Funded programs
Here are funded programs that may help you with your hearing difficulties. They may provide hearing tests, devices, education and support to people with all levels of hearing loss.
Hearing Services Program
The Australian Government’s Hearing Services Program provides subsidised high-quality hearing services and devices to eligible Australians.
Find out if you’re eligible for the Hearing Services Program.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
If you are an NDIS participant and are not eligible for Hearing Services Program services and support, your NDIS plan might provide for hearing support, if your planner assesses it as being reasonable and necessary.
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
If you are a veteran and aren’t eligible for the Hearing Services Program, you might have access DVA hearing support.
Aged care
If you have a Home Care Package and are not eligible for the Hearing Services Program, you may be able to receive support through your package.
Private health insurance
If you have private health insurance, your policy might offer rebates for hearing services and devices provided by a private audiologist or audiometrists.
Work injury assistance
If you’ve worked in a noisy environment which caused your hearing loss, you may be able to claim compensation through Workcover in your state or territory:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia.
Hearing services for children
Government-funded hearing services for your child available in your state or territory:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia.
Access to hearing aid banks
Most states and territories have hearing aid banks that provide reconditioned hearing devices. Hearing aid banks have their own eligibility criteria, but usually they provide hearing aids to people who:
- don’t qualify for the program
- can’t afford a hearing aid.
Hearing aid banks include:
- Hearing Care Industry Association Hearing Aid Bank – national
- Hearing Matters – New South Wales
- Princess Alexandra Hospital – Queensland
- Better Hearing Australia – Queensland
- Audiology Department at Royal Adelaide Hospital – South Australia
- Flinders Health 2Go – South Australia
- Sound Fair – Victoria
- Lions Hearing Aid Bank – Western Australia
- Pristine Hearing – Western Australia.
Getting hearing devices
Read more about getting hearing devices and ongoing support:
Organisations that offer support
Find organisations that can help you with your hearing difficulties:
- ACT Deafness Resource Centre offers information and advocacy for people with hearing loss in the ACT and surrounding regions of NSW.
- Tinnitus Australia provides information and support to people who feel ringing in their ears.
- Deafblind Australia helps people who are deafblind to advocate for themselves.
- Deaf Connect supports people with hearing loss to make choices and actions.
- Deafness Forum of Australia is the peak body that represents the views of Australians who live with hearing loss.
- Deaf Sports Australia helps people with hearing loss to participate in sports.
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations provides opportunities for people by education and employment pathways.
- Disability Employment Services helps people with disability find work and keep a job.
- First Voice advocates for member organisations that provide early intervention services for children.
- Hearing Matters Australia (Self Help for Hard of Hearing People) supports people with hearing loss and their families.
- Information about Disability Education Awareness Services shares timely information about hearing loss and disability, free from bias.
- John Pierce Centre (Vic) helps people with hearing loss and their families to live their lives to the full.
- National Relay Service helps people with hearing loss to make and receive phone calls.
- Next Sense provides customised services to help break down barriers for children, adults and families of people with hearing or vision loss.
- Sound Fair works to improve hearing equality and to make urban, work and personal environments more accessible.
- The Shepherd Centre provides specialised programs for children with hearing loss and their families.
- Telephone support (Telstra) provides products to support people who cannot easily use standard phones.
- Victorian Deaf Education Institute (Vic) works with early childhood, schools, and universities to improve educational outcomes.
Auslan and caption services
Find Auslan (Australian sign language), caption, and media services:
- Australian Sign Language Interpreter’s Association provides a list of interpreters, including Auslan interpreters. Book an interpreter if you wish.
- Caption It provides live, offline, subtitle, and language captioning services.
- The National Sign Language Program (NLSP) includes free interpretation for other professional and social settings. They also provide free sign language interpreting and captioning services for medical and health appointments for
- those over 65 years not with NDIS
- First Nations people 50 years or over.
- Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS National) provides phone and on-site interpreting service to people who do not speak English.
Other resources and services
For additional resources and support services, see:
- Get help with your hearing
- Communication tips for friends and family
- having a hearing assessment
- Tinnitus care decision aid – a tool to help you and hearing care professionals talk about tinnitus care options.
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