NHS and care worker staff freebies & discounts

If you currently or have previously worked for the NHS or in teaching, and have either a Health Service Discounts or Discounts for Teachers account (you can sign up for free if not), you can redeem a free one-year Tastecard app membership (normally £79.99 for a year).

This is an ongoing offer, and you can get it as long as you don't have an active Tastecard membership currently.

Tastecard gives access to 2for1 deals or 25% off your bill at more than 3,000 restaurants across the UK – see the full list of restaurants.

Important: You’ll be asked to enter payment details when you sign up as you'll be automatically enrolled into a paid-for membership at the discounted price of £29.99 a year after the one-year free trial, unless you cancel.

If you decide not to stay with Tastecard, you can cancel your membership online or by contacting customer service at any time during the trial. Tastecard says you won't be charged as long as you cancel by 11.59pm the day before your free trial expires, but it would be a good idea to try before then (we've heard of some problems with cancelling in the past).

How to get it

Sign up or login to your Health Service Discounts or Discounts For Teachers account (both sites use ID verification to ensure job status).

Once logged in, select the Tastecard offer on the Health Service Discounts website or Discounts For Teachers website. You'll then be redirected to Tastecard's website to claim the deal and download the Tastecard app (available for Apple and Android) and enter your username and password. You can't get this as a physical membership with a card, this is a digital app membership only. 

You can find restaurant offers listed in the app, though do check restrictions. Some restaurants won't allow you to use a Tastecard at specific times or on certain days of the week (such as Friday or Saturday), or on occasions such as Valentine's Day.

See our restaurant deals round-up for more ways to save when eating out.

At Pizza Hut restaurants (find your nearest), show a valid Blue Light Card code on any day (excluding bank holidays) and you can get 25% off food. It's valid for both dine-in for up to six people, and in-store ordered takeaway, however it's not available at Pizza Hut Delivery stores.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card. Excludes buffet, meal deals, kids' meals, takeaway deals, drinks, online takeaway orders, and kids' birthday parties. You also can't combine it with any other vouchers or deals. See full Pizza Hut FAQs.

Check our Restaurant deals page for other dining out offers.

At Beefeater (find your nearest), show a valid Blue Light Card any day and you can get 25% off food only. See full T&Cs.

You'll be able to use this discount on bank holidays, but not on Christmas Day. You also can't use this discount on the breakfast menu, daytime and evening value menus, Premier Inn Meal Deal, or 'key date menus' (such as the Valentine's Day menu).

See our Restaurant deals and vouchers page for other dining out deals.

At most Bella Italia restaurants, customers who show a valid Blue Light Card code from midday Sunday to Thursday will get 25% off food.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

At Pizza Express restaurants (find your nearest), show a Blue Light Card code any time Sunday to Thursday (some exclusions, see below) and you can get 20% off food when dining in. Pizza Express says your code will be valid for the whole table. It's valid on food only (not drinks), including kids' Piccolo meals.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the 12-digit code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

You can't use this 20% off deal alongside other discounts or set menus, except for Pizza Express' 'Goodwill' codes and 'How Did We Dough' survey vouchers. It's not valid on takeaway, delivery, and collection orders, and it can't be used on Fridays, Saturdays, bank holidays, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Easter Monday, Father's Day, or on selected dates throughout December.

If you work for the NHS, you can get 20% off all main menu items at McDonald's once a week when ordering via the app until Tuesday 31 December 2024.

You'll need to download the free McDonald's app (iOS/Android) and register for an account using your NHS email address. Once you've done this, you'll then be able to select the 20% discount offer within the deals section of the app.

The following branches are excluded: Croydon, Birkenhead, Highway Shadwell, Bond Street West One, Bracknell The Keep, Chelmsford Riverside, London Victoria Station, Shaftesbury Avenue 2, Manchester Arndale Food Chain, London Waterloo Station, Norwich Chapelfields, and Westfield Stratford. See full McDonald's T&Cs.

At Bill's restaurants (find your nearest), show a Blue Light Card code any day of the week and you can get 20% off your total bill for tables up to eight people. See full T&Cs.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

You can't use this 20% off deal alongside other discounts or promotions such as set menus.

NHS and emergency services staff can get 20% off their food bill at Frankie & Benny's (find your nearest) when dining in. Simply purchase one main meal per adult dining from the main, vegan, or gluten-free menus, and show a valid ID card (including SPRA and PCF card).

One ID card can be used for up to a group of four people, and the offer's available every day of the week. There are some excluded dates, locations and menu items – see 'More info' below.

Browse our Restaurant deals and vouchers for more ways to save on a meal out.

