UKH

Thinking of going to watch Leigh rugby league play at Wembley in the challenge cup, and noticed NHS staff get a significant discount. Why?  It feels like I’m subsidising them and I don’t want to.  

Dunno. Perhaps it’s  related to the clap?

It should stop now the clap has gone.

I've just joined a gym and got 10% off when I asked if the did NHS discount....it's not specific to the NHS though it's called their corporate scheme.

Some NHS staff get a 'blue light' (?) discount as do other emergency services....I don't though as I'm far from blue light in what I do!

I see it as a slight perk to offset things like having to have a car to use for part of your job, to insure it for work use and to pay high costs to park at work....

I think you’re right, on both points. 

If NHS staff were paid appropriately, I'd agree with you.

Edit: It's actually a form of corporate charity, making up some of the shortfall the government should be responsible for.

I get discounts in various places for being a DofE volunteer, or BMC member, or NT member.

Maybe you could go and work for the NHS and get the discount...

Because the company has chosen to offer discount to NHS staff.

Explain how you are subsidising them in this situation.

"It feels like I’m subsidising them and I don’t want to. "

Easy to solve- stop feeling like you're subsidising them.

Anyone working for the NHS is eligible for that. 

As are Police, Fire & Rescue and current or ex military personnel.

Google Blue Light Card for full info

Mark

You should be grateful to the NHS for the antibiotics

Its an exclusive club! Working "in partnership" with the organisation I get to wear the logo and do the hard graft, without the pension at a smidgeon above minimum wage (and not strike) but don't have the prized email address so still pay full whack at Maccy D's! This is going to be an unpopular statement but the private sector frequently takes up the slack without the recognition. But then, who wants recognition plus I love the NHS. Complicated innit.

Asking for Red Light discount should sort that out.

Are we back to the clap...?

Yeah, and the free prescriptions in Wales don’t forget!

I do in fact work for the NHS but haven’t got a blue light card. I don’t tend to shop anywhere that they do offers on.

Asda were doing 10/c off for us( close your ears OP), but if you look at that in a cynical way, it’s a corporate plan to get more people into the shop.

The only benefit that I’ve taken is the 15/c at Cotswold when my daughter kitted herself out with a lot of clobber, but then again it’s marked up a lot.

Dave

Are you happy to pay the stated price for the product that you're going receive? If so, buy the ticket. If they could have filled the stadium with people paying full price then they are effectively spending some of their profits on NHS staff, they could have simply paid themselves bigger bonuses and you wouldn't be complaining. If they couldn't fill the stadium with full price ticket payers amd they believe that NHS staff are struggling for money then this is a sensible move to maximise their revenue, they're charging individuals what they think they can afford/are willing to pay. In neither scenario are you really subsidising NHS staff

What has their pay got to do with the it?  There’s loads of folk doing valuable work getting paid less. In fact, I’d put a small wager that NHS staff in Leigh earn on average more than the average for that area (it is a very low wage area).  Fully support NHS staff fighting the government, but I see no reason why those in charge of ticket pricing at a rugby league match offer them a hefty discount. 

Volunteering is one thing, but we are talking paid staff. Why are the NHS so special?  

I dunno, maybe it's a vocation where you invest so much of yourself that you become a kind of endangered species that requires protection and nurturing? What's your beef anyways?

That may be the most contentious thing I've seen you post on ukc. I've just fetched the popcorn. 

I knew that when I posted it. My criticism is of the Rugby League ‘company’ or whoever is in charge,  who have singled out one organisation for cheap tickets. No one has given a good reason why though.

I believe in equality and see no reason why an NHS worker earning £45k a year should get a cheaper ticket than a care worker earning £25k. Looks like I’m in a minority though…  In fact, it’s so bonkers there has to be another reason, and I can only think that it’s about looking good.  They could have offered free tickets to asylum seekers living in the hotel near me.  (Wigan Latics do give asylum seekers free tickets every now and then).  

I would guess that it is either because whoever is making the pricing decisions feels a personal connection/debt of gratitude to the NHS, that they want to drum up extra business and see the country's largest employer as a potential source of new customers, or that they feel they have to because other similar organisations do it. Basically it's either a "thank you" or they think they'll make more money overall by offering a discount than not.

Whichever it is they'll almost certainly still be making money on the seats, and I'd bet that standard tickets wouldn't get reduced if they withdrew the discount, so you aren't subsidising anyone.

If you can't beat them join them. Let's nationalise rugby for all and make it free at the point of use! That's not so crazy is it? Or does this make me a communist (I kind of hope so!)

You Commy Get !

Im not a big rugby league fan, but they have some really inclusive elements. IIRC, the last World Cup had womens amd mens and para (and wheelchair?) all going on at the same time. 

Anybody involved in DofE, and having a DofE adult account (so teachers, paid freelance instructors & assessors) get a discount card. I just happen to be a volunteer.

