Blue Light Card have at last agreed to a route by which Employed Personal Assistants can get approval for their popular discount card by first joining the Independent Living Group’s PA scheme.

As we have reported, we fought a long campaign for PAs to have direct access, but we could not get past their need for standardised evidence of someone’s job role. They are, however, satisfied that if you have been approved by ILG then they will accept this as verification.

This means there is a 2 step process:
1. Apply for ILG Employed Personal Assistant Membership – cost of £20 every 2 years.
2. Then apply for a BLC – cost £4.99

Read below to find out the benefits of each scheme and how to apply

Note: there is a separate membership scheme for self-employed PAs/micro providers which cost £120 a year and comes with a range of additional benefits including training; DBS checks and insurance.

Employed PA Membership Scheme

Benefits of the ILG PA membership scheme:

• photo ID badge with lanyards
• Well-Being Support – 24/7 counselling service
• Access to Legal Advice – 24/7 legal advice line plus debt information and support.
• MyMindPal App – Interactive toolkit to promote mental well-being
• Rewards and discount platform – still being developed

How to apply:

1. Your employer can sign up all their PAs and pay directly online from their direct payment account (if they have that facility). This is a very simple process, Taking no more than a few minutes. PAs are then sent an email with a link and a code for them to complete a few personal details and upload documents (see below)
2. PAs can apply directly and pay the registration fee themselves and discuss claiming it back from their employer/person they provide support for.

 You will need to upload the following documents:

• A recent payslip (dated within the last 3 months) or a current contract of employment.
• Formal Photo Identification (Passport or Photo Driving License).
• Photo ID (this will be the photo for your ID badge).
• Dedicated Coupon Code (this is if your employer has paid for your membership).

Blue Light Card

With over 13,000 retailers including big name brands such as New Look, Spotify, Greene King, Jet2holidays, Cineworld, Sky, Halfords and Ninja, Blue Light Card allows over three million members to take full advantage of savings, discounts and benefits that are often unavailable to the general public.

In 2023, Blue Light Card saved its members a huge total of over £330 million across electricals, fashion, travel, entertainment, and more.

How to apply: 
Once your membership to ILG’s employed PA membership scheme has been approved simply click on the link below and follow the steps:
Click on the category “social care” then pick “personal assistant” from the drop-down list. You will then be asked to enter your ILG membership number.