Hearing loss will soon rise rapidly, a new report from a leading think thank has warned. The International Longevity Centre UK says the rapidly ageing population will see an explosion of people with hearing the loss. The number could be as high as 20% of the total population by 2031, bringing with it a potential £25bn loss to the economy if something isn’t done.

The chief executive of the International Longevity Centre, Baroness Greengross, said: “Since the 1990s there has been a steady rise in the number of people with hearing loss and this is only set to get worse – if we look into the future, there will be more older people and unfortunately many of them will experience hearing loss.”

The huge rise in those affected will bring new challenges in treatment. A debate on different approaches may be needed to understand the best way to tackle the issue.