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Your Spa card questions answered

Want to know how to get your Spa card, or how to claim discounts with it? Here we answer some of the most common questions about the card, so read on.

How do I get my SPA card?

The SPA card is free of charge and is available to all Southwark residents aged 16 to 23

All Southwark schools and colleges have been invited to participate in the scheme. If your school isn't currently participating then you can either ask them if they intend to or you can contact us and we will make enquiries on your behalf.

If you attend a participating school but missed the photo session, you can request an application form from either your school or the council.s trading standards service.

If you live in Southwark but are no longer in the education system or go to a school outside the borough, you can contact trading standards for an application form.

When I get my SPA card, what do I do with my old library card?

Take your Spa card to your local library to get it activated. If you have your old library card take it along with you to speed up the process but don't worry if you can't, it can still be done very easily. Then all you need to do is cut up your old card.

Don't forget that when you first register your Spa card with the library, you get a free DVD rental.

Why do I need a proof of age card?

More and more products are being age restricted and retailers are legally obliged to refuse sales of these goods to underage people. Age check zones are being set up in Southwark's shops and you will be required to show a proof of age card if you want to buy any of these goods. Your Spa card will serve this purpose.

Of course, we hope you will find your Spa card useful as a library card and for obtaining discounts on your shopping trips in Southwark.

How do I get discounts using my SPA card?

Simply present your card when paying for anything listed on our discounts page.

What is the hologram on my card?

This hologram is in fact the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) logo. It means that the Spa scheme has been independently audited and there are safeguards in place to ensure that cards are only issued to genuine applicants who have proved their age satisfactorily.

PASS is a national scheme supported by the Government, British Retail Consortium and the Trading Standards Institute. It was formed to provide added security against the increasing number of fraudulent cards. The PASS logos are virtually impossible to copy which prevent fraud and can also be recognised by retailers throughout the country.

Are application forms available electronically?

Not at present. The forms have to be scanned in by the card suppliers and therefore the position of the data is very important. If the forms were on the internet it would be possible for people to resize them which would make them unreadable. In the future however, we will be looking into a technological solution for this.

For this same reason, forms should not be photocopied.