Taxi services and food delivery comanues are going to offer discounted rides and meals for customers who get a Covid-19 jab to help boost vaccine uptake.

The deal comes as part of a government incentive to encourage younger people to get vaccinated against coronavirus. 

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said around 67% of people aged 18 to 29 in England have received a first dose of the vaccine.

The latest initiative will see firms such as Uber, Bolt and Deliveroo among the brands offering incentives in order to encourage young people to get their jab.

‘Please get your jabs as soon as you can and grab a bargain’

The DHSC said taxi app firm Uber will be sending reminders to all users in August encouraging them to get jabbed, with the company also offering discounted Uber rides and meals on its Uber Eats platform for young adults who receive a Covid vaccine.

Another ride-hailing app, Bolt, will offer “free ride credit” to vaccination centres following a similar scheme earlier this year, when it offered £250,000 worth of free rides to London vaccination facilities.

Food delivery firm Deliveroo will also give vouchers to young people who get jabbed.

A spokesperson for the company said: “At Deliveroo we want to do our small part to support the NHS during the pandemic, including delivering a million free meals to frontline NHS staff and vaccine centres. This is the next step in helping people get vaccinated and safely back to normal.”

The DHSC said further details on partnerships will be released “in due course” and other incentives “could include vouchers or discount codes for people attending pop-up vaccine sites and booking through the NHS, social media competitions and promotional offers for restaurants”.

The department added: “Companies will not ask for or hold any health data for the incentive scheme.”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid thanked businesses for “stepping up” to support the vaccine drive and urged people to “take advantage of the discounts”.

He said: “The lifesaving vaccines not only protect you, your loved ones and your community, but they are helping to bring us back together by allowing you to get back to doing the things you’ve missed.”

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said there was “strong enthusiasm” among young people so far to get vaccinated, adding: “Please get your jabs as soon as you can and grab a bargain.”