01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC009898
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- One or a few bases or facilities serving people who come from a broad area
- Volunteers
- 51-100 volunteers
- Staff
- 94
- Postcode
- EH1 3QY
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
Deaf Action exists to support the diversity of deaf people, including deaf users of British Sign Language (BSL), and those who are deafened, deafblind or hard of hearing. Established in 1835 and are proud to be a deaf-led organisation. Our work is geared towards empowering all deaf people to achieve their potential and fully participate in society, with equality of rights, access and opportunity. To support our aim we run a number of services and events which include communication support provided by a team of inhouse BSL/English interpreters and freelancers. BSL Video production run by inhouse team to produce content in British Sign Language. digital inclusion services. youth service supporting and empowering deaf young people. provision of deaf friendly specialist equipment. provision of accredited BSL tuition, deaf awareness and lipreading courses. befriending service as well as care and support services and residential care services at Easthill Home for Deaf People.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of health
- the relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Beneficiaries
- People with disabilities or health problems
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
This Article shall be interpreted as if it incorporated an over-riding qualification limiting the powers of the Charity such that any activity which would otherwise be permitted by the terms of the article may be carried on only if that activity furthers a purpose which is regarded as charitable. Subject to that overriding qualification the Charity's principal object is to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of deaf people and those with other sensory and support needs by providing education, encouraging social interaction and participation, and providing, in the interest of social welfare, facilities for recreation and other leisure time occupation so that the conditions of life for such people may be improved.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £3,645,596 | £3,916,793 | 94 | 16 December 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | £3,616,655 | £3,986,962 | 94 | 27 December 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | £3,532,608 | £3,768,227 | 94 | 18 October 2023 |
| 31 March 2022 | £3,363,602 | £2,812,223 | 94 | 27 March 2023 |
| 31 March 2021 | £1,860,976 | £1,940,353 | 94 | 28 November 2021 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- 49 Albany Street, Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.deafaction.org
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.