Do you think this fair, blue light discount?

[MrsWaltonGoggins]

I tried to use my blue light card in a restaurant today, and they say they only accept it now if you have an nhs or military id. They said this is because they have teachers using the blue light and they believe it should be for healthcare workers only. I said that I am a nurse, I just don’t work for the nhs and don’t really think that’s fair.

Has anyone else come across this? Surely if you offer blue light discount it should be for anyone with a blue light card.

And definitely report them

If they offer a discount to military/NHS or they offer blue light card discount.

It goes both ways... DH is Army, never bothered with Blue Light as Military ID is usually enough. Sometimes he can't get the discount.

Other places, they hide their Military ID as they will refuse service if they see it.

I agree.

Its just silly to sign up to a specific scheme (and presumably use whatever advertising they can - I don’t know but I assume the company is listed as offering this discount, therefore incentivising people who can access it to go there) but then add your own additional restrictions

The blue light card has widened their criteria.

However, it was pretty random, as anyone in a gp surgery or hospital could get it, from the cleaner to the doctors, so it’s not just the clinical staff.

If you're going down that route nobody "needs" discounted food at a restaurant at all, eating out is a luxury not a necessity.

You could equally say why do students "need" discounts? I had more disposable income then than I do now. Why do over 65s "need" free bus passes, my grandfather drives a nicer car than me, and has significantly more savings and fewer outgoings.

its not about needs, its only a 10% discount (or less) most places so its hardly the difference between starvation.

Most businesses aren't offering the discount out of the goodness of their hearts, its to entice people to choose them rather than their competitors.

I think it's become inequitable in terms of who can get a blue light card. There are many people on very low wages, who haven't had pay increases, who also do crucial jobs who aren't eligible. Yet for example an IT worker on £50k in a housing association is eligible. I don't blame the organisation for taking a stand.

Our business had to close for almost two years through Covid. We survived. Just.
We don’t get any discounts.

My MIL works one morning a week at a dr’s reception. She gets it.

It’s not a fair scheme.
You just have to get on with it, I’m afraid. It’s not an entitlement, it’s a nicety afforded to some.

It's not up to them to take a stand. If they offer the discount they offer the discount they can't pick and choose who gets it.

You could argue the cleaner needs the discount more.

Cleaning is actually essential to the NHS for the reduction of infection etc.

They can take a stand by stopping being part of the blue light scheme and no longer advertising that they are. They are free to advertise that they do offer discounts to people they want, based on work IDs.

It's generally become a discount card for people who work in public services.

I had to supply my work ID badge and my Social Work registration number to get mine.

If businesses don't like that it's been widened out of 'just' the blue light services they don't have to offer it.

It must be difficult for businesses, particularly small ones, to offer discounts if the number of people in the scheme has risen. Yet if they drop out of the scheme a lot if customers will go elsewhere. Many are struggling to keep going. But yes, ultimately I think more will drop out.

It isn't all public services.

That is true, but MOD civil servants, social workers, and teachers are hardly "blue light" services.

YANBU the whole point of BLC is so that the work ID isn’t shown

I don’t disagree that it must be difficult if more and more people are using a discount. But they just shouldn’t say they offer it if they have additional rules.

I work in social housing and have the card - my job isn’t any more important than other roles but the discount is nice! I would email Blue Light about this; it isn’t really down to the company to pick and choose. Besides NHS aren’t all nurses and doctors - there are plenty of admin staff that would have NHS ID and I’d say teachers are arguably more caring than them (I know there is good and bad in all professions!)

Because the amount of money it saves me over the year probably helps me break even on what I spend on resources for my class over the year (glue sticks, play doh, presents and sweets for the Xmas party…)
HTH 🙄

Does that mean that you're a private health care nurse?

I think it should apply to all NHS staff tbh, cleaners or consultants as long as they're nhs x

Edit, as well as public workers like public school teachers etc

Obviously clinical NHS staff were at the forefront during the first months of COVID, but teachers were in school working with the children of key workers, so perhaps that’s why they were added to the list.

I agree that if you offer a discount, with criteria, you can’t then pick and choose which bits of the criteria you want to apply.

Is it the actual official scheme or one that the restaurant runs of its own back, without knowing that we can't know if they are being unreasonable

I’m a front line NHS Medic and don’t bother, I’ve got a job that’s pays ok so I’d rather others get it

If they want to only offer a discount to NHS staff and the armed forces, then that's what they need to advertise for themselves. They can't benefit from the Blue Light publicity and then not fulfil their obligations to it.

So yes, I'd let Blue Light know about it.

What essential not-for-profit service is your business offering that makes you think you should be eligible for a discount?

I have to agree, I’m ex police and pretty well off so feel embarrassed using my BLC discount these days. It was OK in lockdown when I was frontline and appreciated the recognition for it but I think that goodwill has gone now, and understand why. I’d rather it was restricted to frontline , lower paid staff but not practicable to enforce sadly.