting change for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. Our work will continue to be structured around three interconnected ambitions: changing society, changing systems and structures, and changing individual lives.**
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## **Changing society**
In parallel, we will increase awareness of the importance of protecting hearing. Following the development of a new intervention, we will launch a public-facing campaign supported by paid media. This will mark a step change in our prevention work – helping people understand the risks of avoidable hearing damage and take action earlier in life.
A core part of our work in the year ahead will be driving wider societal change - raising awareness, shaping behaviours and ensuring that deafness and hearing loss are better understood across the UK.
We will deliver sustained, national awareness campaigns, including major moments such as a much-anticipated interactive event in central London during Deaf Awareness Week, alongside ongoing ‘It **does** matter’ activity designed to challenge misconceptions and increase public understanding of hearing loss. These campaigns will encourage more people to recognise the importance of hearing health, act earlier, and consider the everyday barriers faced by people with hearing loss.
Alongside this, we will continue to embed the importance of checking your hearing through promotion and expansion of our online Hearing Check.
Together, these activities will help create a society that is more aware, more inclusive, and better equipped to respond to hearing loss.
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## **Changing systems and structures**
In addition to shifting societal attitudes, we will focus on driving change within the systems and structures that shape people’s lives – particularly in healthcare, research, employment and technology.
A key priority will be launching our refreshed research strategy, setting a clear direction for funding groundbreaking research into treatments for hearing loss. We will introduce new Discovery and Translational Grant rounds and strengthen expectations around patient and public involvement, ensuring research reflects real-world needs.
We will also play a stronger convening role across the research landscape. Through targeted workshops and collaboration, including a focus on age-related hearing loss, we will align researchers and accelerate progress. We will generate new evidence, including research into the lived experience of genetic deafness, to inform policy and influence future decisionmaking.
Building capacity within the sector will remain critical. We will fund fellowships and PhD studentships and support early career researchers, helping to grow the number of people working on hearing research in the UK.
In healthcare, we will continue to advocate for improved NHS services and drive innovation in hearing health. Through partnerships such as our work with Shionogi, we will develop and roll out resources for healthcare professionals and communities, and explore new models of care including pharmacy-based support.
We will also influence policy and practice across key areas such as ear wax removal, hearing checks, over-the-counter technologies and the use of digital platforms like the NHS App. Alongside this, we will implement and scale practical tools, including hearing aid support resources, to ensure people receive consistent, high-quality care after diagnosis.
Encouraging earlier identification of hearing loss will continue to be a priority. We will test and refine hearing check pathways, including triage systems developed with NHS partners,
and expand work with underserved communities to tackle health inequalities.
In employment, we will continue our work to influence national policy, including engagement with government on improving Access to Work and exploring opportunities to modernise and digitise related processes. We will also play a leadership role within sector advisory groups to ensure the needs of people with hearing loss are reflected in wider employment policy.
We will also expand our work with employers to build more inclusive workplaces. Building on existing partnerships, we will develop flagship collaborations with FTSE 350 companies while also identifying and launching new opportunities. This approach allows us to influence large-scale cultural change within organisations, improving awareness, capability and confidence among thousands of employees.
We will also deepen our focus on smaller workplaces, piloting and refining initiatives that support employers to better understand and respond to hearing loss. By tailoring our approach across organisations of different sizes, we aim to ensure that inclusive practice becomes the norm, not the exception.
We will build on our work with companies to improve the accessibility of products and services. Through initiatives such as our work with Motability and exploration of consultancy models, we will help embed inclusive design principles into everyday experiences.
Finally, we will shape the development and adoption of emerging technologies. Building on insights from pilot work, we will continue our work on innovations such as Auracast™ and explore the potential of AI to improve access to British Sign Language. Our goal is to ensure that new technologies are developed inclusively and deliver real benefits for our communities.
Through this combined work, we will influence the systems that determine access, opportunity and quality of life—ensuring they work more effectively and equitably for people with hearing loss.
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**Changing individual lives, one by one** While driving systemic change is essential, we remain equally committed to supporting individuals directly, providing practical help, information and community-based support.
In 2026/27, we will grow RNID Near You, expanding our in-person services by opening new locations and strengthening our service model. A key focus will be embedding a comprehensive evaluation framework, ensuring we understand and continually improve the impact of these services.
Volunteers will play a central role in this expansion. We will roll out a new volunteer engagement strategy, invest in recruitment campaigns, and introduce initiatives such as volunteer awards to recognise and retain those who give their time to support others.
Alongside in-person support, we will continue to develop Contact RNID, ensuring people can access high-quality support remotely. Volunteers will play an increasing role in delivering the service, supported by ongoing promotion and evaluation to maximise reach and impact.
These services are vital in helping people navigate the challenges of hearing loss, whether that means accessing information, managing hearing aids, or finding emotional support.
At the same time, our broader health work will empower individuals to take control of their hearing health. Through community-based pilots and improved pathways, we will help more people check their hearing and access support earlier.
Across our work, our focus remains consistent: to improve the everyday lives of individuals, so that no one has to face hearing loss alone or without support.
Together, these plans reflect a clear and ambitious vision for the year ahead. By changing society, shaping systems and structures, and supporting individuals directly, we will drive meaningful, measurable progress towards a world where people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus can thrive without barriers.
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## **Trustees**
The following provides details of all Trustees who were in place during the financial year until 31 March 2026, and their membership of the Committees as at the date of signing. It currently has 11 members:
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Name Finance and Risk committee Nominations committee
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|**Name**|**Finance and Risk committee**|**Nominations committee**|
|---|---|---|
||||
|Ewen Stevenson (Chair)||Chair|
|Sally Harris (Treasurer)|Chair|X|
|Gill Budd||X|
|Julian Meekings|||
|Nick Waring|X||
|Ita Murphy||X|
|Chloe Smith|X||
|Jessica Rasmussen|X||
|Tanya Curry||X|
|Amber Kirby|||
|Matt Stringer|X||
The Rt.Hon. Chloe Smith was appointed to the Board of Trustees on 29 April 2024 and Amber Kirby, Matt Stringer, Tanya Curry were appointed to the Board of Trustees on 17 July 2025. Clive Warner and Ruth Thomsen were appointed to the Board of Trustees on 26 January 2026, starting July 2026.
- **Julian Meekings** retired as a Trustee
## **Teams:**
- Community Services
- Strategic Programmes
- Marketing & Communications
- Insight & Policy
- Fundraising
- Corporate Services (Finance, Data, People, Governance & Technology)
- on 29 April 2025
- **Nick Waring** retired as a Trustee on 27 April 2026
## **The Charity’s Principal Professional Advisers**
## **Solicitors**
## **Senior Leadership Team**
The Trustees delegate the implementation of policies and the day-to-day management of the Charity to the Chief Executive, supported by key management personnel:
Bates Wells Braithwaite – 10 Queens Street Place, London, EC4R 1BE
## **Independent Auditors**
Crowe UK LLP – 55 Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7JW
- **Harriet Oppenheimer,** Chief Executive
- • **James Abbott,** Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary
## **Banker**
Lloyds Banking Group – 10 Gresham St, London, EC2V 7JD
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## **Investment Adviser**
Cazenove Capital - 1 London Wall Place, London, ECY 5AU
## **Structure**
RNID is a trading name of the charitable company limited by guarantee, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), registered in England and Wales No.454169. It is registered as a Charity (No.207720 in England and Wales and SC038926 in Scotland).
RNID is governed by its Articles of Association, adopted on 14 May 1948, and last amended on 27 January 2026. The registered office address is Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6XU.
RNID has one wholly owned active subsidiary company, RNID Activities Ltd.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance of RNID. The Board has a maximum of 12 Trustees at one time. All Trustees are appointed for a term not exceeding three years, at the end of which they are eligible for reappointment for a second term. Trustees are only eligible for a further term in exceptional circumstance and only for a maximum of three years.
The Board is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) as a core governance principle, both within the workforce and at Board level. The Trustees recognise the need to improve representation from under-represented groups and acknowledge that increased diversity strengthens decision-making. The Board also recognises that different people and groups may face different barriers and require different approaches to achieve fair outcomes.
