Relay UK 4+

I have enormous problems hearing on the phone, especially when calling e.g. government services. This app is an absolute boon. The assistants are fantastic and so patient. The most recent call had me on hold for over an hour, and the assistant was very reassuring that it wasn’t a problem. When we finally got through, the actual call only took two minutes.

Others have said it’s annoying that your words get displayed in the body of the message every time you tap the space bar. It’s certainly not what people are used to when using something like WhatsApp, but here, the person you are typing to is talking to someone else on your behalf and typing *their* response, which takes time. When they finish typing what the person had said, they always end with “GA” (does that mean “go ahead”?). Wait for that and it doesn’t matter if your words appear one by one.

Also, if calling a number where you know there will be a series of automated options, I always type a summary of what my call is about using a Notes app, then copy and paste it into the Relay app as soon as I’m connected so the assistant doesn’t have to type out all the options. Brilliant app - hugely appreciated

Many thanks for your review and detailed feedback, much appreciated!

I rarely review apps but this has genuinely changed my life. I’m hearing-impaired and struggle with selective mutism; I’ve been using Relay for maybe half a year now, and once I figured it out an entire world opened up to me. So many things were uphill battles before because so many places had no way to contact them without phoning, or needed me to phone to do a security check, and I couldn’t, and no one seemed to understand that. There are some issues innate to certain features (e.g. the sending one word at a time thing means it is constantly sending my typos and mistakes before I can correct them) but the good it does blows any small problem out of the water. Every assistant I’ve had has been friendly, patient, and helpful, even putting up with calls where I had to remain on hold for ages or where they had to type out a long terms of service speech to me. I hope it’s not overstepping or misusing the resource, but I’ve also recommended Relay to some friends with severe anxiety disorders who can’t make calls, as well as some with semi-verbal autism. I think this could genuinely change lives for many kinds of disorders outside of deafness and speech impairment.

Many thanks for taking the time to write this review. Your detailed feedback is very helpful and we're really pleased that Relay UK is helping you make the calls you want and need to.

There are so many places/authorities/companies which just don’t offer email or you think you can email or use live chat or whatever but then it turns out it’s the wrong email address or no one replies in time etc. and so for people who can’t or have extreme difficulties using the telephone, it’s just a nightmare to sort anything out!

I have gone without medication, not seen doctors, not got good customer service, been unable to return faulty products, suffered financial emotional or physical hardship due to not being able to use the telephone properly, so when I found this and got used to the technology and service, I was so happy!

I don’t have a hearing impediment. I sometimes have a speech impediment. I have autism and part of that is auditory processing disorder and some issues with social anxiety and communication problems. Relay U.K. are there for anyone who has some form of disability who needs to use the service. They will type out everything that is said at the other end end if you need that and read everything you write if you need that too or just one or the other: it’s tailored to what you need!

It is very easy to use this app. The people are very helpful and it’s all confidential so it’s quite safe to use for talking to a doctor or a lawyer or ringing about debts or whatever you need to. I couldn’t recommend it more highly if I were being paid to which I’m not of course. Enjoy the app

Many thanks for your review. We're delighted that Relay UK is helping you to make the phone calls you want and need to make!