Financial Support and Member Benefits.
As a member of the NEU, you have access to a number of financial services. There are also ways that as a member of school staff, you can access a range of benefits and discounts for products and services.
Tax Rebate on your Subscription
Subscriptions to certain professional bodies (including the NEU) are tax deductible, meaning that you can claim a rebate for up to 4 years and change your tax code so that you pay a little less tax each year. We have some members who have received rebates up to £300.
Ignore companies that offer to arrange this for a fee; you can do it more easily and quickly yourself. The easiest way to make the claim is by post, though it can also be done online. Click here to go to the government website for the P87 form.
In order to complete the claim, you will need:
A copy of a recent pay-slip.
The amounts you have paid for your NEU subscription for the last four years. These amounts will vary from person to person, so please email membership@neu.org.uk who will provide them. You just need to write: Could I please request my total subscriptions for the last four years so that I can make a claim for a tax repayment.
Claiming back tax.pdfHere is a quick guide to completing some of the details on the claim.
Discounts and Services
With your NEU membership, you can access NEU Rewards (click here to sign up). This offers discounts with a number of retailers - including major supermarkets - and access to special rates with several financial service providers.
All education workers can also sign up for Discounts for Teachers simply using your work email address. Again, this offers discounts with a range of retailers and service providers.
All education workers are now eligible to sign up for a Blue light card. This is a discount scheme which has only been available for armed forces and NHS workers and has now been expanded to educators. There is a £4.99 charge to join for two years.
Money Saving Expert
Although in no way affiliated with the NEU, Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert website provides excellent advice that is easy to follow and regularly updated. You can subscribe to a weekly newsletter. Some good places to start are:
Switching incentives for bank accounts - this is really easy to do and you can make hundreds of pounds quite quickly.
Making sure that any spare money is making interest - there are some very good interest rates out there at the moment, including on easy access savings accounts, meaning that you can get the money out if you need it urgently.
Cashback websites - if you are making any online purchase, it is always worth going through Topcashback or Quidco. You will have to wait a while for the money to become payable but it really adds up over time.
