National Deaf Children's Society Reviews 

Two representatives cold-called at my door and despite me telling the representatives that I was unwell and not interested twice, I received a snarky response and sarcastic smirk from one reps saying “we aren’t selling, we are fundraising for disabled children”. Really not a good look for seemingly genuine charity, do better.

Came to my door, started with saying they are trying to raise awareness about the charity, then started asking really personal questions about my life and peering over my shoulder trying to look around my house. He asked me do I live alone and how I must be lonely. Also ‘living in a house like this you must have some money’. Fake compliments given and I felt really uncomfortable. At one point he said,’I don’t bite, you can come closer to me’. Asked for my name to put on a petition for more funding, agreed to that, but then all of a sudden asked for my bank details.
I had to be quite firm for him to leave and I felt uncomfortable . For more vulnerable people this could be quite frightening. I appreciate the charity work but it needs to be done in a different way

I have made monthly donations to this charity for many years. I chose the charity because I had a boss who was virtually deaf and I know what a challenge life could be for him sometimes. Recently I was telephoned by a representative who asked if it was a convenient time. I told him no as I was at work but he completely ignored me, said it would only take a minute, and then spoke at me for 7 minutes. He read from a script in the most lacklustre way which did not invite any engagement. He asked me how I would like to be contacted in future and I was very clear that it should not be by telephone. Since then, I have received 5 calls in the space of a week. The one thing I was interested in (details of how to make a will with no charge and no obligation to leave any money to NDCS) was not forthcoming despite being promised an email. I am seriously considering stopping my direct debit as I do not want my money funding such a campaign of harassment.

Cold callers on 19/08/26 completely our of order asked my wife and two of our neighbours that I know of if they could come into our homes and asked some personal questions in today's age of social media their should be no need for cold callers, and especially when the National Deaf Children's Society has 18 Million in account and their is no transparency as to the percentage of the donations that are used as admin.

Not good, pestering shoppers in Reading town centre. Really annoying

After 3 episodes of Groups of young men walking up our private Road knocking on doors , I checked our camera and saw they were from this charity, a quick Google and its clear they pester many people. However I did a bit more digging and looking at their accounts at Company house, it does not look like much of the fundraising ends up helping deaf children more than 33% goes to paying the staff and C-suite 3 of whom are on £100k +, in fact in their accounts its not clear exactly how much does go to the cause, but try to find an e-mail address to ask the question and you are taken round the menu blocking tactics, i will give my money more effectively thanks!

I see a lot of reviews regarding the fundraisers as opposed to the actual services provided by this charity. I haven't used the services of this charity but I as an adult have been diagnosed with hearing loss and use hearing aids, I also know children who have had the guidance of this charity and speak highly of it. As for the fundraisers, I ran into 2 pairs today when they'd swapped over at lunch time, I told them all the same, that I already do donate and pointed at my hearing aids. I got smiles and polite replies all round, the first high fived me and on my run in with the new pair this man actually asked if I signed and we exchanged pleasantries in BSL as I'm learning. This was an absolutely fantastic interaction and I was thrilled to see fundraisers who actually get involved and know more than just the company motto. Keep it up and please spread more BSL and awareness, absolutely made my day

I have just got off live chat with an advisor and they couldnt have been more helpful.
Lots of advice and support and provided so can not fault the service at all.

Two people cold calling a pensioner.. "How are you coping with the hot weather?" Told them I wasn't giving money to them and shut door.

It is not fundraising. I feel like it is like a scam. They are very pushy and didn’t even ask whether I’m interested in or not. How can we report them?

Inappropriate cold calling at 8pm in the pitch black. Had a knock at the door and proceeded to peer through windows and snoop around the cars. HIGHLY uncomfortable. It’s solidified never supporting this charity. I’m outraged and everyone else on my street is.

This charity deploys chuggers to Bedford streets. In 2019 I reported them to the Fundraising regulator and they were found in serious breech of guidelines and they disappeared. Now they're back up to their old manipulative tricks.

This company need stopping from door to door canvassing. Every 6 months or so my estate are bombarded with canvassers, if they don’t get a reply they continue to come back until they do get a reply. At 8:50 on a cold dark evening this is totally unacceptable. I’d love to know how many folk are daft enough to contribute at their own door or even give their bank details for regular donations. If I want to donate to charity I’ll do it and not be harassed at my own front door! No other charity tries to collect funds in this way.

Unfortunately I had some people from the charity repeatedly ring my doorbell and then walk away soon after. Every time I went to the door they had disappeared. I'm not taking any longer than I would for a delivery man or postman, but for some reason they're just not there. I checked the CCTV and they had backpacks, a clipboard/file, and were wearing a dark top with the charity's logo.