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Governance**
The Board of Trustees have adopted the Charity Governance Code (2025) and review areas of recommended practice annually.
RNID Rules, Delegated Approvals Authority Policy and Committee Terms of Reference set out the delegation of the decision-making to the Senior Leadership Team and to individual Committees. The Rules include a statement of reserved powers for the Board. Trustees are required to meet at least three times a year. In the year up to 31 March 2026, they met four times.
**Board recruitment, induction and training** Members of the Board of Trustees are appointed for two terms of three years, subject to reappointment. Trustees are appointed through an open and transparent process which involves advertising vacancies and encouraging applications from diverse communities. All vacancies are informed by a skills gap analysis and succession planning exercise which is led by the
Nominations Committee on an annual basis.
Throughout the year, the Senior Leadership Team provide the Board of Trustees with deep dive sessions to discuss key elements of the strategy.
New Trustees attend a comprehensive induction day covering the charity’s governance, structure, strategic objectives, financial planning arrangements and operations. Trustees also receive a comprehensive induction pack containing information about the charity. Trustees are invited to spend time with the Senior Leadership Team to familiarise themselves with the charity’s activities and to prepare themselves for effective and informed decision-making.
## **Committees of the Board of Trustees**
The Board delegates some of its responsibilities to Committees. Committees keep minutes of their meetings and are responsible for reporting back to the Board of Trustees. Details of each Committee are provided below:
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- **Finance and Risk Committee:** the Committee is comprised of four Trustee members. When required, it is supported by the charity’s external auditors, Crowe. All Committee members are independent of management, and the Committee is chaired by the Treasurer, Sally Harris. The Committee provides the Board of Trustees with assurance regarding the effectiveness of governance, risk management and internal controls across all the charity’s activities. The Committee also assists the Board in its duty to oversee the charity’s resources, with particular focus on its financial affairs.
- **Nominations Committee:** the Committee is comprised of five Trustees and is chaired by Ewen Stevenson, Chair of RNID’s Board of Trustees. The Committee oversees and makes recommendations to the Board on all matters relating to the recruitment and appointment of new Trustees.
## **Our people**
Our people are critical to our success. As a homebased and digital-first organisation, we are proud that our people live across the UK. This is a real strength, because it enables us to recruit great talent, and because it ensures we are connected to our communities wherever they are. Although we do nearly everything remotely, we recognise the value of in-person time with colleagues, and twice a year come together for all-staff summits that play a critical role in cementing our culture of learning and celebration.
The results of our 2025 Staff Survey showed a staff engagement score of 69% in June 2025 which is our biggest ever lead in comparison to other non-profit sector benchmarks. This reflects the dedication of our teams and the impact of ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive and fulfilling atmosphere at work. Encouragingly, 87% of staff reported feeling proud to work at RNID, with 91% knowing their work contributes to the goals of RNID.
84% of staff feel well-informed about what is happening at RNID. These results demonstrate our understanding of the importance of clear communication across teams, and we are
particularly proud of achieving this in a remote working environment.
However, the survey also identified areas for improvement. In 2026/27, the four areas that we will focus on are ‘Recognition and Feedback’, ‘Learning and Development’, ‘Digital Tools and Innovation’ and ‘Inclusion’.
We recognise that the work we do, and all our achievements, rely heavily on the support of our volunteers. We are proud of the work we have completed relating to our RNID Near You and RNID in Communities services which deliver vital support, information and key services to people in the community. Our campaign to recruit volunteers has been successful with a 47% increase in our registered volunteers.
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Financial Summary and review**
Our 2025/26 financial year finished with an unrestricted operating deficit of £2.2m and a free reserves balance of £3.0m which is marginally below the Board’s target range but expected to be back in target within 2026/27.
## **Income**
We received £12.6m of income (2025: £14.2m), a net reduction from the previous year due to challenges to embed our new CRM system, with impact on public donations received as we were unable to reach our warm supporters until the second half of the year.
Donations and legacies income of £9.9m, with continued fundraising growth in partnerships
as we diversify our non-legacy fundraising income. We received lower legacy income of £7.8m (2025: £10.1m) which impacted our free reserves.
## **Expenditure**
In 2025/26, total expenditure was £14.3m (2024/25: £13.0m), representing an increase on the prior year. This reflects higher investment in fundraising to support future income growth, alongside continued delivery of our strategic programme and brand ambitions, and further development of our digital programme.
Full details of our financial performance for the year ending 31 March 2026 are shown in the financial statements and notes from page 60 onwards.
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Rest of Trustees Report**
**Principal risk area 1: We do not create sufficient impact for our communities** We mitigate this risk through a digital first approach and a multi year plan grounded in our theories of change, enabling us to increase our reach and deliver measurable impact at scale. This is supported by the development of products, campaigns, partnerships and research that drive change across systems and improve outcomes for individuals. Progress is tracked through clear performance measures, including delivery against programme plans and the number of people reached through our services, with regular planning cycles ensuring resources are focused where they will have the greatest impact.
## **Principal risk area 2: Our brand reach limits our growth potential**
We have a robust insight-led communications strategy that drives sustained growth in our reach and engagement. Our marketing and communications team works closely with programme and campaign teams to deliver engaging, multi-channel activities, anchored in our flagship campaigns ‘Check Your Hearing’ and 'It **does** matter'
## **Risk management**
The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for risk management and the setting of the charity’s risk appetite, and delegates authority in this area to the Finance and Risk Committee. The Committee receives regular reports from the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on the management of key risks.
Risks are reviewed and discussed by the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis. The SLT ensures both existing and emerging operational risks are appropriately managed and clearly reported to Trustees. This approach ensures the SLT and Trustees maintain a clear understanding of RNID’s risk profile and exposure. Where necessary the SLT takes prompt action where required to mitigate risks.
The charity’s strategic risk register is organised into six principal risk areas, providing a framework for the charity’s risk management. The Board of Trustees has considered these risks and is satisfied that they are being managed effectively.
We use audience insight to target investment effectively, create high-impact content and secure national media coverage, helping to lead public conversations and increase awareness. Performance is monitored through regular tracking of brand awareness and reach metrics, alongside ongoing evaluation of campaign effectiveness, ensuring we continuously refine our approach and maximise growth potential.
**Principal risk area 3: We do not grow our income and are not financially resilient** We mitigate this risk through a well-established fundraising strategy focused on diversifying income and delivering growth. This includes strengthening legacy income, expanding mass market fundraising and building high value pipelines, including corporate partnerships. While legacy income continues to perform strongly and supports a healthy financial position, we recognise the need to reduce reliance on this income stream. We are therefore investing more in data and systems to enable growth in mass market and
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other non-legacy income, with a continued focus on building a more resilient and balanced income base.
**Principal risk area 4: We do not have the people needed to deliver our plan** programme to strengthen recruitment, performance management and staff development, alongside initiatives to improve onboarding and support for line managers. Staff engagement remains stable and above benchmark, supported by strong uptake of new tools and continued investment in workforce capability, helping ensure we attract, retain and develop the talent needed to deliver our strategy.
## **Principal risk area 5: We are not representative of our society and do not benefit from diverse perspectives**
Our Research Panel remains a key mechanism for gathering insight, with targeted activity to increase representation, alongside work to extend the reach of our hearing check and co-design resources with under represented groups. We are also advancing partnerships with organisations representing diverse communities.
Our EDI programme includes improving diversity across the employee lifecycle, expanding inclusive recruitment and onboarding, and increasing representation within our workforce and volunteer base. We are also deepening partnerships with organisations representing under served communities and embedding more diverse stories and perspectives in our communications, ensuring our work reflects and reaches the full diversity of the communities we serve.
**Principal risk area 6: Business controls and infrastructure are not fit for purpose** We maintain a proportionate and effective control environment while continuing to strengthen our technology and data capabilities. Following the implementation of new cloud based HR, finance and CRM systems, we are building on these foundations to enhance data, insight and operational resilience.
