Yahoo News 
How to secure a Sainsbury's home delivery slot for a vulnerable person
As we continue to navigate these tricky times during the coronavirus pandemic, many of us will be in the same boat - trying to ensure everyone in the family has all the vital essentials in their cupboards. If you're keen to help the elderly relative (or neighbour) in your life, and help them organise a home delivery slot at Sainsbury's, we have all the details.
After Prime Minister Boris Johnson told elderly and vulnerable people to take themselves out of society for three months, Sainsbury’s said it would be giving disabled and elderly customers priority on its online delivery system, and the supermarket also opens only to the elderly and vulnerable for its first hour of trading.
RELATED: Inside Boris Johnson's home where he is self-isolating at Downing Street
Shoppers eager to do their lockdown shopping at Sainsbury's
But if it's a home delivery slot you're after for an elderly or vulnerable person, this is what you need to do:
Follow instructions from the text message or letter you received to register as vulnerable on the HMRC website. If you didn't get contacted, you can register at gov.uk, and then contact your GP to request a letter.
If you haven't been contacted by Sainsbury's already, then you should be soon. A Sainsbury's representative tells HELLO!: "As of Wednesday 25th, we had proactively contacted 270,000 customers who had already given us information that meant we could identify them as elderly or vulnerable. We had also booked slots for 115,000 elderly and vulnerable customers. Our customer careline is working at full capacity and we are able to give an additional 8,000 customers a day access to delivery slots over the phone so we urge everyone to keep trying."
If you've not been contacted already there is a phone number to call for the Careline should you need it. Understandably, Sainsbury's is currently experiencing high levels of demand for the service, but the number to call is 0800 328 1700 and is available Monday to Sunday 8am - 11pm.
RELATED: Supermarket opening hours during lockdown
Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe said: "Many of you have written to me to tell me you are elderly or vulnerable and are struggling to book online delivery slots. We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. These customers have priority over all slots. Our customer Careline has been inundated with requests from elderly and vulnerable customers – we have had one year’s worth of contacts in two weeks."
MORE: Online food delivery services available over lockdown
Sainsbury’s has introduced policies restricting customers to only three of any grocery item or cleaning product, and Mike shut down the cafes and fresh food counters in order to redeploy staff elsewhere in stores.
So the message is, don't give up. And it doesn't have to be the vulnerable person who signs up either, so long as you all live together. "It is extremely busy so we can only urge customers to keep trying," the Sainsbury's rep tells HELLO!. "Customers who have a vulnerable member in their household can register with us to receive this service."
Sainsbury's shopping times you need to know about:
If you're not on the vulnerable list but are over 70, Sainsburys is opening from 8am - 9am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and reserving this slot for elderly customers.
The supermarket is asking customers in-store to stand one metre away from colleagues wherever possible and pay with card rather than cash at tills.