At most Yo! Sushi restaurants, customers who show a valid Blue Light Card code from Sunday to Friday will get 20% off food, valid on dine-in or click & collect.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

At Toby Carvery restaurants (find your nearest), show a Blue Light Card code any time Monday to Friday (some exclusions, see below) and you can get 20% off food for tables up to six people.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

You can't use this 20% off deal alongside other discounts or promotions, or with drinks, takeaway, kids' meals, set menus, buffets or delivery. It also isn't valid on bank holidays.

At Harvester restaurants (find your nearest), show a Blue Light Card code Monday to Friday (some exclusions, see below) and you can get 20% off food only.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

You can't use this 20% off deal alongside any other discounts or promotions including set menus and festive menus. It also isn't valid on bank holidays and other 'special days' including Mother's Day, Easter and Father's Day.

At Ask Italian restaurants (find your nearest), show a valid Blue Light Card code on Sunday to Thursday and you can get 20% off food.

To get the code, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

The offer isn't valid on Fridays, Saturdays, bank holidays, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day and from 1 December to 1 January. It also can't be used at Bluewater, London Park Street, London Westfield, Scarborough, and Wells, or at The O2 and Cardiff on match/event days. See FAQs.

If you work for the NHS, police, fire or ambulance service you can get 20% off food and drink orders up to £20 at Nando's (find your nearest).

If you're dining in, you'll just need to show a valid photocard ID when you order and you can use the discount once per day. If you're with a group and want to give others the discount too, you'll need to put everyone's meals on the same order, but remember the 20% off only works up to £20 – any orders over £20 won't get the maximum £4 discount.

If you don't fancy dining in, you can get the 20% off if you order for collection, too – Peri nice! NHS staff can do this online when you register at Nando's and then apply the discount when you order. You'll need to verify your NHS email address every six months. Those working for the emergency services can only get the offer on walk-in collections, and can't currently order online for collection

Check out our cheapy Nando's tips & hacks before you go.

At Hungry Horse pubs (find your nearest), show a Blue Light Card code during food service times on any day of the week and you can get 15% off food until Monday 30 December 2024.

To get the discount, you need to hold a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), and generate the code from its website or via the app – you can't just show the card.

The discount applies to the whole table, but the bill will need to be paid by the Blue Light Card holder in one transaction. There's a maximum discount of £40 – so it's valid on food spends up to £200. See full T&Cs.

Hungry Horse says you can use the discount alongside certain other discounts and promotions, but not Tesco Clubcard vouchers, or Greene King friends and family vouchers. It's also not valid on bank holidays, Father's Day, Christmas Day, or Boxing Day.

NHS and emergency services staff can get 15% off at Leon (find your nearest) when showing their work ID at the till. If you'd like to order via a kiosk, ask staff for the special code.

You can't use it with any other discount, kids' meals, or meal deals. See full T&Cs.

If you've a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), you can get 10% off your total bill in-store at Krispy Kreme. Show your Blue Light Card in a Krispy Kreme store, or generate a code to use online from the Blue Light Card website or app.

The discount isn't available on items from a Krispy Kreme cabinet in third-party stores such as Tesco and service stations. It's also not valid with other offers (such as Community Heroes, Wondoughful Wednesdays, Buy One Get One Free offers, or other offers), gift card purchases, or delivery orders via Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats, or Go Puff.

Canadian fast-food favourite Tim Hortons (find your nearest) is offering 10% off the total bill for NHS staff and emergency services workers any day of the week.

To get the discount, show your valid work ID card before paying. Alternatively, Tim Hortons says you can show a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info).

You can't use this 10% off deal alongside other discounts.

Emergency service workers and NHS staff who show a valid Blue Light Card at Starbucks (find your nearest) can get a 10% discount off their total bill.

The offer's valid every day of the week and covers your whole group. It can't be used to purchase Starbucks gift cards. A Blue Light Card costs £4.99 for two years – see more info.

If you've a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years – see more info), you can get 10% off at KFC when you link the card with the KFC app and generate a code – you can't just show your Blue Light Card at the restaurant.

Open the KFC app, tap 'More' followed by 'Discounts' – you'll need to sign in or create an account. Once signed in, tap 'Apply Blue Light Card discount' and enter your Blue Light Card number and surname. You'll then find a QR code in the 'Rewards' section of the KFC app which you can scan at the restaurant counter.

Welcome Break service stations (find your nearest) are offering emergency services and NHS workers with a Blue Light Card 10% off Starbucks (including 'Drive-Thru') and KFC. The previous 20% discount valid at other retailers does not seem to be active, but it's worth checking the Blue Light Card website to see if it comes back.

Simply present your discount card before you pay. See full T&Cs. It's worth noting that both Starbucks and KFC offer 10% off at non-Welcome Break locations, so you don't have to go out of your way to visit Welcome Break to get this discount.

If you have a Blue Light Card (see our full Blue Light Card info), don't just assume it'll give you the best discounts – always compare offers to check you're getting the best deal.