We continue to manage our governance and policy framework to ensure compliance and good control, alongside investment in our IT function, including leadership capability, to support our digital first strategy and future growth.
## **Going concern**
Trustees are required to consider the charity’s financial stability. As part of this process, they have produced a going concern assessment, which considers our expected financial performance through to 31 March 2028.
We consider the charity to be financially sustainable because:
- we have a clear fundraising strategy for growth, supported by strong income pipelines
- our cash and free reserves position is marginally below the Board’s target range but expected to be back in target early within 2026/27, and strong enough to mitigate unexpected income decline
As a result of these factors, the Trustees consider that it is appropriate for the financial statements to be prepared on a going concern basis.
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Pensions**
The RNID defined benefit pension scheme closed to new entrants on 1 October 2001, and to new accruals on 31 March 2010. The notional surplus or deficit on the funding of the scheme is deducted from unrestricted funds in the Balance Sheet.
The last detailed actuarial triennial valuation was carried out on 31 March 2024. Following this, an updated revised funding plan was agreed with the pension scheme trustees. As a result, the charity’s annual contribution to the pension deficit remains the same. Total contributions to the scheme in 2025/26 were £0.5m.
As part of the Trustees’ Report and Accounts preparation process, an actuarial valuation was carried out on 31 March 2026 using methodology recommended by the Financial Reporting Standard 102. This valuation showed market value of assets to be £53.3m (2025: £52.1m), and the current value of liabilities to be £46.5m (2025: £48.4m). The net surplus was £6.8m, compared to a net surplus of £3.8m at
March 2025. Further details are included in Note 22.
## **Reserves policy**
Free reserves are held by the charity to help us manage financial risk and income unpredictability. Trustees reviewed the policy in 2025/26 and determined that the target range of £3.2m - £6.4m remains appropriate reflecting an assessment of income risks to ensure RNID is sustainable in the long-term with a balance to enable us to invest in growth. The current balance of £3.0m is marginally below the target range, reflecting a loss of market value in March 2026 (driven by global events). Trustees expect free reserves to return to target within 2026/27.
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Grant making policy £’m 25/26 24/25
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|**Grant making policy**
**£’m**|**25/26**|**24/25**|
|---|---|---|
||||
|Total unrestricted funds|4.6|6.9|
|Add backpension reserve|0.0|0.0|
|Less unrestricted fxed assets|(1.6)|(1.3)|
|**TOTAL**|3.0|5.6|
## **Grant making policy**
We award research grants to fund world-class medical research projects and to increase the numbers of trained research staff. Universities, non-profit research institutes and technologyled small businesses worldwide are eligible for funding, except where geographical and organisational type restrictions are stated for specific funding schemes. We widely publicise our calls for grant proposals, which are then subjected to an appropriate level of expert peer review, typically involving independent, external reviewers and a voluntary, independent grant review panel. Each review panel is made up of experts who serve for three-to-five years, and the panel members are listed on our website. We make the final decision about each award based on this expert advice, the relevance of the research to our research strategy, and our available budget. Everyone involved in the grant application and review process is asked to abide by our Research Programme’s Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policy. We occasionally award a small number of grants for social and technical research to help provide the evidence basis for campaigning and policy development.
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**Statement of Trustees responsibilities** The Trustees (who are also directors of RNID for the purpose of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and Accounts (including the Strategic Report) and the Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and regulation. Company Law requires the Trustees to prepare Financial Statements for each financial year. Under that law, the Trustees have prepared the Financial Statements in accordance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard which is applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”, and applicable law (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the Financial Statements unless they are satisfied that they are given a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period.
In preparing these Financial Statements, the Trustees are required to:
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the Financial Statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In so far as the Trustees are aware:
**1.** There is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditors are unaware
**2.** They have taken all the steps they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditors are aware of that information
**1.** Select a suite of suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of Financial Statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
**2.** Observe the methods and principles in the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (2015)
By order of the Board of Trustees, the Trustees’ Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) has been approved by the Board of Trustees and signed on its behalf by:
**3.** Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
**4.** State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 102, have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the Financial Statements
**Sally Harris** Honorary Treasurer Date 13 July 2026
- **5** . Prepare the Financial Statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members and Trustees of The Royal National Institute for Deaf People**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the Financial Statements of The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) (‘the charitable company’) and its subsidiary (‘the group’) for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, Consolidated Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the Financial Statements, including significant accounting policies.
The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2026 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (amended)
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the Financial Statements section of our report.
We are independent of the group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
**Conclusions relating to going concern** In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustee's use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's or the group’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
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## **Other information**
The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
- the information given in the Trustees’ report, which includes the directors’ report and the strategic report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements
- the strategic report and the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements
**Matters on which we are required to report by exception**
In light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and charitable company and their
environment obtained during the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns;
- certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made;
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit
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## **TRUSTEES’ AND DIRECTORS’ REPORT**
## **Responsibilities of trustees**
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 57, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Details of the extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, are set out below.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditor’s Report.
## **Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud**
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We identified and assessed the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements from irregularities, whether due to fraud or error, and discussed these between our audit team members. We then designed and performed audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the charitable company and group operate, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this
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context were the Companies Act 2006 and The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, together with the Charities SORP (FRS102). We assessed the required compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items.
In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which might be fundamental to the charitable company’s and the group’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. We also considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charitable company and the group for fraud. The laws and regulations we considered in this context for the UK operations were General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), fundraising regulations, employment legislation and taxation legislation.
Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquire of the Trustees and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.
We identified the greatest risk of material impact on the financial statements from irregularities, including fraud, to be within the timing of recognition of grant and legacy income and the override of controls by management. Our audit procedures to respond to these risks included review of grant expenditure monitoring in place, enquiries of management and the Finance and Risk Committee about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, sample testing on the posting of journals, reviewing accounting estimates for biases, reviewing regulatory correspondence with the Charity Commission and reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit
in accordance with auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body and the charitable company’s Trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
**Dipesh Chhatralia** Senior Statutory Auditor For and on behalf of Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor London
**Date:** 20 July 2026
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Consolidated statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2026**
(incorporating an income and expenditure account)
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People Company number: 454169
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Note Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Total funds
2026 2025
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Income from:
Donations and legacies 5 9,375 533 9,908 12,258
Government grants 5 0 200 200 0
Income from charitable activities:
RNID Near You 5 544 435 979 746
Research partnerships 5 0 213 213 234
Communication services and partnerships 5 84 188 272 628
Other charitable income 5 180 29 209 60
Transition services 5 4 112 116 29
Income from trading activities 5 419 0 419 281
Investment income:
Investment income 5 140 0 140 3
Total income 10,746 1,710 12,456 14,239
Expenditure on raising funds 6/7 4,753 10 4,763 4,087
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Inclusion programme 6/7 1,082 59 1,141 1,071
Health programme 6/7 1,061 57 1,118 1,046
Employment programme 6/7 341 16 357 201
Research programme 6/7 1,356 705 2,061 1,976
Communications services 6/7 89 1 90 559
RNID Near You 6/7 3,444 606 4,050 3,250
Contact RNID 6/7 597 226 823 739
Transition services 6/7 (62) 0 (62) 71
Total 7,908 1,670 9,578 8,913
Total expenditure 12,661 1,680 14,341 13,000
Net income / (expenditure) (1,915) 30 (1,885) 1,239
Actuarial gains / (losses) on defined benefit 22 (529) 0 (529) (1,058)
pension schemes
Gains / (losses) on investments 196 0 196 228
Net movement in funds (2,248) 30 (2,218) 409
Reconciliation of funds:
Funds brought forward at 1 April 2025 6,850 847 7,697 7,288
Funds carried forward at 31 March 2026 4,602 877 5,479 7,697
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## **Consolidated balance sheets at 31 March 2026**
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Note The group The group The charity The charity
2026 2025 2026 2025
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Fixed assets
Intangible fixed assets 11 1,387 1,174 1,387 1,174
Tangible fixed assets 12 120 95 120 95
Investments 13 & 14 3,003 0 3,003 0
4,510 1,269 4,510 1,269
Current assets
Debtors 16 1,459 2,013 1,605 2,011
Current asset investments 17 120 4,884 120 4,884
Cash at bank and in hand 1,229 1,181 1,083 1,181
2,808 8,078 2,808 8,076
Current liabilities
Creditors falling due within one year 18 1,839 1,588 1,839 1,586
Net Current assets 969 6,490 969 6,490
Non–current liabilities
Provision for liabilities 19 0 62 0 62
Total assets less liabilities (excluding pension liabil- 5,479 7,697 5,479 7,697
ity)
Defined benefit pension scheme asset / (liability) 22 0 0 0 0
Total net assets 20 5,479 7,697 5,479 7,697
The funds of the charity
Restricted funds 23 877 847 877 847
Unrestricted funds 4,602 6,850 4,602 6,850
Total charity funds 5,479 7,697 5,479 7,697
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The notes on pages 62-86 form part of these Financial Statements.
