If you’ve suffered from hearing loss due to service in the armed forces, you may be eligible for compensation.
The Statistics
The following information is from the Royal British Legion’s Report Understanding the Impact of Hearing Impairment on Working Age UK Armed Forces Veterans. The research for this report was carried out by the University of Chester’s Westminster Centre for Research in Veterans. It is the first large-scale independent research study into hearing loss with working-age Armed Forces veterans.
- Veterans are 2.33 times more likely to experience hearing loss than civilians
- Veterans are 1.6 times more likely to experience tinnitus than civilians
- 55% of Veterans who reported hearing loss noticed it during Service
- Those who deploy are 1.98 times more likely to experience hearing loss than those who don’t
- According to Veterans for Veterans, it’s estimated that there are a minimum of 300,000 ex-service people who suffer from hearing loss in the UK
Veterans for Veterans
Veterans for Veterans is a dedicated team of seasoned veterans from every branch of the military. They’re committed to helping veterans secure the compensation they deserve for service-related injuries. They have selected a team of experienced legal experts who specialise in Armed Forces claims. For more information on Veterans for Veterans, or to check your eligibility, click here.
Hearing Loss Guidance According to the British Legion
“If you have served in HM Forces on or after 15th May 1987, or if you are still serving in HM Forces, you may be able to claim Hearing Loss.
If you believe your Hearing Loss, including the complications of tinnitus, earache, fatigue, stress and social isolation, were caused by service you may be entitled to compensation.
You may be able to apply even if you have previously been rejected for, or if you received a previous award under a War Pensions or AFCS claim.
An agreement exists whereby the MOD has determined it will not raise defences involving the limitation period in which to bring a claim, together with Crown and Combat Immunity. This is subject to a formula known as the Matrix, which looks at dates of service and the amount of compensation to decide an award.”
Claims under the Matrix Agreement for hearing loss caused by service must be lodge by 23:59 hours on 30th January 2026.
Military Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
People serving in the British armed forces often experience noise-induce hearing loss (NIHL) during their service. This may result from loud noise during training or operations, use of heavy machinery, live fire exercises, or working near aircraft.
Symptoms of NIHL typically include:
Tinnitus
Difficulty understanding speech
Muffled hearing
Sensitivity to certain sounds
To learn more about NIHL, you can visit our previous blog on the subject here.
