Private vs NHS hearing aids
The NHS can absolutely help, and it is free. Going private gets you seen faster, gives you real choice across brands and styles, and access to technology the NHS does not offer. We are independent, so here is the honest comparison, not a sales pitch.
The short version.
Both routes work. They just work very differently.
Free, but a limited range, almost always behind-the-ear, fewer advanced features, and often a wait of several weeks to a few months before you are actually fitted.
- Free of charge, including aftercare
- GP referral, then a waiting list
- Standard behind-the-ear models
Seen within days, not months. Your choice of all four major brands, any style including invisible and rechargeable, and the latest AI technology, with interest-free finance coming soon.
- £1,495 to £3,995 a pair, five tiers
- Evenings, weekends and home visits
- 60 day money back guarantee
Side by side.
The detailed comparison, feature by feature.
Worth knowing: NICE guideline NG98 recommends offering two hearing aids where both ears would benefit. This applies on the NHS too, so if you are only offered one, it is worth asking why.
None of this AI-driven processing is typically available through NHS hearing aids.
NHS hearing aids use simpler, non-AI digital processing. Privately, every brand takes a different approach to the same problem: speech in noise.
Gives your brain access to the full soundscape rather than aggressively filtering it, adapting in real time to how you are using your hearing. About Oticon.
A dedicated AI chip that separates speech from background noise in real time. Their strongest performer in loud, difficult places. About Phonak.
Maps sound all around you and actively tracks down background noise to suppress it, while keeping speech clear. About ReSound.
Natural speech processing plus genuine health features, like activity tracking and fall detection. About Starkey.
Aftercare, a closer look.
What happens after the fitting matters as much as the fitting itself.
Follow-ups, batteries and repairs are included for the life of the device, genuinely good value. Appointments are often shorter, and how quickly you can get seen for an adjustment varies a lot with local demand.
A yearly hearing test and a full check of your hearing aids for as long as you own them, free adjustments for your first 60 days, plus WhatsApp support and evening and weekend appointments whenever you need us.
The NHS is a lifeline for many people, and if cost is the deciding factor, use it. But if you want to be seen quickly, choose from the latest technology across all major brands, and get a relaxed, personal fitting, going private is the better experience. No GP referral, no waiting list, and a 60 day money back guarantee, so there is no real downside to trying it.
In our clinic, or in your home.
Same audiologists, same equipment, same full assessment. You choose where.
The full assessment at our Birmingham clinic, completely free, no obligation.
- 60 minutes, results before you leave
- Evening and weekend appointments
- Bring someone, they are tested free too
The same full test, brought to your living room, tuned to real life: your TV, your phone, your front door.
- Same audiologists, in the comfort of your home
- Whoever is with you is tested free
- Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry and more