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Original poster

Tesco saying they can't find me on the shielding list

42 replies

Madhairday · 07/04/2020 23:52

Is anyone else on the shielding list having problems getting priority slots from Tesco? When I got the letter I registered on the government site as asked but got no email from Tesco. I tweeted them and they got back to me saying my details were not on the list. I said that I had registered as asked and if they liked I could screenshot the letter. They replied by asking if I could get to the shop Hmm

Is it something to do with the criteria on the gov site - I think I did not tick 'needs deliveries from government' or something like that because I do not want to take that box of food for the most vulnerable away from others when I can afford to pay for food and deliveries.

My family is trying to isolate around me as far as possible and DD is also vulnerable though not shielded, so do not want to go to the supermarket for fear of bringing the virus home.

Don't know what to do as Tesco are just saying I am not on the list given them. Any ideas? Thanks.

OP posts:
WildOrchids67 · 07/04/2020 23:56

If you have any kind of support network, you won't be on the list and therefore won't qualify for the priority slots. They're reserved for people who literally have no other way of getting food, ie no friends, family or community to help them with that.

Gilead · 08/04/2020 00:24

I’m in that situation but cannot get priority booking. Have had my second government letter today. I’m starting to panic!

Original poster
Madhairday · 08/04/2020 08:42

Sorry you're in that situation too, Gilead. I've had two letters as well. It is panic inducing getting them! Very stark.

Thanks WildOrchid. I think I'm confused because others I know in my position - shielded but with family support - are still getting the priority slots, and Tesco said everyone on the government list should have one yet are telling me I'm not. It's important that dh stays away from the supermarket if at all possible as my condition is severe and Covid would not be good. I will see if I can re register - the thing with that site is they don't send you a confirmation email to say you have registered so it's a bit of an unknown.

OP posts:
Everytimeref · 08/04/2020 08:45

Struggling with Sainsbury's. They phoned to say that my parents were considered vulnerable. Now it's coming up they aren't vulnerable on their system. It's extremely stressful. Also their vulnerable box was delivered to wrong address.

Splitsunrise · 08/04/2020 08:50

It’s to do with which box you ticked. I presume you ticked the box saying you didn’t struggle to get essential goods (eg food) at the moment?

Hazelnutlatteplease · 08/04/2020 08:57

Im having the same problem with Sainsbury's. Email telling me vulnerable then when i register it tells me address is ineligible.

Anyone know the special vulnerable people tell number as the email now wont open

BlueBrian · 08/04/2020 08:58

I had the first letter, and registered on the GOV web site where I checked I did need support getting supplies, since then I've had a Gov food parcel, and an Email from Tesco offering me priority slots, it looks like if you don't request help getting supplies you won't get on the supermarkets list.

OrganTransplant123 · 08/04/2020 09:02

Fill in it again and tick that you need help with food. It says somewhere that if your circumstances change then you should fill it in again.

Splitsunrise · 08/04/2020 09:04

@BlueBrian were you already a customer of Tesco?

BlueBrian · 08/04/2020 09:06

Yes, I've deliveries from them before.

BlueBrian · 08/04/2020 09:07

had*

grandmasterstitch · 08/04/2020 09:11

There's something like 1.5 million people on the shield list but Tesco have only identified 120k or something as needing priority slots. This is because the vast majority of people have someone who can get them food and the slots are rightly being given to people who would otherwise have no way of getting food. I'm on the list but not heard from Tesco however I'm managing to get slots most weeks anyway

Original poster
Madhairday · 08/04/2020 09:15

Thank you. That makes sense - I don't want to take slots off those who have no support whatsoever, I just thought they were offering slots to all the shielding list as others I know have them who have support. Must have been to do with the tick boxes then.

OP posts:
BlueBrian · 08/04/2020 09:19

Make sure you use the same details on both Tesco's site, and the Gov Web site, for example exactly the same name, address, tel number and Email, if they don't match, Tescos may never find you in their customer list.

Gilead · 08/04/2020 12:12

I ticked the appropriate boxes but have still had nothing. Frustrating and am getting a bit worried.

Original poster
Madhairday · 08/04/2020 14:58

That is really frustrating Gilead. Seems there are lots of gaps.

OP posts:
TheRuralJuror · 08/04/2020 15:01

however I'm managing to get slots most weeks anyway
I can't get a slot at all, have checked loads of times daily and at night...nothing!
I can't even contact them - phone line goes dead, habe tweeted, emailed and messaged on Messenger. Not sure what else I can do!

FozzieMK · 08/04/2020 17:26

I can't get any slots with Tesco for my 87 year old dad who lives on his own, has acute COPD and dementia. I have registered him 3 times now on the government list but he is not on there when I try to get online shopping slots for him. I have tried to register him with Sainsbury's too but that won't work as he is not on the list. I'm not sure how much more vulnerable someone has to be to get on the list! Today I rang his GP who tell me they are still compiling their own lists of the vulnerable patients. Not sure if their slowness is the reason he can't get onto this wretched list? He has been having deliveries with Tesco every week for months and the drivers even carry his food into his house and put it in the fridge etc because of his dementia, but he is not worth a delivery slot. A friend's parent have guaranteed slots because they are deemed as vulnerable and they are nowhere near in his league for vulnerability. I despair of the unfairness of the whole system frankly.

ChipotleBlessing · 08/04/2020 17:30

@FozzieMK With Sainsbury’s you can register him as needing priority slots because he is over 70, even though he isn’t on the shielding list. Only if he was a previous Sainsbury’s customer though. Waitrose too.

Your registration on the gov.uk site won’t work unless he has received a shielding letter, so there’s no point doing that.

10storeylovesong · 08/04/2020 17:39

I registered my father in law as he had a shielding letter. I ticked that he didn't need help getting food as my DH and I could shop for him. He's not been given one of the food boxes but I did get an email from Tesco today and managed to get him a priority slot, which was extremely timely as I'm now showing symptoms so we're isolating. The slot was for the next day but was an 8 hour slot.

MrsDeClarmont · 08/04/2020 17:41

I registered on the gov site and still haven’t had a letter (have incurable blood cancer), however I have had emails from Sainsbury’s and Iceland offering me priority slots (and text from gov saying this would happen). So it still is worth registering as the letters are all over the place.

With Sainsbury’s I had to register, update full address and add payment details before it would recognise me as vulnerable. It also took a couple hours to update. So anyone who has an email from Sainsbury’s saying their vulnerable but when you got to the site it says you are not, try inputting full address and payment details. Hope this helps.

LastTrainEast · 08/04/2020 17:59

I seriously doubt that tesco is taking into account anything other than being on the government list. How would they know if you have a friend who will go shopping for you?

Clymene · 08/04/2020 18:01

I'm not sure Tesco are prioritising slots for the vulnerable - Ocado aren't either.

Waitrose and Sainsbury's are - even if you hadn't previously been a Sainsbury's customer, they are now letting people register.

In the meantime OP please visit your dad's local council website where there will be details of volunteers who can deliver your dad food and essential supplies.

Clymene · 08/04/2020 18:02

Sorry was confused between @FozzieMK and @Madhairday there - apologies. Advice is the same though

bellinisurge · 08/04/2020 18:08

Sainsburys sent dh a text message saying he's on the vulnerable list but when he logged on they said he wasn't. Presume it's all taking an age.