World Hearing Day 2026

That this House notes that 3 March is World Hearing Day; further notes that approximately 12 million people in the UK live with hearing loss, making it one of the most prevalent long-term conditions in the country; recognises that, left untreated, hearing loss significantly increases the risk of social isolation, depression, and cognitive decline, including an elevated risk of dementia; acknowledges the stigma that continues to discourage many people from seeking timely diagnosis and treatment; expresses deep concern that access to NHS audiology services remains a postcode lottery, with waiting times and service quality varying dramatically across the country; also notes that this inequality falls hardest on older people, those on lower incomes, and people in rural communities; notes that the growing prevalence of hearing loss places an increasing burden on GP services and NHS waiting lists where earlier community-based intervention could prevent many referrals; and calls on the Government to commit to universally accessible adult hearing assessment and hearing aid services delivered in community settings, to set and enforce national standards for audiology waiting times, and to launch a public awareness campaign to reduce stigma and encourage earlier help-seeking, so that no person in the UK is left to manage hearing loss without timely, high-quality support.