The best CSSC discounts and other membership benefits

Is the CSSC membership worth it? Take a look at the CSSC discount list below to see where you can save money, plus I take a look at other membership benefits that come with your subscription.

The best CSSC discounts

If you’re a civil servant, then the chances are, your wages haven’t increased much over the last 10 years… if not longer. That’s why it’s important to save money when you can.

And as a civil servant myself, I have found some pretty good discount schemes, including the Blue Light Card. But one of my favourites comes from the CSSC.

What is CSSC?

CSSC stands for Civil Service Sports Club. You may not have heard of them much, but the CSSC has existed since 1921 and has over 160,000 members. They positively promote individual health and well-being and organise hundreds of events and activities every year. They are a non-profit organisation and are partly funded by the Cabinet Office.

It’s not just sports; you can take part in all kinds of events, from shopping days out to theatre trips. Plus, they provide savings on hundreds of local and national offers, family days out, dining, gym membership, cinema tickets and much more.

Who can join?

Any of the below qualify to join the CSSC.

• Public Sector employees or pensioners, including civil servants, local government, the NHS, teachers, police, fire fighters and HM Armed Forces personnel.
• Employees of former Public Sector departments, such as BT and Royal Mail.
• Click here for a full list of Eligible Employers
• Also, up to six of your friends and family (18 years and over) can join with you through our ‘linked membership’ scheme.
• Linked Members will pay the membership fee (appropriate to their circumstances by Direct Debit) and have the same membership rights.
• If you have previously been a CSSC member, you are eligible to re-join. If you are taking redundancy, early retirement or leaving for any other reason, you can retain your CSSC membership, regardless of where else you work, as long as you pay direct to CSSC.

However, anybody can join the CSSC thanks to the linked membership scheme. All you need to know is somebody who currently has a membership and ask them to refer you.

How much does the membership cost?

The CSSC allows you to pay in various ways. You can set up a Direct Debit, have deductions taken from your salary, use a credit or debit card or send them a cheque.

• Membership costs £59.88 per year
• Subscriptions via Salary £4.99 per month
• Retired Membership costs £53.88 per year
• Via pension £4.49 per month

What are the best CSSC benefits?

My favourite has to be the English Heritage Corporate Membership. Present your CSSC card at any English Heritage site, and you, another adult, and up to six children gain free entry. This could be a saving of over £50 with every visit. Here is a list of all the sites available. 

Your card also gives you free entry into National Trust for Scotland sites and you can find money off days out to many theme parks across the UK. Discounts aren’t massive, but you can typically save around £5-6 per ticket from places like Legoland and Thorpe Park.

CSSC Cinema ticket offers

There are also discounted cinema tickets available from all the major chains. Ticket prices start from:

Cineworld – £2.75

ODEON – £4.75

Vue – £4.25

Purchasing your cinema tickets through the CSSC is simple. Just visit the CSSC website and click  ‘Cinema Tickets’. Through here, you add the tickets you need to your basket and purchase and they are sent to you by email almost immediately.

Some cinema chains also offer more than just tickets. For example, Cineworld offers a tasty drink and popcorn deal for a discounted price. Alternatively, you can purchase a Cineworld Unlimited card (which allows unlimited entry) for over £50 off or an ODEON Limitless card with a saving of over £60.

Why not take a look at other ways to save money on cinema tickets?

Limited allocation…

There is a slight downside that will not apply to all. You are limited to purchasing eight tickets per cinema per month. As a family of five, we have to purchase some full-price tickets if we make more than one visit each month.

CSSC will let you know when your allocation is reached, as they won’t allow you to add tickets to your basket.

Nightflix

If you fancy watching a film with your family, why not visit a Nightflix Drive-in Cinema? Available all year round in Colchester, Longmoor, Hartlepool, Luton Airport, Milton Keynes, Newark, and Stoneleigh Park, you can get 25% off entrance for your car.