The Financial Statements were approved by the Board of trustees and authorised for issue on 13 July 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
**Sally Harris** Honorary Treasurer
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ending 31 March 2026**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2026 2025
£’000 £’000
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income for the reporting year (as per the statement of financial activities) (1,885) 1,239
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charge for the year on tangible assets 74 61
Amortisation charge for the year on intangible assets 178 156
Interest payable 0 0
Interest received (140) (3)
(Gains) / losses on investments (196) 0
(Gains) / losses on disposal of fixed assets 0 0
(Increase) / decrease in debtors 553 (16)
Increase/ (decrease) in creditors 251 392
Increase / (decrease) in provisions for liabilities and charges (62) (124)
Pensions reserve funding deficit movements (529) (1,058)
Net cash used in / (generated from) operating activities (1,756) 647
Cash flows from investing activities:
Interest received 140 3
Gains from investments 196 228
Proceeds from sale of tangible fixed assets 0 0
Proceeds from disposal of investments 7,030 0
Purchase of intangible fixed assets (490) (490)
Purchase of investments (9,724) 0
Purchase of investment property (112) 0
Purchase of tangible fixed assets 0 0
Net cash provided by / (used in) investing activities (2,961) (259)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Interest paid 0 0
Net cash used in financing activities 0 0
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period (4,717) 388
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 6,065 5,677
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 1,349 6,065
Cash and cash equivalents consists of:
Current asset investments 120 4,884
Cash at bank and in hand 1,228 1,181
Cash and cash equivalents 1,349 6,065
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The notes on pages 62-86 form part of these Financial Statements.
The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long–term financing arrangements.
RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
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## **Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **Note 1. General information**
RNID is the largest charity representing people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus in the UK.
The Charity is a private company limited by guarantee without share capital and is incorporated and based in the UK, number 454169.
RNID is a registered charity in England and Wales (207720) and Scotland (SCO38926).
The address of its registered office is Brightfield Business Hub, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6XU
In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the Charity.
## **Note 2. Statement of compliance**
The Financial Statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of investments to fair value, and in accordance with applicable accounting standards in the United Kingdom. These are the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities 2015’ and Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 102, together with the reporting requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
The Charity has adapted the Companies Act formats to reflect the charities SORP FRS 102 and the special nature of the Charity’s activities.
These Financial Statements consolidate the results of the charitable company and its wholly–owned (controlled) subsidiary R.N.I.D. Activities Limited (company no. 00913439) on a line by line basis. Transactions and balances between the charitable company and its subsidiary have been eliminated from the consolidated Financial Statements. Balances between the two companies are disclosed in the notes of the charitable company’s balance sheet. A separate statement of financial activities, or income and expenditure account, for the charitable company itself is not presented because the charitable company has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.
Trustees consider the charity to be financially sustainable because of the strength of our income pipeline and our cash and free reserves position. This is described in more detail in the Trustees’ Report.
As a result of these factors, the trustees consider that it is appropriate for the Financial Statements to be prepared using a going concern basis.
## **Income**
Income is accrued and included in the SoFA when the Charity is entitled to the income, receipt can be quantified and income is probable. It is deferred when they relate to future accounting periods.
## **Donations**
General donations, gifts, donations from fundraising events, trusts and corporate income and direct marketing income are accounted for on a received basis. Gift Aid receivable is included when claimable.
## **Legacy**
Pecuniary legacies are recognised as receivable once probate has been granted or notification has been received.
For residuary legacies, the Charity recognises legacy income on the earlier of the final legacy accounts being issued, cash being received or notification of a pending payment, to ensure income can be reliably measured.
When the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset (see Note 19).
## **Contracts**
Where contracts contain the right to receive periodic payments, these receipts are recognised when they fall due and on completion of the Charity’s contractual obligations for the period. Income is accrued if the Charity is entitled to the income.
## **Grant income**
Income from grants is credited to the SoFA. It is recognised when the Charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions have been met, it is probable the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If the grant relates to a specific future time period it will be deferred.
## **Note 3. Accounting policies**
## **Going concern**
Trustees are required to consider the charity’s financial stability. As part of this process, they have produced a going concern assessment, which considers our expected financial performance through to 31 March 2028.
RNID received government grants that were performance– related grants. Performance–related grants are recognised in income under “charitable activities”.
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
Income from performance–related government grants is recognised when the Charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions have been met, it is probable the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
The nature of these grants is disclosed in Note 5 and 22. There were no unfulfilled conditions or special criteria.
Other forms of government assistance from which the Charity has directly benefited are Access to Work payments and local authority payments for local service agreements.
## **Trading activity**
Income from trading activities is credited to the SoFA when received or receivable, whichever is earlier, unless it relates to a specific future period, in which case it is deferred. Income from lotteries is recognised when the draw is made. Income received in advance for future lotteries is deferred until the draw takes place. All other income is accounted for on an accruals basis.
## **Donated services and facilities**
On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on their commercial value when this can be quantified.
## **Governance costs**
Governance costs are the costs associated with constitutional and statutory requirements and with the strategic management of the Charity’s activities.
## **Grant commitments**
Grants are generally made to organisations to facilitate research into hearing loss and tinnitus. Grants payable are payments made to third parties in the furtherance of the charitable objectives of the Charity. The grants are accounted for where either the trustees have agreed to pay the grant without condition or up to the point at which the conditions have been fulfilled. The key condition is a regular review by the Charity, and this can be on a six–month or 12–month basis, as specified in the grant award letter.
## **Taxation**
The activities of the Charity and its charitable subsidiary are exempt from corporation taxation under section 505 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 to the extent that they are applied to the organisation’s charitable primary objectives, if these profits are applied solely for charitable purposes. The trading subsidiary does not generally pay UK corporation tax because its policy is to pay taxable profits as Gift Aid to the Charity.
## **Current asset investments**
Donated services and gifts in kind over £20,000 are included as both income and expenditure in the relevant category.
A valuation of volunteer time given to the Charity is not recorded in the Financial Statements.
The Charity holds investments that consist of short term assets, including cash and other liquid resources. Current asset investments are held at fair value, with any gains or losses on investments recognised on the SoFA.
## **Intangible assets**
## **Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT**
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis in the period in which they are incurred. Expenditure on raising funds includes the costs incurred in raising donation income, legacy income, grant income and income from trading activities, including apportioned support costs.
Expenditure on charitable activities comprises the costs incurred on charitable activities including the apportioned support costs.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
Termination benefits are recognised at the leaving date of the member of staff and measured at the best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the obligation at the reporting date.
## **Allocation of expenditure**
Expenditure is allocated to the particular activity to which the cost relates. When expenditure relates to more than one area of activity, the costs are allocated to each of the activities on the basis of estimated staff time.
Intangible assets are stated at cost, less accumulated amortisation. The Charity only capitalises items costing more than £5,000, unless the asset cost is below this value but is part of a larger project where the value would be more than £5,000 in total, then it is capitalised.
