Manchester was built on factories. Engineering works, mills, print rooms, food production lines and metal shops employed generations of people across the city and its surrounding towns. Many of those workplaces were loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage, and many of the people who worked in them are only noticing the effects now. If that sounds familiar, this guide explains exactly how a hearing loss claim works, from the first phone call to the final outcome.
Why do so many Manchester factory workers develop hearing loss?
Prolonged exposure to loud machinery gradually destroys the tiny hair cells inside the inner ear, and once they are damaged they do not recover. The Health and Safety Executive estimates that around 15,000 workers in Great Britain have hearing problems caused or made worse by work each year, based on Labour Force Survey data averaged across 2022/23 to 2024/25 (HSE, noise-induced hearing loss statistics, updated January 2026). Factory environments are among the most common causes, because presses, lathes, grinders, compressors and extraction systems routinely push noise above safe levels.
Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must act to reduce risk once average daily noise reaches 80 decibels, and must provide and enforce hearing protection at 85 decibels. A useful rule of thumb: if you had to shout to be heard by a colleague standing two metres away, the noise around you was probably loud enough to cause harm.
How do I know if my hearing loss is linked to my old job?
Noise damage usually affects both ears and builds up slowly over years. Typical signs include struggling to follow conversations in busy rooms, needing the television louder than everyone else in the house, regularly asking people to repeat themselves, and tinnitus, which is a persistent ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears. A hearing test can help separate noise damage from natural age-related change, because noise tends to leave a distinctive dip in the results at certain frequencies. You do not need to prove any of this yourself before getting in touch; establishing the link is part of what a specialist solicitor does.
What are the steps in a hearing loss claim?
A claim is less daunting than most people expect, because almost all of the work is handled for you. With WE Solicitors the process looks like this:
- A free, no-obligation conversation. You describe where you worked, what the noise was like, and what you have noticed about your hearing. This costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
- Your work history is mapped out. You do not need perfect records. HM Revenue and Customs holds employment schedules that can confirm where you worked and when, and these can be obtained on your behalf.
- A hearing test and medical evidence. An independent audiologist assesses your hearing, and a medical expert reports on whether the pattern of loss points to noise exposure.
- The employer or their insurer is traced. Even if the factory closed decades ago, the insurer who covered the business at the time can usually be identified, and the claim proceeds against that insurer.
- The claim is valued and presented. Compensation is assessed using the Judicial College Guidelines together with any financial losses, such as the cost of hearing aids.
- Negotiation, and court only if needed. Most hearing loss claims settle without a court hearing. If proceedings are ever required, you are guided through every step.
How long do I have to make a claim?
Under Section 11 of the Limitation Act 1980, you generally have three years to start a claim. Crucially, the clock does not run from when you worked in the factory. It runs from your date of knowledge, which is the point at which you knew, or reasonably should have known, that your hearing problems were linked to your work. For many people that moment comes decades after they left the job, often at a routine hearing test. If you have recently made that connection, time may well still be on your side, but it is sensible to act promptly.
How much compensation could I receive?
Every case is different, and no solicitor can promise a figure. The Judicial College Guidelines set out the ranges the courts use in England and Wales:
| Condition | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Severe tinnitus with hearing loss | £29,000 to £45,000 |
| Moderate tinnitus with hearing loss | £14,000 to £29,000 |
| Mild tinnitus with some hearing loss | £12,000 to £14,000 |
| Slight or occasional tinnitus with slight loss | £7,000 to £12,000 |
| Slight hearing loss without tinnitus | Up to £7,000 |
A claim may also include the cost of digital hearing aids, which need replacing every few years, and any impact on your earnings. You can read more about how these claims work on our hearing loss claims page.
Frequently asked questions
The factory I worked in closed years ago. Is a claim still possible?
Often, yes. The claim is made against the insurance company that covered the employer at the time of your exposure, not against the people who ran the business. Tracing those insurers is routine work for WE Solicitors.
Will it cost me anything?
No. WE Solicitors handles hearing loss claims on a No Win, No Fee basis, and the initial consultation is free. If the claim does not succeed, you do not pay legal fees.
I do not have payslips or contracts from back then. Does that matter?
No. Official employment records held by HM Revenue and Customs can confirm your work history, and colleagues’ statements can help describe the noise you worked in.
How long does a claim take?
Most claims conclude within 12 to 24 months, depending on how quickly records and medical evidence come together and whether the insurer disputes the claim.
Speak to someone who deals with these claims every day
WE Solicitors has spent more than two decades representing factory and manufacturing workers across Manchester and the North West in hearing loss claims. If you would like an honest view on whether you have a claim, call 0800 294 3065 for a free consultation, or use our online contact form. There is no pressure and no obligation.
Sources: HSE, Noise-induced hearing loss in Great Britain statistics, updated January 2026 · Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 · Limitation Act 1980, Section 11 · Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases
