Money Moral Dilemma: Can I keep using my NHS discount card even though I've left the service?

Isin2000

ginger_chocolate said:

Magstar1001 said:

Of course
Enjoy all your discounts in this tough world we live in.

What I don't understand is why everyone doesn't get a discount. If they can give it to NHS or Students then they should give discount to all

Make the most of it, good luck to you 

Then it wouldn't be a discount? It would just be a lower price.

And that would be a bad thing because....

Bonnypitlad

Enjoy the benefits of your card until it expires 

strawb_shortcake

Isin2000 said:

ginger_chocolate said:

Magstar1001 said:

Of course
Enjoy all your discounts in this tough world we live in.

What I don't understand is why everyone doesn't get a discount. If they can give it to NHS or Students then they should give discount to all

Make the most of it, good luck to you 

Then it wouldn't be a discount? It would just be a lower price.

And that would be a bad thing because....

The discount is more a marketing tool than anything, it helps encourage different people into the business to spend money they may have spent elsewhere. 

For companies it's advertising/virtue signalling to stand out and say we support our NHS/Armed Forces etc

Taking 10% off for eveeryone would not achieve the same benefits to the company as these targeted schemes. 

ginger_chocolate

Isin2000 said:

ginger_chocolate said:

Magstar1001 said:

Of course
Enjoy all your discounts in this tough world we live in.

What I don't understand is why everyone doesn't get a discount. If they can give it to NHS or Students then they should give discount to all

Make the most of it, good luck to you 

Then it wouldn't be a discount? It would just be a lower price.

And that would be a bad thing because....

It wouldn't.

(Although I imagine that if the prices of everything were lowered to discount levels as standard and all "perks" of being a member of a particular demographic removed, people would complain about the lack of discounts rather than enjoy the new general low prices - sorry, just derailing the discussion with my speculations on human psychology...)

Wings_of_Ambition

I wonder if those saying "it shouldn't be used" would say the same of veterans getting a military discount. After all, they're no longer in the job either.

Andy_L

Wings_of_Ambition said:

I wonder if those saying "it shouldn't be used" would say the same of veterans getting a military discount. After all, they're no longer in the job either.

Veterans are specifically entitled to sign up for the Blue Light Card. 

People offering Military discounts outside the BLC often specifically include/exclude veterans 

If the offer said serving members only then veterans shouldn't get it

Andy_L

ginger_chocolate said:

Isin2000 said:

ginger_chocolate said:

Magstar1001 said:

Of course
Enjoy all your discounts in this tough world we live in.

What I don't understand is why everyone doesn't get a discount. If they can give it to NHS or Students then they should give discount to all

Make the most of it, good luck to you 

Then it wouldn't be a discount? It would just be a lower price.

And that would be a bad thing because....

It wouldn't.

(Although I imagine that if the prices of everything were lowered to discount levels as standard and all "perks" of being a member of a particular demographic removed, people would complain about the lack of discounts rather than enjoy the new general low prices - sorry, just derailing the discussion with my speculations on human psychology...)

Depends if lowering the cost to everybody by that %age made the business unviable

RosaBernicia

Not all of the schemes allow you to use it without an active NHS email address.  You may find that the hard copy card can be used to show for the high street deals, since the scheme can't really cancel those, but access to online discounts will be lost along with your email access. 

squirrel59

I'm surprised at most of the responses here. You were only eligible for this card because you worked for the NHS, and now you've left. You're not retired from the NHS, you're simply not working there anymore. The companies who signed up to give NHS employees who paid £5 (is that correct?) for this card, did so for the express purpose of giving NHS employees a discount. Not anyone else. Otherwise we'd all be able to fork out a measly £5 and get a discount from them. But we're not.

So someone here says 'who getting hurt by you continuing to use your card'? Well, the companies who signed up in good faith for it, and ultimately all of us, because of course it costs them money which will then drive up their prices.

How is this a dilemma? The card was issued to because you worked for the NHS, and now you don't anymore.

Andy_L

squirrel59 said:

I'm surprised at most of the responses here. You were only eligible for this card because you worked for the NHS, and now you've left. You're not retired from the NHS, you're simply not working there anymore. The companies who signed up to give NHS employees who paid £5 (is that correct?) for this card, did so for the express purpose of giving NHS employees a discount. Not anyone else. 

"What if I leave my current job role/retire?

Your Blue Light Card will remain active until your current Blue Light Card expires. However, if you do not fall under one of our eligible categories at the end of your membership period, you will not be able to renew your Blue Light Card"

https://www.bluelightcard.co.uk/contactblc.php