Amortisation is calculated, using the straight–line method, to allocate the depreciable amount of the assets to their residual values over their estimated useful life as follows:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Intangible asset Duration
Software 5 years
(Costs associated with
maintaining computer software
are recognised as an expense
as incurred.)
Intangible assets are subject
to review for impairment
when there is an indication of
a reduction in their carrying
value.
**----- End of picture text -----**
RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
**67**
## **Tangible assets**
Tangible assets are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. The Charity only capitalises items costing more than £5,000, unless the asset cost is below this value but part of a larger project where the value would be more than £5,000 in total, then it is capitalised.
Depreciation is provided so as to write–off the cost of fixed assets on a straight–line basis over their expected useful lives, as follows:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Tangible asset Duration
Fixtures, fittings, furniture and 5 years
other equipment
Computer equipment 5 years
Assets under construction are
not depreciated and comprise
expenditure on the purchase
or creation of intangible and
tangible assets not brought
into use at the balance sheet
date. Transfers are made from
assets under construction
to the relevant category of
tangible and intangible asset
when the asset is brought into
use.
Tangible assets are subject to
review for impairment when
there is an indication of a
reduction in their carrying
value.
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## **Leased assets**
Payments under operating leases are charged to the SoFA on a straight–line basis over the period of the lease.
## **Investments**
Investments consist of fixed asset investment property of Pennard Court and listed investments in the Cazenove Capital Sustainability Multi–Asset Fund.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the Charity. Restricted funds are funds that the donor has specified to be solely used for particular areas of the Charity’s work.
Permanent endowment funds are capital funds where trustees have no power to convert the capital into income.
## **Pension costs**
The Charity operates three funded pension schemes in the UK (the “Scheme”). One Scheme has both defined benefit and defined contribution sections and the others just have defined contribution sections.
The current service cost of the Charity’s defined pension scheme is charged to the SoFA.
The Charity operates a defined benefit plan for certain employees. A defined benefit plan defines the benefit that the employees will receive on retirement, usually dependent on certain factors including age, length of service and remuneration. A defined benefit plan is a pension plan that is not a defined contribution plan.
An actuarial valuation of the Scheme was carried out at 31 March 2024 by a qualified independent actuary, based on membership data as at 31 March 2024 but amended to make an approximate allowance for benefit outgo, member movements during the period. Actuarial gains and losses are recognised on the face of the SoFA as net actuarial gain or loss on pensions.
The defined benefit obligation is calculated using the independent actuary’s valuation model, which forms a representation of the future benefit payments of the Scheme, which are then discounted to the valuation date. Annually, the Charity engages independent actuaries to calculate the obligation.
The present value is determined by discounting the estimated future payments using a single weighted average discount rate assumption of 6% per annum, derived from the full Merrill Lynch UK AA corporate bond yield curve as at 31 March 2025.
The liability recognised in the balance sheet in respect of the defined benefit plan is the present value of the defined benefit obligation at the reporting date less the fair value of the plan assets at the reporting date.
Accrual of benefits under the defined benefit section of the Scheme ceased with effect from 31 March 2010.
The Charity operates two defined contribution plans for its employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the employees and the Charity pay fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid, the Charity has no further payment obligations. The contributions are recognised as an expense on the SoFA when they are due. Amounts not paid are shown as outstanding in the balance sheet.
The assets of the plan are held separately from the Charity in independently administered funds.
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Short–term employee benefits**
Short–term benefits, including holiday pay and other non– monetary benefits, are recognised as an expense in the period in which the service is received.
## **Contingencies**
Contingent assets are disclosed in the Financial Statements when an inflow of economic benefit is probable. The only contingent asset of the Charity relates to legacies (Note 19).
## **Financial Instruments**
The Charity has taken advantage of the exemptions in FRS 102 from the requirement to present certain disclosures about the charity’s financial instruments. The Charity has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic. These are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. Financial assets that are measured at fair value include investments. Financial assets that are debt instruments measured at amortised cost include trade debtors and other debtors. Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost include trade creditors, other creditors, current and long–term loans.
## **Related party transactions**
RNID discloses transactions between the charity and related parties. Where appropriate, transactions of a similar nature are aggregated unless, in the opinion of the trustees, separate disclosure is necessary to understand the effect of the transactions on the Financial Statements (Note 25).
## **Related undertakings**
## **1. Legacy Income**
The Charity has elected to continue recognising residual legacy income on receipt of final estate accounts, or when cash has been received, when entitlement conditions have been met, due to the nature of underlying assets and liabilities and the time that may elapse between probate and closure, and other contingencies that can contest the estate.
## **2. Defined benefit pension scheme**
The Charity has an obligation to pay pension benefits to certain employees. The cost of these benefits and the present value of the obligation depend on a number of factors, including: life expectancy, asset valuations and the discount rate on corporate bonds. Our pension actuary estimates these factors in determining the net pension asset in the balance sheet. The assumptions reflect historical experience and current trends.
## **3. Short–term compensated absences**
FRS 102 requires the cost of short–term compensated absences to be recognised when the employees render the service that increases their entitlement. At the end of the financial year, actual holiday to be carried into the following year was determined. This was reviewed together with salary costs per employee, to determine the value of any holiday pay accrual.
## **4. Provision for doubtful debts**
Trade debtors and other receivables are recognised at their transaction value, less any provision for doubtful debts. The provision for doubtful debts is based on a review of aged items, by type of debt, which takes account of credit control activities to collect the amounts outstanding, including any indications that debt will not be fully recovered.
Sound Advantage Ltd (02437205), Action on Hearing Loss Ltd (07566245), The Hearing Research Trust Ltd (07146209), Sussex Deaf Association(09740664) and RNID Services Ltd (11769135) are wholly owned, dormant subsidiaries, and have therefore not been consolidated. All the companies have been dissolved.
## **Critical accounting judgements and estimation uncertainty**
Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
## **Critical accounting estimates and assumptions**
The Charity makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities within the next financial year are addressed below.
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**69**
## **Note 4. Consolidated statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2025**
(incorporating an income and expenditure account) – prior period comparative
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds 2025
2025 2025
£’000 £’000 £’000
Income from:
Donations and legacies 11,584 674 12,258
Government grants 0 0 0
Income from charitable activities:
RNID Near You 518 228 746
Research Partnerships 6 228 234
Communication services 628 0 628
Other charitable income 60 0 60
Transition services 29 0 29
Income from trading activities 281 0 281
Investment income:
Investment income 3 0 3
Total income 13,109 1,130 14,239
Expenditure on raising funds 4,078 9 4,087
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Inclusion Programme 1,071 0 1,071
Health Programme 1,037 9 1,046
Employment Programme 201 0 201
Research Programme 1,004 972 1,976
Communications services 558 1 559
RNID Near You 2,821 429 3,250
Contact RNID 686 53 739
Transition services 71 0 71
Total cost of charitable activities 7,449 1,464 8,913
Total expenditure 11,527 1,473 13,000
Net (expenditure) / income 1,582 (343) 1,239
Net actuarial gains / (losses) on pensions (1,058) 0 (1,058)
Gains / (losses) on investments 228 0 228
Net movement in funds 752 (343) 409
**----- End of picture text -----**
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 5. Income**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Donations and legacies Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Unrestricted Restricted funds Total funds
funds 2026 funds 2026 2026 funds 2025 2025 2025
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Donations and legacies 9,375 533 9,908 11,584 674 12,258
Government grants 0 200 200 0 0 0
9,375 733 10,108 11,584 674 12,258
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Income from charitable Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Unrestricted Restricted funds Total funds
activities funds 2026 funds 2026 2026 funds 2025 2025 2025
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
RNID Near You 544 435 979 518 228 746
Research partnerships 0 213 213 6 228 234
Communication services and 84 188 272 628 0 628
partnerships
Transition services 4 112 116 29 0 29
Other charitable income 180 29 209 60 0 60
812 977 1,789 1,241 456 1,697
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Income from trading activities Unrestricted funds 2026 Unrestricted funds 2025
£’000 £’000
Weekly Lottery 252 218
Commercial partnership income recognised in trading subsidiary 167 63
419 281
**----- End of picture text -----**
Partnerships deemed to fulfil our charitable objectives are included above, within income from charitable activities.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Income from investments Unrestricted funds 2026 Unrestricted funds 2025
£’000 £’000
Investment income 140 3
**----- End of picture text -----**
RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
**71**
## **Note 6. Expenditure**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Expenditure on raising funds Direct costs Support costs Total
Other Other 2026 2025
Staff Staff
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Raising funds 1,225 1,506 1,076 956 4,763 4,087
Expenditure on charitable
activities
Inclusion Programme 154 2 736 249 1,141 1,071
Health Programme 154 78 651 235 1,118 1,046
Employment Programme 77 0 202 78 357 201
Research Programme 154 1,493 278 136 2,061 1,976
Communication services 45 9 17 19 90 559
RNID Near You 676 225 1,964 1,185 4,050 3,250
Contact RNID 285 15 254 269 823 739
Transition services 0 (62) 0 0 (62) 71
1,545 1,760 4,102 2,171 9,578 8,913
Total expenditure 2,770 3,266 5,178 3,127 14,341 13,000
**----- End of picture text -----**
Other costs consists of grants payable, agency fees, software and licenses, professional fees etc.
