Benefits for employees

Our benefits

Listed below are some of the benefits that the RHS offers to our employees – please note that terms and conditions will apply. 

RHS Flower Shows

You can apply for complimentary tickets for access to all RHS Flower Shows which can also be used by friends and family.

RHS Gardens

Free access to all five RHS Gardens with your employee photo ID card, plus tickets for full-time employees, one ticket for employees who work less than 20 hours per week).

You can also gain free access to Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place on presentation of your RHS employee photo ID card.

Employee discounts

All employees are eligible for a 20% discount at all RHS Shops and Garden Centres on presentation of your employee photo ID card. Staff discount is also available online and works for RHS Shop (except on vouchers and membership) and RHS Plants (only for plants, bulbs and seeds).

All employees are eligible for a 50% discount on meals for yourself at all RHS cafés and restaurants on presentation of your employee photo ID card (excludes alcohol, bottled drinks, ice cream and pre-prepared snack items such as crisps). At RHS Garden Wisley, the discount is not available between 12noon and 2pm, Monday to Friday.

All employees are eligible for a 20% discount at RHS Garden Rosemoor self-catering holiday apartments. Available from October to April. To book, contact the Visitor Services Manager at Rosemoor.

RHS Libraries

You will have free access to the RHS Libraries, Reading Rooms and opportunities to borrow books and DVDs.

Other RHS benefits

• Employees can develop their gardening skills with free horticultural advice from our team of horticultural experts
• Employees are entitled to free packets of seeds. Free seeds are dispatched from late January each year. Make your selections from the seeds list from 1 November to 31 March
• Our employees receive a copy of The Garden magazine – free every month

Health and wellbeing benefits

Our Employee Assistance Programme provides free and confidential advice and support to you and your immediate family. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with face-to-face or telephone counselling sessions. LifeWorks 0800 169 1920.

There is an Occupational Health Referral for on-going support with longer team heath issues. Referrals may be made by the People Team to our Occupational Health Provider.

We offer 25 days annual leave per annum plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata for part-time employees), with the opportunity to buy 5 days’ holiday or carry forward up to 5 days to the following year. Holiday increases to 28 days on the anniversary of
3 years’ service and to 30 days on your 10th anniversary.

Where you use a computer as part of your role, reimbursement for an annual eye test up to £25 plus a contribution of up to £75 towards glasses or lenses if these are needed specifically for VDU work is available. To receive the reimbursement, please complete the form on the People Toolkit and submit through the expenses system.

Group income protection and private medical insurance are available to senior managers and Directors. For further details email: peopleservices@rhs.org.uk.

Financial benefits

New employees are automatically enrolled into the contributory Aviva Group Personal Pension Plan after 3 months’ completed service on a salary exchange basis if you earn over £21,000 p.a. The RHS will initially match your contribution and will increase this with your length of service, up to a maximum of 10%. Further information is available on People Toolkit.

For advice about your Aviva pension, call Aviva on 0800 145 5744 or contactus@aviva.co.uk. For any general advice on pensions, our benefits broker Aon will be able to help. Please contact either Mark Hathaway, Senior Consultant by phone 0207 086 9129/07980 225095 or by email mark.hathaway@aon.com or Alan Breen, Associate Consultant by phone 0207 086 9568 or by email alan.breen@aon.com.

Life assurance cover is provided to all employees aged 16 to 75 and pays out 3 times your annual salary in the event of a death in service.

You can apply for an interest-free travel loan for your annual season ticket of up to £10k once you have completed your probationary period.

You can also apply for an interest-free loan to purchase a bicycle in our ride to work scheme. This is provided through a salary exchange basis and can provide tax benefits. To find out more please email payrollservices@rhs.org.uk.

By registering with LifeWorks, you may take advantage of a range of discounts from some of the biggest names in health, leisure, travel, insurance and major high street retailers.

Due to Government changes, you are no longer able to join our childcare voucher scheme. Instead, you will need to apply for the new Government Tax-Free Childcare Scheme through the HMRC government gateway.

We recognise and celebrate employees’ long service milestones with long service awards. Details can be found on People Toolkit.

If you refer a friend or relative who secures a permanent or fixed-term contract role at the RHS we will pay you a £100 referral fee following the successful completion of their probationary period.

Learning and development

At the RHS, we offer a range of learning and development opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and knowledge through personal and professional development.

In addition, we provide:

• Work-related professional qualifications
• Paid-for subscriptions to professional membership as part of your role
• A bursaries scheme to cover the costs of undertaking a wide range of horticultural projects, whether abroad or within the UK

Please speak to your Line Manager for further advice.

Please note: These benefits may be changed or withdrawn and do not form part of your contract of employment. Further terms and qualifying conditions may apply. For further information please email peopleservices@rhs.org.uk.

Employee Benefits Guide (720kB pdf)