Facts and Figures
How many deaf people are there in the UK?
When talking about the number of deaf people in the UK, it’s important to remember that many figures are estimates and different sources have different estimates. The most accepted estimate for the amount of deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK is 9 million which is 15% of the 60 million people living in the UK, or one in every seven people.
In the UK, people can register as deaf or hard of hearing with their local social services department. Registering does not effect your entitlement of benefits from the social services therefore published figures from the local authorities have been highly criticised due to their scope for inaccuracy. There is concerns that the register is not directly linked to the death register therefore people on the register may be deceased. So why have the register? People are asked to register so that decisions such as funding can be determined by the amount of deaf and hard of hearing.
How many BSL users are there in the UK?
In 1999, the British Deaf Association (BDA) estimated that there are 70,000 BSL users in the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released a concurring estimate in May 2004 of 70,000 BSL users in the UK. In 2008, the BDA released an updated estimate of 370,000 BSL users in the UK, of these 370,000 people, 120,000 are hearing and 250,000 deaf.
On 31st March 2004 the Department of Health released the following figures:
▪ 55,0000 people were registered deaf. Of these, 24% were aged 75 and over.
▪ 159,000 people were registered hard of hearing. Of these, 58% were aged 75 and over.
In a CACDP press release in December 2006, they estimated the following:
▪ 9 million deaf people in the UK
▪ 8.3 million are hard of hearing
▪ 250,000 people have a dual sensory loss
▪ 123,000 are profoundly deaf
▪ 50,000 deaf people are BSL users
▪ 24,000 are deafblind
How does BSL compare to other sign languages?
BSL, Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), the sign languages used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand respectively, are all based on a very similar use of grammar, manual alphabet and a high majority of signs. The 3 sign languages are collectively known as BANZSL (British, Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language). It has been suggested that BSL, Auslan and NZSL are dialects of BANZSL.
82% of signs are identical between BSL, Auslan and NZSL. 98% of signs are considered similar. The reason for this similarity is that all 3 sign languages originated from Britain in the 19th century.
Comparing BANZSL to ASL (American Sign Language), only 31% of signs are identical and 44% of signs are similar.
How many deaf people are there in the UK?
When talking about the number of deaf people in the UK, it’s important to remember that many figures are estimates and different sources have different estimates. The most accepted estimate for the amount of deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK is 9 million which is 15% of the 60 million people living in the UK, or one in every seven people.
In the UK, people can register as deaf or hard of hearing with their local social services department. Registering does not effect your entitlement of benefits from the social services therefore published figures from the local authorities have been highly criticised due to their scope for inaccuracy. There is concerns that the register is not directly linked to the death register therefore people on the register may be deceased. So why have the register? People are asked to register so that decisions such as funding can be determined by the amount of deaf and hard of hearing.
How many BSL users are there in the UK?
In 1999, the British Deaf Association (BDA) estimated that there are 70,000 BSL users in the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released a concurring estimate in May 2004 of 70,000 BSL users in the UK. In 2008, the BDA released an updated estimate of 370,000 BSL users in the UK, of these 370,000 people, 120,000 are hearing and 250,000 deaf.
On 31st March 2004 the Department of Health released the following figures:
▪ 55,0000 people were registered deaf. Of these, 24% were aged 75 and over.
▪ 159,000 people were registered hard of hearing. Of these, 58% were aged 75 and over.
In a CACDP press release in December 2006, they estimated the following:
▪ 9 million deaf people in the UK
▪ 8.3 million are hard of hearing
▪ 250,000 people have a dual sensory loss
▪ 123,000 are profoundly deaf
▪ 50,000 deaf people are BSL users
▪ 24,000 are deafblind
How does BSL compare to other sign languages?
BSL, Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), the sign languages used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand respectively, are all based on a very similar use of grammar, manual alphabet and a high majority of signs. The 3 sign languages are collectively known as BANZSL (British, Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language). It has been suggested that BSL, Auslan and NZSL are dialects of BANZSL.
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