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 7. Support costs**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2026 Insight & Marketing & Digital, data & Community Corporate Total 2026
Policy communications technology Services Services
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Raising funds 50 451 801 0 730 2,032
Inclusion Programme 517 331 72 0 65 985
Health Programme 404 345 72 0 65 886
Employment Programme 139 75 34 0 32 280
Research Programme 126 151 72 0 65 414
Communication services 0 0 19 0 17 36
RNID Near You 24 103 996 1,118 908 3,149
Contact RNID 0 45 251 0 227 523
Transition services 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1,260 1,501 2,317 1,118 2,109 8,305
2025 Insight & Marketing & Digital, Community Corporate Total 2025
Policy communications Data and Services Services
Technology
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Raising funds 0 420 627 0 520 1,567
Inclusion programme 482 308 83 0 69 942
Health programme 361 350 83 0 69 863
Employment programme 50 70 21 0 17 158
Research programme 110 112 63 0 52 337
Communication services 0 0 167 0 138 305
RNID Near You 2 98 817 907 676 2,500
Contact RNID 0 42 229 0 190 461
Transition services 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1,005 1,400 2,090 907 1,731 7,133
**----- End of picture text -----**
Support costs were apportioned to activities on the basis of headcount for corporate services and digital, data & technology, and staff time for capabilities (insight & policy, marketing & communications, and community services).
RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
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## **Note 8. Net expenditure for the year**
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2026 2025
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||**2026**|2025|
|---|---|---|
||||
|This is stated after charging/(crediting):|**£’000**|£’000|
|**Interestpayable:**
|||
|Bank interest,bank loans and overdrafts whollyrepayable within fveyears|0|3|
|
Depreciation/Amortisation charge for theyear|252|217|
|**Payments under operating leases:**|||
|Land and buildings|0|90|
|**Auditors’ remuneration:**|||
|Statutoryaudit fee|45|39|
|Other non–audit fee|11|6|
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 9. Grants payable**
The aggregate amount of grants made during the year ended 31 March 2026, analysed by recipient was:
## **Medical research into hearing loss**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2026 2026 2025
Number of grants Total Total
£’000 £’000
Institution
University College London 8 352 353
King’s College London 4 131 184
Radboud University Medical Center 2 82 162
KU Leuven 2 132 103
University of Sheffield 2 56 99
University of Cambridge 1 37 91
Case Western Reserve University 1 62 67
Trinity College Dublin 1 65 67
Johns Hopkins University 1 67 67
University of Montpellier 1 54 54
Anglia Ruskin University 0 0 50
Indiana University 0 0 39
Flinders University 0 0 36
Stanford University 0 0 33
Brunel University London 1 29 28
Newcastle University 0 0 23
Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore 1 65 20
University of Manchester 0 0 13
In2ScienceUK 1 24 11
University Medical Center Groningen 0 0 10
Leiden University Medical Centre 0 0 10
Fundación para la Investigación Médica Aplicada 0 0 10
Swansea University 0 0 10
University of Antwerp 1 73 0
University of Illinois 1 75 0
Bionics Institute 1 73 0
University of Birmingham 1 73 0
University of Granada 1 10 0
Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg 1 10 0
Ghent University 1 10 0
University of Pittsburgh 1 49 0
Total grants 34 1,529 1,540
**----- End of picture text -----**
In addition to the above, the Charity expects to fund future grants totalling £2.95m (2025: £2.6m), which have been awarded subject to satisfactory reviews during the course of the project being funded. These have not been provided for in RNID’s Financial Statements.
The expenditure for grants sits within the ‘Research Programme’ line for charitable expenditure within the SoFA.
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## **Note 10. Employees and trustees**
## **Employees**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2026 2025
Staff costs consist of :
£’000 £’000
Wages and salaries 6,527 5,972
Social security costs 765 596
Pension costs 561 266
138 125
Other staff costs
7,991 6,959
**----- End of picture text -----**
Total redundancy and termination costs in the year were £64,071 (2025: £82,570) of which none were accrued costs at the year end (2025: none).
25/26 Pension Exchange Scheme effective from January 2025
Other staff costs include recruitment costs and the use of temporary staff.
|**The average headcount of employees, analysed by function, was:**|**2026**|2025|
|---|---|---|
||**(Number)**|(Number)|
|Communications Services|**–**|4|
|Contact RNID|**7**|6|
|Corporate Services|**14**|12|
|Digital,Data and Technology|**18**|14|
|Fundraising|**24**|23|
|Insight & Policy|**21**|17|
|CommunityServices|**24**|20|
|Marketing& Communications|**26**|22|
|RNID Near You|**28**|23|
|Strategic Programmes|**7**|7|
|Transition Services|**–**|–|
||**169**|148|
||||
|**The number of employees whose remuneration was over £60,000 (excluding**
**employerpension contributions) fell within the following bands:**|**2026**|2025|
||**(Number)**|(Number)|
|£60,001 to £70,000|**6**|4|
|£70,001 to £80,000|**2**|3|
|£80,001 to £90,000|**1**|3|
|£90,001 to £100,000|**2**|1|
|£100,001 to £110,000|**–**|–|
|£110,001 to £120,000|**1**|–|
|£120,001 to £130,000|**–**|1|
|£140,001 to £150,000|**1**|1|
None of these employees (2025: none) are in the defined benefit pension scheme, and all (2025: all) are in the defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions in the pension year to the defined contribution scheme were £107,990 in respect of these employees (2025: £53,426).
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Remuneration and benefits for the Chief Executive Inc. pension contributions Excl. pension contributions
Officer and other Key Management Personnel
2026 2025 2026 2025
£’000 £’000 £'000 £'000
Key Management Personnel 320 329 298 316
**----- End of picture text -----**
Key Management Personnel comprises the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer only.
## **Trustees**
None of the members of the Board of trustees received any remuneration during this year (2025: none). During the year, six trustees (2025: two) received reimbursements of non–private travel, accommodation and subsistence expenditure, including attendance at staff summit events, amounting to £862 (2025: £439). The value of expenses waived was not material.
Total donations in the year from trustees amounted to £312 (2025: £7,157).
## **Note 11. Intangible fixed assets (charity and group)**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Computer Software Assets under Total
construction
£’000 £’000 £’000
Cost
At the beginning of the year 917 481 1,398
Additions 0 490 490
Disposals 0 0 0
Transfer 0 (99) (99)
At the end of the year 917 872 1,789
Accumulated amortisation
At the beginning of the year (224) 0 (224)
Charge for year (178) 0 (178)
Disposals 0 0 0
At the end of the year (402) 0 (402)
Net book value at 31 March 2026 515 872 1,387
Net book value at 31 March 2025 693 481 1,174
**----- End of picture text -----**
Assets under construction are not amortised and comprise expenditure on the purchase or creation of intangible assets not brought into use at the balance sheet date. Transfers are made from assets under construction to the relevant category of intangible asset when the asset is brought into use.