That’s a Band 7 banding to earn £45k. There’s plenty of NHS workers who might like rugby earning the same as your care worker example.

I think that it puts a positive spin on the clubs ball if they are seen to offer NHS discount, though contrarily, it seems to have created a reverse spin. 
I couldn’t care less really who goes or if they don’t

ps. How do I get a ticket. I will post you one with the reduced price 

I agree with you, in principle. I also wish that I was earning £45k, but I less than half of that.

I also think that its a form of corporate Virtue Signalling, which is not necessarily a bad thing either for moral of society. I wish that I was more eloquent in my choice of words, but I'm not and quite possibly being very clumsy how I try to express my thoughts.

I also only once bought a "Blue Light" card for a fiver but never used it because, I felt embarrassed to show it at the till. I may not be paid the media headline £45k however I'm conscious that I am paid well for what I do, and quite possibly more than the person who is on the other side of the till serving me. I don't feel the need, desire or want to let people know what I do when not in uniform. Its just a job and I try my best to compartmentalize what I see and do in a little box so that I don't have to think about it when not at work.

I'm rambling on, sorry.

I was a bit clumsy in my response and fully get what you say.  I’ve benefitted from similar when I got discounts at stores selling stuff related to my membership of something - good business on their part . If the ‘people in charge’ gave discount to say people involved in grass roots rugby league, or season ticket holders of competing clubs, or season ticket holders who are ‘key workers’, or say means tested to those on lower incomes (difficult), I would understand that also, but this is decision doesn’t stand up to that type of logic and looks to me more like virtue signalling and I thought things had moved on. (I doubt they were doing this pre Covid).  

It’s the travel and accommodation that is the cash deal breaker. I even tried booking into a very expensive hotel, only to be told al their rooms had all been taken up by NHS staff in London to watch a rugby league match. Joking !!

Rambling don’t bother me. Good point about virtue signalling.  It’s become a dirty word when in principle I’m all up for folk showing thanks and solidarity. I just wished ‘those in charge’ would spread the love more ‘equally’ and target other people doing good stuff and/or who are skint. 

It’s the countries biggest employer, more highly represented in Rugby League Land than some other parts of the country. It’s marketing. Lots of businesses offer discounts to a range of different organisations, or even free stuff to rich people for marketing reasons. A colleague of mine got a ticket to the FA Cup Final for £20 because he is a pensioner. Still working and earning £80k a year, but at 66 considered a pensioner.

Rugby League were advertising a 40% discount for NHS, military and various other organisations back in 2016, so it’s not new if that makes you feel any better. The Blue Light discount card has been around at least 15 years.

And re. your earlier comment about care workers, they are usually eligible for the same discounts (although it might only apply to those employed by a local authority, not sure. Private organisations typically make their own decisions about whether to sign up to employee discount schemes).

A brave post...

I tend to agree though - I could sort of understand businesses showing gratitude to NHS workers for going above and beyond during 2020/21, but it now feels very dated. If companies want to target that segment of the market via discounts, that is up to them, but the "all NHS workers are amazing, thank you so so so so much" messaging is probably due an update. I can entirely understand recognition of volunteers, but much less so for salaried roles.

Let's see how high we can push Bottom Clingers blood pressure

https://discountsforcarers.com/

https://www.discountsforteachers.co.uk/

https://www.charityworkerdiscounts.com/

Looks like I’m subsidising everyone and their luxury living

On behalf of everyone.

Thank you.

Could you up the subsidy though and make the tickets free?

And as a tax payer you're paying the NHS wage bill as well.

I’ll give you a bloody lift there if it’ll make you happy

Don’t !!!!!  Feels like I’m single handedly keeping the whole world funded.  

You're not funding anything.  The Challenge Cup won't sell out Wembley (didn't even sell out Spurs' stadium last year), yet regardless of how many tickets remain unsold the cost to organisers will be the same.  They would rather have seats filled by deserving of society at a discounted rate than be empty, as empty seats on a cup final looks rubbish on the TV broadcast. 

As a tax payer and employee of the NHS, my wages are taxed to pay the NHS wage bill as well.

If there is one certainty to grind my gears at work, its when somebody demands I do something for them by adding "I pay your wages".

Sorry not sure if my comment came over as sufficiently sarcastic. 

It was. 😊

Mine was just a general random observation.😊

If you think about it the discount saves you money.

Otherwise they would all be demanding a payrise to cover the ticket costs.

I’m currently stood outside the Royal Albert handing out invoices to NHS staff to try and get my money back. Nothing but odd looks and the odd swear word so far, but I’ll keep trying. 

Careful you don’t ping an anaesthetist, they’re quite adept at knocking people out 

I'm here all week. Try the chicken.

I thank ewe.

Have you asked them why? Maybe do that before trying to provoke here. 

Or...

You enjoy trolling. Maybe ask yourself why?

Not asked them and I don’t provoke. It was a genuine question

?  

Also, why do you think my question was provocative?