EMERGENCY workers can get access to thousands of discounts through a scheme.
The Blue Light Card is available to NHS, police, fire and other public sector workers.
It can be used across thousands of restaurants, shops and venues.
All in all there’s 15,000 discounts to choose from – but how exactly does the card work?
What is the Blue Light Card?
The Blue Light Card offers exclusive discounts to a range of emergency workers.
In 2021, Blue Light Card said it helped its members save over £100million over the course of the year.
You can grab discounts on clothes, holidays, insurance and cars.
You can buy a physical copy of the card for £4.99 or a digital card is free. Once you’ve got one it lasts two years.
You can use the digital card by downloading the Blue Light Card app via Google Play or the App store.
It has a useful interactive map feature to help you find local discounts closest to your chosen location too.
You can also keep tabs on how much you’ve saved with the card which is useful if you’re looking to budget ahead of Christmas.
The money saving card was launched in 2008 to now feature a number of partners, including Apple, Alton Towers and Asda.
Who is eligible to get the Blue Light Card?
Only those in certain emergency service or key worker roles can apply for a Blue Light Card.
A full list of those who are eligible include anyone in the following roles:
- Ambulance service
- Blood bikes
- Fire service
- Highways traffic officers
- HM armed forces
- HM armed forces veteran
- HM coastguard
- HM prison and probation service
- Home Office (Borders and Immigration)
- Independent lifeboats
- MoD civil servant
- MoD fire service
- MoD police
- NHS
- NHS Dental Practice
- Pharmacy
- Police
- Red cross
- Reserved army forces
- RNLI
- Search and rescue
- Social care
- St Andrews ambulance
- St John ambulance
To be eligible for a card you have to prove your profession by uploading a form of valid ID or recent payslip.
To sign up, just head to the Blue Light Card website where you’ll have to fill out a form.
Bear in mind, you’ll be asked a couple of questions, for example, about your job title and where you work.
Where can you use the Blue Light Card?
The retailers that participate in the Blue Light Card scheme can change regularly, meaning there isn’t a comprehensive list of stores you can use it at.
So it’s worth checking whether the discount is valid on the store website if you’re shopping online, or asking a member of staff when at the till in store – the worst they can say is no.
Some of the current participating brands include:
- Haven
- Hotpoint
- JD Sports
- My Protein
- New Look
- Odeon
- Ray Ban
- River Island
- Samsung
- Starbucks
- Superdry
- Cineworld
- Domino’s
Always make sure to shop around for better offers before making a purchase to be sure you’re getting the best deal possible.
Asda shoppers have until just December 31 if they want to get a 10% discount in-store by showing their Blue Light Card.
In other news, Asda is to create 10,000 job as the supermarket rolls out hundreds more convenience stores.
Plus, shoppers have been rushing to buy a Christmas tree from Wilko that’s almost half price.