Within intangible assets are computer software under construction with a cost of £872k (2025: £481k).
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## **Note 12. Tangible fixed assets (charity and group)**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Computer equipment Total
£’000 £’000
Cost
At the beginning of the year 305 305
Additions 0 0
Transfer 99 99
Disposals 0 0
At the end of the year 404 404
Accumulated depreciation
At the beginning of the year (210) (210)
Charge for year (74) (74)
Disposals 0 0
At the end of the year (284) (284)
Net book value at 31 March 2026 120 120
Net book value at 31 March 2025 95 95
**----- End of picture text -----**
Assets under construction are not depreciated and comprise expenditure on the purchase or creation of tangible assets not brought into use at the balance sheet date. Transfers are made from assets under construction to the relevant category of tangible asset when the asset is brought into use.
There are no Capital commitments as at the year end (2025: £nil)
## **Note 13. Investment Property (Charity and Group)**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2026 2025
£'000 £'000
Fixed assets – Investment Property 112 0
**----- End of picture text -----**
In November 2025, RNID acquired Pennard Court from RNID Bath Charity. The Property is held on the balance sheet as an investment property. Pennard Court is currently occupied by a housing association under a 125–year lease, originally granted in 1983, at a peppercorn rent.
## **Note 14. Investments**
||**2026**|2025|
|---|---|---|
||**£'000**|£'000|
|Market Value at 1 April 2025|**4,842**|0|
|Acquisition at cost|**4,883**|0|
|Disposalproceeds|**(7,030)**|0|
|Gain on investments|**196**|0|
|Market Value at 31st March|**2,891**|0|
All investments are carried out at fair value. Investments in securities are held at diversified Cazenove Charity Sustainable Multi–Asset fund; BlackRock ICS, JPM GBP Liquidity Fund and HSBC ESG. The basis of fair value for quoted investment is equivalent to the market price using the bid price. There were no individual investments which comprised more than 5% of the total market value of non cash investments at 31st March 2026.
rnid.org.uk
**78**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 15. Parent activities**
The parent charity’s gross income and the results for the year are disclosed as follows:
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2026 2025
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|||**2026**|2025|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
|||**£’000**|£’000|
|||||
|Gross income||**12,459**|14,238|
|Results for theyear||**(2,215)**|410|
## **Note 16. Debtors**
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The group The group The charity The charity
2026 2025 2026 2025
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Trade debtors 355 140 337 140
Other debtors 0 0 189 0
Prepayments and accrued income 1,104 1,873 1,079 1,810
1,459 2,013 1,605 1,950
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## **Note 17. Current asset investments (charity and group)**
||||**2026**|2025|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**£’000**|£’000|
|Cash or cash equivalents|||**120**|42|
|Listed investments|||**0**|4,842|
||||**120**|4,884|
RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
**79**
## **Note 18. Creditors**
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The group The group The charity The charity
2026 2025 2026 2025
Creditors falling due within one year £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Trade creditors 610 530 610 530
Accruals for grants payable 30 30 30 30
Taxation and social security 228 206 228 206
Other creditors 0 1 0 1
Accruals 781 637 781 634
Deferred income 190 185 190 185
1,839 1,589 1,839 1,586
Deferred income at the beginning of the year 185 93 185 93
Amount released to income (185) (93) (185) (93)
Amount deferred in year 190 185 190 185
Deferred income at the end of the year 190 185 190 185
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## **Note 19. Provisions (charity and group)**
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2026 2025
£’000 £’000
Dilapidation 0 0
Care & Support claims 0 62
0 62
Movements on provisions were as follows:
Dilapidation Care & Support
claims
£’000 £’000
At the beginning of the year 0 29
Additions 0 (29)
Amounts charged 0 0
At the end of the year 0 0
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## **Purposes of provisions**
Care & Support claims
Full provision for cost claims was released related to discontinued Care & Support services in 2026
rnid.org.uk
**80**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 20. Contingent assets – legacies**
The trustees have been notified that the Charity is a beneficiary of a number of estates for which the amounts to be paid to the Charity have not yet been confirmed. In view of the uncertainty over the amounts that may be received, the trustees have concluded that the conditions for recognition of these legacies have not yet been met and accordingly these legacies are not reflected in these Financial Statements. Provisional estimates indicate a potential value of these legacies of £6.7m (2025: £6.1m).
## **Note 21. Analysis of net assets between funds**
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Fund balances at 31 March 2026 are repre- Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds 2026
sented by:
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Intangible fixed assets 1,387 0 0 1,387
Tangible fixed assets 120 0 0 120
Investments 3,003 0 0 3,003
Current assets 1,931 877 0 2,808
Current liabilities (1,839) 0 0 (1,839)
Provision for liabilities and charges 0 0 0 0
Net assets 4,601 877 0 5,479
Fund balances at 31 March 2025 are repre- Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds 2025
sented by:
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Intangible fixed assets 1,174 0 0 1,174
Tangible fixed assets 95 0 0 95
Current assets 7,229 847 0 8,076
Current liabilities (1,586) 0 0 (1,586)
Provision for liabilities and charges (62) 0 0 (62)
Net assets 6,850 847 0 7,697
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RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
**81**
## **Note 22. Pensions – charity and group**
RNID operates a funded pension scheme in the UK (the ‘Scheme’). The Scheme has a Defined Benefit Section, and previously a relatively small Defined Contribution Section where all benefits were transferred to a new MasterTrust arrangement with effect from 1 August 2018. Pension benefits in the Defined Benefit Section are related to the members’ final salary at retirement (or earlier if they leave the Scheme before retirement) and their length of service. Accrual of benefits under the Defined Benefit Section of the Scheme ceased with effect from 31 March 2010.
The Scheme trustees are responsible for the operation and governance of the Plan, including making decisions on the Scheme’s funding and investment strategies in conjunction with RNID. RNID is required to meet any additional funding payments that may be necessary as assessed by a formal scheme funding valuation every three years. The most recent scheme funding valuation as at 31 March 2024 revealed a deficit and RNID agreed to make additional contributions to the Scheme to remove this deficit and meet expected Scheme expenses. Contributions of £863,800 were required for the year ending 31 March 2026, £799,800 is required for the year ending 31 March 2027 in monthly instalments.
Except where stated otherwise, the remainder of this FRS 102 pensions note relates only to the Defined Benefit Section of the Scheme.
## **The amounts recognised in the statement of financial position are as follows:**
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2026 2025
£000s £000s
Defined benefit obligation (46,457) (48,358)
Fair value of plan assets 53,250 52,112
Net defined benefit (liability)/asset 6,793 3,754
Restriction on asset recognised (6,793) (3,754)
– –
Net amount recognised at year end
(before any adjustment for deferred tax)
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## **The amounts recognised for the year are as follows:**
The current and past service costs, settlements and curtailments, together with the net interest expense for the year are included in profit or loss. Remeasurements of the net defined benefit liability are included in the Statement of Financial Activities.
