How do I register as a vulnerable customer?

Last updated: 17/02/2021

Following the government's announcement that 1.7 million extra people have now been added to the list of those who should shield during lockdown, many people will be concerned about how to get groceries delivered to their door. Throughout the pandemic, supermarkets have been offering priority slots to vulnerable customers, so here's what you need to know if you've recently been told to shield. 

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Do I qualify as a vulnerable customer?

What's an extremely vulnerable person? 

If you have a pre-existing medical condition that makes you extremely vulnerable to coronavirus, or your clinician or GP has added you to the Shielded Patient List because they have assessed you to be at higher risk of serious illness if you catch Covid, you are able to register with the government to receive support. You can find a list of conditions that are included in this definition on the government website here. If you are on the shielding list because you have one of these conditions, you should have received a letter last year during the first wave of coronavirus, and also when the third national lockdown in England began in January 2021, and shielding was reintroduced for extremely vulnerable people.

On 16 February 2021, it was announced that 1.7 million new people were now being added to the shielding list, following a new model that takes factors such as deprivation, ethnicity, age, prescribed medicines, and weight, into account when deciding someone's risk level. Those who have been added to the list will soon receive letters from the NHS informing them of their new status.

If you have been told to shield, you must stay home at all times unless for medical appointments or exercise, and you are advised to not go to the shops. However, those who have been told to shield should receive priority online shopping slots. For more information on shielding, please visit the government website here.

The government guidance states: "If you already have priority access to a supermarket delivery slot, that will continue – you do not need to do anything further. When registering you will be asked for your NHS number. You can find it on any letter the NHS has sent you, or on a prescription.

"Registering on the site just gives you priority. It does not mean you’ll definitely get a delivery slot. If you want access to supermarket deliveries, you will also need to set up an account with at least one supermarket and book slots yourself."

I think I qualify as extremely vulnerable - how do I register? 

If you think you qualify for this support because you’re classed as being clinically extremely vulnerable, you can apply to register yourself, or on behalf of someone, on the government website. Please note, this registering process is unfortunately only available to those who live in England. If you live in England, you can use this website to register. You'll then need to fill in a questionnaire. 

There are similar services available to people who live in Scotland, and Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland there is a community helpline you can ring, where you will find more information.  

What supermarkets are offering slots for vulnerable customers?

How do I get a delivery slot for Tesco? 

Tesco says it will prioritise customers who are on the government's list of vulnerable people, and is reserving hundreds of thousands of home delivery slots a week for those who are vulnerable. On their website it states: "We've already started contacting these [vulnerable] customers to let them know we're prioritising home delivery slots for them. As the Government gives us further lists, we will continue to contact these customers."

To try and get access to a priority slot, you can also try phoning 0800 917 7359. While Tesco can't guarantee that they'll be able to find an available slot through this number, they will do their best to try and prioritise you. Tesco is encouraging people to use these slots as little as possible, so they can free them up for people who truly have no other way to get food. So even if you are entitled to a slot, if it's possible for you to get someone else to go into the store and do your shopping for you, you should try to do this instead. 

Sainsbury's and vulnerable shoppers 

Sainsbury's have worked with the government to identify those in the UK who are extremely vulnerable and have shopped with them before.

Their website says: "If you have received a letter from the NHS and you register on GOV.UK you will be able to request access to priority online slots, if you have no-one else to go shopping for you. We’ll prioritise these customers for home delivery slots, and we’ll be in touch to let you know when this has happened if we haven’t already." 

For those with a priority slot who can't place their order online, they are offering a telephone ordering service.

Sainsburys advises that customers in England who are vulnerable can refer themselves for help with food and essential items from the NHS Volunteer Responders programme by calling 0808 196 3646.

Asda Priority Passes

During the first lockdown, Asda issued vulnerable customers with a Priority Pass for deliveries. They have now extended these passes so they are valid until the end of August 2021. It's worth noting that Asda have made some small changes, however, including slot pricing.

They are continuing to work with the Government and devolved nations to offer as many passes as possible for vulnerable customers. If you don't have a Priority Pass with them yet, here's what their website says: "You can’t apply directly to us for a pass. You will need to register as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) through the government website to be eligible for a pass. This CEV customer data is supplied to Asda and some other supermarkets. We then try to match up that data with our online account holders.

"If we find you have an account with us, we will contact you directly to let you know what to do next. As we are currently experiencing high demand, we can only get in touch and allocate passes when capacity is available."

Vulnerable customers at Waitrose

The supermarket has worked with the government to try and find ways to reach out to those on the list of vulnerable people, and have prioritised them where possible. 

They've also launched a new dedicated e-gift card for customers who cannot shop in store if you're having your shopping delivered by friends, family or volunteers. The gift card can be bought at £10 denominations up to £500, and then emailed to the person doing your shopping. Find out more about that here.
 

Vulnerable customers at Morrisons 

Morrisons is offering delivery slots through its website and its Amazon prime store. The supermarket has also created a call centre for customers who do not shop online. Customers who wish to place an order should phone 0345 611 6111 and select option five. These customers can choose from a 'menu' of 47 essential groceries and pay for the delivery on their doorstep via a mobile chip and pin device.

To make online shopping simpler, Morrisons have also introduced a range of food boxes which can be delivered. 

How do I register for a delivery slot at Iceland? 

Iceland have prioritised those on the governments' official 'shield' lists of the most vulnerable people. They are receiving updated data regularly on the lists to make sure they can continue to prioritise those who need their shopping delivered the most. 

Vulnerable customers need to make sure that the data they register with at Iceland matches the information they have provided to the government, to be matched for the priority programme. They are regularly emailing customers that they have matched with the government's vulnerable lists with information on how to book a slot.
 

Marks and Spencers' Deliveroo service

The high-end retailer announced that 130 of its home and food items are now available via Deliveroo. There is a £4.99 delivery charge and they say deliveries will take a mere 30 minutes. 

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I'm not on the list of vulnerable customers, but I can't go to the shops - what can I do? 

If you can't leave the house for other reasons, here are a few ways to get food if you need it. 

• Ask a trusted friend or neighbour to collect your shopping for you. Many streets have set up WhatsApp groups where you can ask for help and get in touch with people who live nearby - find out if there is one for your road. 
• Contact the Mutual Aid group for your area, and request for someone to do your shopping for you and drop it at your house. 
• Lots of local greengrocers, corner shops, butchers and other small businesses are offering delivery, often for free. If you Google the local greengrocer for your area you should be able to access their phone number - ring them and see if they can drop anything off for you.
• Your local council website should have information on the help they are providing to people who can't leave the house. You can find your local authority website here. 
• Meals on wheels might be provided in your area, although not everyone is eligible. Gov.uk has links to a helpful directory for this on their website. 
• There are also plenty of commercial meal delivery services which deliver for a fee. 
• The social network Nextdoor allows you to connect with people in your area - its aim is too create a 'neighbourhood hub'. People have been volunteering to collect food and prescriptions for neighbours, so log on if you're in a bind and need some help. 

How do I get the most out of my shopping? 

• Watch out for supermarket shopping email scams. Be wary of messages claiming to offer vouchers or exclusive access - always check the email address of the sender, and don't enter personal details unless you can be sure you trust the source of the message. For more information on keeping yourself safe, have a read of our guide to avoiding scams. 
• Remember when online shopping to click 'save' so you don't lose the contents of your shopping basket, and to log in and out regularly to ensure your session doesn't expire. 

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