Teachers can bag huge discounts from high street retailers with a little-known discount card.
The Blue Light Card, which offers discounts to emergency workers, has since expanded to include other professions, including education.
The card costs £4.99 for two years of access to thousands of discounts from high street retailers, across shopping, holidays, cars, days out and insurance.
It also offers discounts at selected restaurants and takeaway outlets.
To join as a teacher you’ll need to provide a work ID card showing your name and eligible school affiliation, as well as a payslip dated within three months and a work email address as proof of ID.
Teachers at primary and secondary schools, sixth form/colleges and special schools and referral units are all eligible.
Discounts: Teachers can access discounts and deals as part of the Blue Light scheme
The process is similar for other professions and you will usually receive confirmation within three days.
The Blue Light Discount started life as a scheme for NHS staff, emergency service workers and social care workers, but now other professions are included.
This includes teachers, dentists, optometrists and civil servants in the Ministry of Defence.
Some people have expressed confusion and outrage on social media now that teachers can access Blue Light discounts.
One said: ‘Why should teachers get it, they are not a Blue Light emergency service!’ while another said: ‘It waters down the scheme for genuine blue light workers. Surely other discount schemes should be available?’
Another pointed out that retired teachers are not eligible but army veterans, retired ambulance, NHS, police and fire service workers are.
Blue Light has discounts at more than 15,000 retail partners at both national and local level and says last year, an average individual member saved up to £300 a year.
Discounts for Teachers – a different scheme
There are other discount schemes for teachers, including the Discounts for Teachers website which offers a free scheme offering deals to those working in the education sector, including teaching assistants and cleaners, which Blue Light doesn’t allow.
It says it has over 1,500 deals which span everything from travel to motoring and includes a year’s free Tastecard, which offers 2-for-1 meals or 25 per cent off the total bill.
Like Blue Light, Discounts for Teachers asks members to provide a work email, ID card, payslip from the last three months, or P60 certificate.
If you are currently a member and retire, you can still enjoy the discounts and deals but if you have already retired and are not yet a member, you will need to provide proof of eligibility.
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