Sainsbury’s and Argos are recruiting 17,500 temporary workers across the UK ahead of Christmas, with some jobs paying up to £16.04 an hour.
Applications opened on 5 October 2026, with jobs available in supermarkets, convenience stores, warehouses, Argos stores and delivery operations across the country.
The temporary contracts will last between four and 12 weeks, making them an option for anyone looking to bring in some extra money in the run-up to Christmas.
What Christmas jobs are available?
Sainsbury’s says seasonal workers will help across its stores, warehouses, delivery services and online operations.
Roles being recruited for include:
- Sainsbury’s Customer Assistants
- Sainsbury’s Customer Delivery Drivers
- Argos Customer Advisors
- Argos Delivery Drivers
- Argos Warehouse Operatives
The work varies depending on the job.
Store staff could be filling shelves, serving customers and helping with orders, while warehouse workers will help pick, pack and prepare Argos products.
Delivery drivers will take shopping or Argos orders directly to customers.
Current Christmas vacancies show both full-time and part-time jobs, with early morning, daytime, evening and weekend shifts depending on the location.
How much do the Sainsbury’s and Argos Christmas jobs pay?
Pay depends on the job and where you are based.
Sainsbury’s has confirmed the following pay ranges for its Christmas recruitment drive:
| Job | Hourly pay |
|---|---|
| In-store jobs | £13.23 to £14.54 |
| Argos delivery drivers | £14.23 to £15.54 |
| Sainsbury’s delivery drivers | £14.73 to £16.04 |
The higher rates can apply to certain locations and roles.
Sainsbury’s says its base hourly rate is £13.23 nationally and £14.54 in London, while driving jobs pay more.
Some shifts can come with extra pay too. Current Sainsbury’s job adverts say an additional £2.45 an hour is paid for eligible hours worked between midnight and 5am, where applicable.
Always check the individual vacancy before applying as pay, hours and shift requirements can vary.
How long do the Christmas jobs last?
Sainsbury’s says its Christmas workers will be employed on fixed-term contracts lasting between four and 12 weeks.
There could be opportunities to stay with the company afterwards, although this isn’t guaranteed.
Sainsbury’s says permanent opportunities will depend on what individual stores and sites need. Seasonal workers can apply for suitable permanent positions if they become available.
It’s also worth checking the contract type carefully when looking at vacancies.
Sainsbury’s is advertising permanent jobs alongside temporary Christmas positions, so don’t assume every vacancy you see on its careers website is part of the festive recruitment drive.
What perks do Christmas workers get?
Seasonal workers can get free food during their shifts.
Sainsbury’s is also offering an uncapped 10% colleague discount at Sainsbury’s and Argos, which increases to 15% at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday.
There is an important detail to know before relying on the discount straight away.
Current Sainsbury’s job adverts say the colleague discount card becomes available after four weeks of employment.
As Christmas contracts can last for as little as four weeks, people taking one of the shortest contracts may want to check when they would become eligible.
Current job adverts also list benefits including holiday entitlement based on the hours you work, pension contributions and discounts with other businesses.
Exactly what you receive can depend on the role and your circumstances, so check the vacancy before applying.
Who can apply?
Requirements vary depending on the job.
Some current vacancies accept applicants who are above school-leaving age and have the right to work in the UK, while other roles require applicants to be at least 18 because of the working hours or the goods they may need to handle.
Current Sainsbury’s and Argos delivery-driver adverts say applicants need to have held a full UK or EU driving licence for at least 12 months and have no more than six points on it.
Some delivery roles also specifically require applicants to be over 18.
How to apply for a Sainsbury’s or Argos Christmas job
Applications are open now.
You can search the available positions on the Sainsbury’s Christmas jobs page.
Choose a role near you and check the hourly pay, contracted hours, shift times, contract type and closing date before applying.
It could be worth applying sooner rather than later if you find something suitable.
Current Christmas vacancies have different closing dates, and Sainsbury’s warns on its job adverts that vacancies can close quickly.
The company also says people can speak to their local Sainsbury’s store for information about Christmas vacancies.
There are fewer Christmas jobs than last year
Sainsbury’s and Argos recruited for 19,000 seasonal positions in 2025, compared with 17,500 this year.
That means this year’s announced Christmas recruitment drive is 1,500 jobs smaller, a fall of around 8%.
Sainsbury’s says it reviews how many seasonal workers it needs each year to make sure it has the right number of people in the right locations.
It has said the reduction is not due to its KickStarter work-experience programme, changes in employment law or the planned separation of Argos.
Pay has increased since last Christmas, however.
In 2025, Sainsbury’s advertised in-store Christmas jobs paying between £12.60 and £13.85 an hour, with Sainsbury’s delivery-driver rates reaching £15.35.
For Christmas 2026, in-store jobs pay between £13.23 and £14.54, while Sainsbury’s delivery-driver rates can reach £16.04 an hour.
If temporary Christmas work isn’t right for you, there are plenty of other flexible options in our guide to the best side hustles in the UK for 2026.
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