||**Year ended**
**2026**|**Year ended**
**2025**|
|---|---|---|
||£000s|£000s|
|Service cost:|||
|Current service cost(net of employee contributions)|–|–|
|Administration expenses|279|260|
|Loss/(gain)onplan introductions, changes, curtailments and settlements|–|–|
|Net interest expense/(credit)|–|–|
||||
|Charge/(credit)recognised inproft or loss|279|260|
||||
|Remeasurements of the net liability:|||
|Return on scheme assets(excludingamount included in net interest expense)|(717)|5,451|
|Actuarial(gains)/losses|(1,433)|(4,807)|
||||
|Adjustment for restrictions on the asset recognised|2,806|283|
||||
|Charge/(credit)recorded in Statement of Financial Activities|656|927|
||||
|Total defned beneft cost/(credit)|935|1,187|
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
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The principal actuarial assumptions used were:
2026 2025
Discount rate 6.00% 5.70%
Inflation assumption (RPI) 3.50% 3.30%
Future LPI pension increases 3.20% 3.10%
Revaluation in deferment (RPI) 3.50% 3.30%
Assumed life expectancies on retirement at age 65 are:
Expected age at death of current pensioner at age 65
Male aged 65 at year end 86.8 86.4
Female aged 65 at year end 88.6 88.4
Expected age at death of future pensioner at age 65
Male aged 45 at year end 87.7 87.3
Female aged 45 at year end 89.8 89.5
Reconciliation of scheme assets and liabilities Assets Liabilities Total
£000s £000s £000s
At start of period 52,112 (48,358) 3,754
Benefits paid (3,135) 3,135 –
Administration expenses (279) – (279)
Current service cost – –
Contributions from the employer 935 – 935
Contributions from employees – – –
Interest income / (expense) 2,900 (2,667) 233
Return on assets (excluding amount included in net interest expense) 717 – 717
Actuarial gains/(losses) – 1,433 1,433
Gain/(loss) on plan introductions and changes – – –
Gain/(loss) on curtailments – – –
Assets distributed / liabilities extinguished on settlements – – –
Assets acquired / liabilities assumed in a business combination – – –
At end of period 53,250 (46,457) 6,793
The return on plan assets was: 2026 2025
£000s £000s
Interest income 2,900 2,685
Return on plan assets (excluding amount included in net interest expense) 717 (5,451)
Total return on plan assets 3,617 (2,766)
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RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
**83**
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The major categories of scheme assets are as follows:
2026 2025
£000s £000s
Equity 8,252 14,881
Structured equity 89 758
Fixed interest 29,884 25,106
Index linked gilts 13,787 10,443
Liability hedging (2,468) (3,344)
Currency hedging (25) (11)
Insured annuities 136 150
Property – 562
Cash 1,922 1,862
Alternatives 1,673 1,704
Total market value of assets 53,250 52,112
The Scheme has no investments in the Company or in property occupied by the Company.
Sensitivity of the liability value to changes in the principal assumptions
2026 2025
Discount rate – increase by 0.25% (1,169) (1,281)
Rate of inflation – increase by 0.25% 498 598
Assumed life expectancy at age 65 – increase by 1 year 2,102 2,367
Estimation of next period’s profit and loss
2026
£000s
Service cost – including current and past service costs, and settlements –
Service cost – administrative cost 279
Net interest on the net defined benefit liability –
Net (credit)/charge 279
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## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 23. Statement of funds – restricted and endowment funds**
||**Balance at 1 April**
**2025**|
**Income**|**Expendi-**
**ture**|**Transfers**|**Balance at 31**
**March 2026**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**£’000**|**£’000**|**£’000**|**£’000**|**£’000**|
|Restricted||||||
|Research|114|638|(688)|0|**64**|
|Core charitable activities|79|524|(380)|0|**223**|
|RNID Near You|435|325|(385)|0|**375**|
|Regional restrictions|97|0|(7)|0|**90**|
|MotabilityFoundation|86|0|0|0|**86**|
|National LotteryCommunityFund|0|111|(99)|0|**12**|
|Other restricted funds|36|112|(121)|0|**27**|
|||||||
|**Total restricted funds**|**847**|**1,710**|**(1,680)**|**0**|**877**|
|||||||
|**Purposes of restricted funds**||||||
|Research|Medical research funded by RNID for a wide range of treatments to prevent hearing loss,
improve hearingand silence tinnitus.|||||
|||||||
|Core charitable activities|Activity to improve the lives of more than 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have
hearingloss or have tinnitus,as well as their friends and families and the widerpublic.|||||
|||||||
|RNID Near You|UK–wide community service drop–in sessions that include hearing aid maintenance,
in–person hearing checks, information and signposting and the peer support which is
provided bymanyof our volunteers or staf.|||||
||
|||||
|Regional restrictions|Legacyincome restricted to specifc UK regions in support of RNID activities.|||||
|||||||
|Motability Foundation|To research the transport experiences, needs and priorities of people who are deaf or
experience hearing loss, including the impact that new technologies may have to increase
accessibilityofpublic transport.|||||
|||||||
|National LotteryCommunityFund|People and Places 3 National Lotteryfundingfor RNID Near You South and West Wales|||||
|||||||
|Other restricted funds|Fundsprovidingincome in support of RNID activities.|||||
RNID Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26
**85**
|**Statement of funds – restricted and endowment funds(priorperiod comparative)**|**Statement of funds – restricted and endowment funds(priorperiod comparative)**|**Statement of funds – restricted and endowment funds(priorperiod comparative)**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Balance at 1 April**
**2024**|
**Income**|**Expendi-**
**ture**|**Transfers**|**Balance at 31**
**March 2025**|
||**£’000**|**£’000**|**£’000**|**£’000**|**£’000**|
|Restricted||||||
|Research|533|561|(980)|0|**114**|
|Core charitable activities|73|151|(145)|0|**79**|
|RNID Near You|66|279|(310)|400|**435**|
|Transition services|0|0|0|0|**0**|
|Regional restrictions|83|52|(38)|0|**97**|
|MotabilityFoundation|0|86|0|0|**86**|
|Other restricted funds|435|1|0|(400)|**36**|
||1,190|1,130|(1,473)|0|**847**|
|||||||
|**Endowed**||||||
|The Wennington Charity|0|0|0|0|**0**|
||**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|
|||||||
|**Total restricted and endowed Funds**|**1,190**|**1,130**|**(1,473)**|**0**|**847**|
|||||||
|**Restricted fund transfers**
||||||
|£400k previously classifed as ‘other restricted funds’ was this year reclassifed as ‘RNID Near You’. This has been represented using a
transfer between restricted funds.||||||
rnid.org.uk
**86**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Note 24. Operating leases**
As of 31 March 2026, RNID had a total value of minimum future lease payments as set out below:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Payments due 2026 2025
£’000 £’000
Within one year 0 0
Between one and five years 0 0
0 0
**----- End of picture text -----**
At the reporting date the charity had no commitments under non-cancellable operation leases (2025: £nil)
## **Note 25. Related party transactions**
Gillian Budd, trustee, is also a trustee of The Orr Mackintosh Foundation t/a Sharegift. During the year, Sharegift donated £5,000 to RNID (2025: £10,000).
## **Note 26. Subsidiary undertakings**
||**2026**|2025|
|---|---|---|
||**£’000**|£’000|
|Turnover|**167**|63|
|Cost of sales
|**(45)**|(13)|
|Grossproft|**122**|50|
|Administrative expenses
|**(16)**|(7)|
|Operating proft|**106**|44|
||||
|Proft on ordinaryactivities before taxation|**106**|44|
||||
|Corporation tax|**0**|0|
|Distribution toparent undertaking|**(106)**|(44)|
||||
|Proft for fnancialyear after distribution|**–**|–|
|
The aggregate of the assets,liabilities and funds was:|||
||||
||**2026**|2025|
||**£’000**|£’000|
|Assets|**188**|63|
|Liabilities|**(188)**|(63)|
||||
|Funds|**0**|0|
**For a deaf person in a hearing world, every day is a challenge. We are RNID: the national charity supporting more than 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.**
**We campaign to change public attitudes and help people hear better now. We fund groundbreaking biomedical research that will stop hearing loss and silence tinnitus. And we provide practical support and information over the phone, online and in local communities.**
**If you or someone close to you is deaf, or has hearing loss or tinnitus and needs free confidential and impartial information and support, contact RNID. We are open 8:30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.**
**Chat to us on the RNID website:** www.rnid.org.uk
**Call:** 0808 808 0123
**Email:** contact@rnid.org.uk
**Book a BSL video call via our partners at Convo:** create an account at the Convo website or download the Convo app for Android or iOS
**SMS/text:** 07360 268988
**Relay UK:** 18001 then 0808 808 0123
**Write:** RNID, York House, Wetherby Road, Long Marston, York, YO26 7NH
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rnid @rnid @rnid_uk @rnid
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A registered charity in England and Wales (207720) and Scotland (SC038926). Registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No. 454169. Registered office: Brightfield Business Hub, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6XU