Gym membership

If you’re a fitness fanatic, you can find discounts at over 3,000 gyms across the UK with your CSSC membership. Take a look at participating gyms. Some gyms (such as Bannatyne’s) will allow you to reduce your monthly payment, even if you are in the middle of a contract.

CSSC Discounted gift cards

Through CSSC, you can join My Savings +. This site gives you discounts at many retailers and several options to save money.

1. Cashback links. These work similarly to cashback sites such as TopCashback and Quidco. All you need to do is click on a link for your chosen store through the My Savings+ website, and if you make a purchase, you’ll earn cashback – usually around 1-2%. This is then added to your My Savings+ account.
2. Reloadable cards. If there’s a store that takes your fancy from the list below, you can purchase a gift card. Just load money onto the card and cashback will be added to your My Savings+ account. It usually takes several days to receive your card, but once you have it, you can top it up at any time.
3. Digital vouchers. If you’re in a rush, some stores offer digital vouchers as an alternative to a physical card. They will be sent to you instantly by email, and can often be used online or in-store. Don’t worry, each voucher will tell you where it can be used.

Discounts from vouchers and cards can range from 2-15%.

The cashback you build up in your My Savings+ account can either be used for digital vouchers, reloadable cards or transferred straight into your bank account.

CSSC discount list

I can’t list all the shops that offer a CSSC discount because there are far too many, and I don’t have the time. But here are some of the most popular:

• Admiral
• AO
• Argos
• Asda
• asos
• B&Q
• Boots
• Clarks
• GAP
• Greggs
• Elephant Insurance
• Halfords
• John Lewis
• Just Eat
• Marks & Spencer
• Morrisons
• New Look
• Pizza Hut
• Nike
• Sainsbury’s
• Superdry
• Tesco

I can also reveal that there is a discount Costa card available. That will give you 9% off and that’s on top of any discount you may already receive!

There are also over 4,000 smaller or independent stores where you can receive a discount. These include restaurants, pubs, health clubs and even nurseries.

Black Friday Deals

The CSSC also offers its own Black Friday discounts. This is often an increase in cashback rates when you purchase gift cards or a further decrease in the cost of cinema tickets.

Tastecard

Please note that the Tastecard doesn’t seem to be available for CSSC members at the moment. It was last seen in September 2022. We shall see if it returns.

Find out more with my Tastecard review.

Hair and beauty

Fortunately for me, I’m married, which means I stopped making any kind of effort years ago. But if you fancy sprucing yourself up, you can access the Fabyouless card for a great price. This membership card gives you discounts at 2,000 venues nationwide, offering a guaranteed 25% saving, every time.

At the moment a Fabyouless 12-month eCode will cost just £12 – a reduction from £59.99!

CSSC Fantasy Football

If football is your thing, why not get involved in the Fantasy Football league? It’s free to play and comes with the following rewards:

• 1st Prize £200 voucher
• 2nd Prize £100 voucher
• 3rd Prize £50 voucher
• Monthly Prize £20 voucher

CSSC referral

CSSC also offers a referral scheme – kind of like a promo code. This is known as member get member. Your friend will need your name and membership number when they sign-up. When they do, you’ll receive £10 into your My Lifestyle account to spend on gift cards.

The CSSC app

Slightly late to the party, CSSC has finally introduced its own app. This is where you can access not only your discounts but also your membership card. At least there’s now less of a chance of you heading out without your membership card.

And it’s not just for civil servants…

Finally, did you know that people who don’t work in the civil service can join the CSSC? Current members who are civil servants can invite up to six friends. As a Linked Member, these friends qualify for all the benefits of CSSC membership. And after one year, these new members can start inviting their own friends.

Is CSSC membership worth it?

Yes. Whether you eat out often, have days out with the family, you’re a fitness fanatic or you want to save money on your shopping, there’s plenty here to cover the cost of under £5 per month.

There are also plenty of activities and trips organised by the CSSC if you’re interested in the social side.

You can find out more from the CSSC by visiting their website.

And if you have to wear a uniform to work, see how you can claim some tax back for free.

FAQs