Teachers and school support staff now eligible for a Blue Light card

[noblegiraffe]

In case any teachers don't follow Mr P and aren't aware, teachers and school support staff (including sixth form colleges) have been added to the list of people eligible for a Blue Light card. If you pay £4.99, you get two years of discounts at multiple places.

https://teachers.bluelightcard.co.uk

Because teachers love a bargain there's currently over an hour waiting time to sign up, but it was only announced yesterday so will hopefully calm down soon.

It feels nice to be recognised as essential community workers!

What does support staff mean.

I know quite a few people who work at schools in non teaching roles who were classed as essential workers, which meant they were going in during lockdown and dealing with things like cleaning to make it safe or cooking to make sure staff and children were fed or janitors etc

people without whom without schools would be unable to function. Would they be support staff?

Cleaners and school cooks you mean?

I don't think any of this has anything to do with who did what in lockdown.

I've just got one and I can't see me using it tbh. It's not great. What's all the fuss about!

You have to have worked there within the last three months so if it was during lockdown that would not count.

No I understand that but there has been a lot of mention of that on this thread.

the question I’m asking if i strip back the waffle is

what would count as support staff?

I know a lot of people who work in schools in a capacity that while they are not in a teaching role the school would not be able to function without them, would they count as support staff?

thanks for the replies so far though.

Can't help with the trust question, but as long as you are eligible when you apply, you can still keep it for the full two years. I left my job in care sector a year after I got mine but was still able to keep it. Coincidentally it expires the end of next month but I am actually going back to my old role before that so just in time to renew which has worked out well by accident!

Ah this is great. I work in a school that’s ax to ally part of a social care charity and the support staff have always been eligible but as a teacher my ID was declined as it said teacher. I do also have TOTUM discount card which can be handy. It’s the NUS card which has been opened up to a professional option showing your union membership or even teacher ID as proof. It’s another paid one but you pay for 3 years. I had the depend version recently when I was doing a masters degree and used my uni ID and had paid for more years than my course was just because I could. So when it expired I was glad to see the professional option.

I’ll head on over to the blue light one at some point and get they as well now. Every little helps.

My daughters a dentist and provides emergency care for the NHS. All her work is in a hospital and she doesn't just work 9 -5 Private dentists aren't eligible obviously.

Has anybody got a list of all the discounts?

@PurpleDragon19 Thankyou!

I'm sure she does vital and important work which is worthy of recognition.

The question there though was whether dentists and optometrists 'put their life on the line every time they go to work'. The suggestion was that was what the card was rewarding.

Can childrens social workers get the blue light card

I think so.

School staff are divided into Teaching and Support. If you're not one, you're the other.

Why shouldn't GP receptionists be included? Most worked throughout Covid and they were the ones facing the public by handing out prescriptions at the door. Most doctors were phoning and facetiming. It was impossible to get a face to face appointment. As for teachers putting their lives on the line every day? Really? They are teachers - not police officers. I can't see how their job is more risky than a shopkeeper who might be held at gunpoint.

I can't see how their job is more risky than a shopkeeper

While I agree that teachers do not put their lives on the line every time they go to work, if you think that teaching is no more risky than shopkeeper, I'm not sure you know what is going on in primary schools right now.

Being assaulted as a primary school teacher seems to be a routine expectation these days.

@NeverDropYourMooncup thankyou I appreciate your reply.

il let them know and it’s up to them what they do next.

I didn’t want to pass the information on to them if it wasn’t appropriate for them.

Also the discount for teachers scheme is free. I’ve saved a ton with the prepay cashback card 👍🏻 Anyone in education including HE and FE is eligible.

no, nothign to do with covid, always been available to nhs staff

Hello, so I applied as support and it says it got accepted based on my email address and I paid the fee of £4.99 and it says my card is in the processing.
How does it actually work, as I looked on my account and while it’s on, I can’t use any of the discounts yet.
Also if it said it was accepted, do I need to verify further, like sent payslips etc?
Or is that it, how often do I have to apply, yearly?

I have BLC (NHS Admin) I also have access to Vivup deals through local council which are actually much better. 4.5% off ASDA 7% off Air BnB, IKEA etc

Not as good as discounts for teachers- there's far more on there.

You get more than that if you get and insurance product through the Meerkat site, not sure for Toby but other carveries, and Tastecard does 2for1, 25% or 50% off - great for bargains! They also offer 2for1 cinema tickets, coffee discounts and Tastecard does discounted pizza deliveries :-)