What Does a Sunflower Lanyard Mean? Hidden Disability Lanyards, Badges and How to Help
A sunflower lanyard means the person wearing it has a disability, condition or illness that may not be visible, and may need a helping hand, more understanding or more time. Wearing one is voluntary. Nobody has to prove anything or say what their condition is. If you see one, simply ask how you can help.
Checked 14 November 2026 against the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, TfL, JAM Card and RNID websites.
What the sunflower means
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower describes itself as a simple, voluntary way to share that you have a non-visible disability or condition. The green lanyard with yellow sunflowers is the best-known version; the official store sells the symbol on other products too. Its own guidance is clear on the points people most often ask about:
- No proof is needed. You do not have to provide proof or explain why you are wearing it.
- No need to say what it is. You don't have to share what your disability is to get or wear one.
- Anyone who could benefit can wear it, including people whose disability is visible.
- You choose when to wear it. Some people wear it only for travel, shopping or appointments.
The scheme started as a trial at London Gatwick Airport in May 2016, developed with the Alzheimer's Society, the National Autistic Society and Action on Hearing Loss (now RNID). Between 2016 and 2018 it spread to all the major UK airports, and it has since spread to retailers and transport operators across the UK and beyond. It is run by Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme Limited, a UK company.
How to get a sunflower lanyard
- Free, from a Sunflower Member. Organisations that join the scheme give lanyards to customers and colleagues free of charge. The major UK airports, where the scheme began, are the best-known place to ask, and some transport operators do the same: Heathrow Express, for example, gives them to passengers who ask.
- Bought from the official store, for delivery to your home, or from registered stores and authorised member charities.
- Avoid unofficial sellers. The scheme warns that resold products may be overpriced or counterfeit, and its products are not for resale by anyone.
What to do when you see one
The idea of the sunflower is that it prompts one question: how can I help you? For staff and for anyone else:
- Ask, don't assume. Offer help and let the person tell you what would make a difference.
- Give time. At a till, a check-in desk or a ticket barrier, slow down and don't hurry them.
- Don't ask about the condition. The sunflower is a request for patience, not an invitation to explain.
- If the person is deaf or has hearing loss, RNID's advice is to face them, speak clearly without shouting or slowing right down, rephrase rather than repeat, and move away from background noise if you can.
The sunflower does not guarantee priority, a fast-track lane or any particular service. What help is on offer is up to each organisation.
Other badges and cards you might see
| Scheme | What it is | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden Disabilities Sunflower | A lanyard or other Sunflower product, free from members or bought from the official store | Help, understanding or more time |
| JAM Card (Just A Minute) | A free card or app from NOW Group, a charity with offices in Belfast and Dublin, for people with communication barriers | A minute of patience; staff at JAM Card Friendly businesses are trained to recognise it |
| TfL "Please offer me a seat" | A free badge and card, particularly for disabled people and those with invisible impairments, conditions or illnesses | A seat on London transport; you don't need to explain why, but it doesn't guarantee one |
| Worded awareness badge | A badge that says what you need in plain words, such as I'm Deaf Please Face Me | Whatever the wording says |
Sunflower or a worded badge?
They do different jobs, and some people wear both.
- The sunflower says nothing about your condition, which many people prefer. It works best where staff have been trained to recognise it, such as airports, stations and member shops. Someone who has never heard of it may not know what it means.
- A worded badge tells anyone what helps, straight away: Please face me, I lip read, Please be patient. The trade-off is that it tells people something about you, so choose wording you are comfortable sharing. It suits work, college, appointments and anywhere you meet people who don't know the sunflower.
Wording that works well on a small badge is short and says what to do, not only what you have: Please face me helps more than Hard of hearing on its own, for example. Two short lines are easier to read across a counter than one long one.
Our awareness badges
We make oak awareness badges: a slim 65×15mm pin badge in FSC-certified 4mm oak veneered MDF, engraved in bold capitals, made to order in our workshop in North Wales. There are seven ready-made badges (I'm Deaf Please Face Me, Hard of Hearing, I Lip Read, I'm Autistic, Neurodivergent, I Have a Stutter and Please Be Patient), or choose your own wording on one or two lines of about 14 characters each. They are not waterproof, so keep them dry.
We are not part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme and do not make or sell Sunflower products: for a sunflower lanyard, use a Sunflower Member or the official store. Schools, colleges, charities and workplaces ordering for groups get bulk discounts automatically per product: 10% off 20 of the same badge, rising to 35% off 1,000.
All items are made to order. Dispatch time is shown at checkout. UK orders via Royal Mail Tracked 24. International via Royal Mail International Tracked.
For businesses: making the sunflower mean something
Recognising the sunflower only helps if staff know what to do. Organisations can join the scheme as Sunflower Members, which gives access to training and webinars and includes a pledge to support people with non-visible disabilities. The JAM Card has its own e-learning for businesses that want to become JAM Card Friendly. Alongside training, the physical setting matters:
- A working, signed hearing loop at counters: see our hearing loop signs guide and oak hearing loop signs.
- A quiet space, clearly signed: our quiet room sign.
- Clear accessibility signage throughout: which accessibility signs a business needs, and our free accessibility signage pack.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need proof to wear a sunflower lanyard?
No. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower says you do not need to provide proof or explain why you are wearing it, and you do not need to say what your disability is.
Can anyone wear a sunflower lanyard?
The scheme says the Sunflower is available to anyone who feels they may benefit from additional support. Wearing it is a personal, voluntary choice, and you decide when to wear it.
Where can I get a sunflower lanyard for free?
From Sunflower Members: organisations that have joined the scheme give them to customers and colleagues free of charge. The major UK airports are the best-known place to ask, and some transport operators give them out too. You can also buy one from the official Hidden Disabilities Sunflower store.
Does a sunflower lanyard get you priority or fast-track?
Not automatically. The Sunflower signals that you may need extra help, understanding or time. What help is offered, such as a quieter queue or assistance at an airport, depends on the organisation.
What should staff do when they see a sunflower lanyard?
Ask how you can help, and give the person time. Don't ask what their condition is. If they are deaf or have hearing loss, RNID's advice is to face them, speak clearly without shouting and rephrase rather than repeat.
Is a sunflower lanyard the same as a JAM Card?
No. Both are free and voluntary. The Sunflower is usually a lanyard you wear; the JAM Card, from the charity NOW Group, is a card or app you show when you need just a minute of patience.
Also see
- RADAR keys: what they are, how to get one and what businesses should know
- Should staff name badges show full names?
- Accessibility signs
- Wooden name badges
Sources
- Hidden Disabilities Sunflower (UK): what the Sunflower is, free lanyards from members, the official store, membership and the pledge.
- Discover the facts about the Sunflower, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: proof, disclosure, who can wear it, resale.
- Our history, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: Gatwick launch in May 2016 and the roll-out to UK airports.
- Now globally recognised: Sunflower Lanyard Scheme, OCS (Gatwick's assistance partner), 18 February 2026.
- Sunflower lanyards, Heathrow Express.
- JAM Card, NOW Group.
- Please offer me a seat, Transport for London.
- Communication tips, RNID.