Absolutely Disgusting how these people treat other people.
My wife was stopped at Asda Peterborough with the typical speal of we just want to chat and will only take a few seconds, obviously this moved into asking for a donation and even after she mentioned to them that she is not currently working and we do not have the means for these donations at the moment, they kept pushing. When she agreed to give her details so they can contact her in order for her to think about it they then start pushing for bank details and by the time she realised they had set up a monthly direct debit.
If people tell you NO and that they are not working and just getting by STOP insisting... And more importantly, stop taking advantage of people who struggle to say no to get your commissions. I find it incredibly ridiculous that this is allowed in the name of "Charity"... Instead of paying shady agencies to use forceful tactics to get peoples money, use that money for the children!!!!

I was abused by one of your street fundraisers on Thursday 12th February in Pontefract outside Home Bargains. He had an afro. He used aggressive and persistent tactics. He would not leave me alone despite me ignoring him whilst walking past. He further aggravated me when I was clearly distressed. I want to make it very clear, I was ignoring him and walking past, he would not leave me alone and kept going and going. Not just one attempt, not two, he persisted and kept on at me. I was not allowed to ignore him.

This has not been the first time I have been abused by your nasty fundraising staff in Pontefract. I have been laughed at by them whilst they heckled me going into the hairdressers. This is becoming a constant part of life in my town and that is not fair. Your staff are aggressive, bullying, and passive aggressive throughout. They are ALL deeply unpleasant, bizarre and overly pushy. I never want to donate to your charity in my life after seeing how they behave.

I should be able to walk around my own town without being treated like this. If someone ignores your fundraisers, they should leave us alone. And not repeatedly say things and follow us. It's gross and evil behaviour that makes your charity look like a scam, frankly.

I am begging you to leave Pontefract and actually train your staff properly. The tactics are unacceptable and abusive to vulnerable people in my town.

I agree with other reviewers that the fundraising strategies of this organisation need serious attention. Cold caller hammered on my door at 8pm while repeatedly ringing doorbell. Woke my young child and was very rude to my husband. This same chugger had hammered on the door earlier in the day but didn’t wait for me to answer. Saw him on my doorbell camera with National Deaf Childrens Society branding clearly visible.

I was aggressively targeted outside a London Underground station yesterday by a fundraiser for this charity.
He was extremely persistent and despite me saying I needed to be somewhere was very insistent that I sign up.
I was made to feel very vulnerable and uncomfortable and ended up signing up up to get away from him.
I felt it was disgraceful behaviour from a fundraiser, and now I have to find a way to cancel this continuous subscription.
And when I looked at my bank account this evening the payment seems to have gone to a completely different charity.
I do intend to take this further and I would say avoid these fundraisers at all costs, such a shame because I’m sure the charity is genuine, but their pressurising tactics are just unacceptable, especially on a dark night on the street in central London.

I signed up to make regular donations but have since changed my mind. NDCS have been helpful and said they have cancelled the recurring payments from my card, but I am not happy that money has been taken from my account using a continuous payment authority arrangement which meant that I could not simply cancel a direct debit as there isn't one in place. This should be made clear when they are fundraising so that anyone donating to them is aware. I had to contact NDCS directly to cancel the set up, and because they said that this needed to be done 5 working days before the next payment was due so as to give my bank sufficient notice to stop the agreement (which seems excessive to say the least in this technologically advanced day and age), another payment has been deducted from my account. So I am afraid that I would not recommend NDCS unless one off donations can be made, which do not need a recurring payment process to be set up.

I am hearing, my wife is not, our young son is ND, I am ND, my wife is ND - processing information is not easy between us.

fundraisres at door, friendly but false compliments and seriously dubious attempts to make personal connections, I dont need the spiel. As disabled family, we strugle already, not exactly well off.. honestly, I dont remember being asked do you want to donate, and I just kind of went ahead with it. you dont even use Direct debits, 'continuous payment authority' - some new to pay, payments are so much harder to cancel and you feel like you have no time to read what it is, or even to find out about the charity in your own time. very hard to cancel!
I would have gladly gave a one off donation given this is close to our hearts - but not like this, not on our doorstep at 4pm! I thought she said £2.50 per month - then you have some confirmation call, and I have to embaresingly just say yes yes yes knowing full well you didnt want this but you feel for the cause.

I try to cancel marketing emails, it sends me a 404 error, this is breach of GDPR by the way, you could be fined for not maintaining marketing.

Then after all that, I send an email, I get an automated email back, advising me about cancling the Direct Debit ... you cant, its not a Direct Debit!

I must get a sign. and you must get new IT infrastructure and more ethical fundraisers. this 1 star thing is getting to be a trend.

No I dont want to follow up, I just want you to know.