Nihad Ćehić
We are committed to reducing teacher workload and through this helping schools to retain more high quality teachers. Part of the battle to retain high quality teachers comes from the increasing competition the education sector faces from other sectors offering more benefits. Thankfully, teachers can now save a lot of money by using their Blue Light Card membership to receive discounts at various stores such as Asda, Starbucks and many more.
This is a nice perk for teachers who have worked incredibly hard to ensure that our children remain educated during the pandemic and brings their benefits more in line with staff who work in other essential services like nurses and paramedics.
Blue Light Card the popular program that offers special discounts to NHS staff, emergency services, social care workers, and armed forces members has extended its perks to teachers. This new addition has generated a huge amount of interest, leading to the Blue Light Card website crashing as teachers rushed to take advantage of the savings.
What is Blue Light Card?
The Blue Light Card provides special discounts on well-known brands and services like Asda, Apple, Odeon, Starbucks, and Halfords. These discounts serve as a gesture of appreciation for the hard work and commitment of people in essential services. Teachers are now welcomed to become part of this community and take advantage of the same benefits.
Which members of the teaching staff qualify for a Blue Light Card?
Employees who work in any of the following roles are eligible for teaching and support staff positions.
- State Early Years and Primary Schools
- State-operated high schools and institutions offering further education for students aged 16-18.
- Specialized schools, vocational institutions, specialized education and training facilities, and centrally managed employment programs are all examples of alternative educational options available for students.
Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that higher education faculty and Further Education staff are not currently part of this initial launch. Nevertheless, there is a plan to include them in the future. A particular website dedicated to the teacher’s start or beginning that may be updated if things change.
What is the reason behind teachers being able to access Blue Light Card now?
Teachers play a vital role in society, however they often experience financial difficulties, high levels of stress, and relatively low salaries. Providing Blue Light Card benefits to teachers is in line with the goal of assisting essential workers in the community.
How to sign up as teaching staff
You can apply directly on the Blue Light Card site – However, there is currently a significant delay in the wait time. When accessing the list of Services, select the option for Teachers. It is also necessary to confirm your identity. There are two different verification methods available.
- Immediate validation of email domains: If you are employed at a qualifying school, you can quickly confirm your identity by using your professional email address. Please note that there are currently some issues for staff members whose schools use .co.uk or .com email addresses.
- Document upload: If you are employed at a different type of eligible school, you must provide a official work ID or payslip with your name and school information. The Blue Light Card team will review this and you can expect a response within 7 days.
The membership sign-up fee is £4.99, but the savings potential easily outweighs this cost. Please note that processing times may vary slightly due to the large number of applicants.
Since the launch of the Blue Light Card for teachers the website has been consistently crashing. You may need to be patient in order to snap up some discounts.
Are teachers blue light workers?
Teachers are not considered blue light workers, but they are now eligible to receive benefits. The company aims to save its members money and acknowledge and appreciate the hard work of key workers in the community. Teachers are crucial workers who frequently prioritize the needs of others over their own. The objective is to assist them financially and offer access to special opportunities to promote a healthy work-life balance and overall well-being.
