Sainsbury's has announced that it is aiming to hire 20,000 seasonal staff members for the Christmas period.

Applications have opened for various different positions and they will be employed for up to three months during its busiest time of year.

The UK-wide roles will include 18,000 at Sainsbury’s and 2,000 at Argos.

Staff will be employed on fixed-term contracts ranging from three weeks to three months.

Hourly pay for in-store and warehouse employees ranges from £12 to £13.50, depending on the location and the role, and between £13 and £14.65 for drivers.

Workers are also offered free food during shifts and a 10% discount across stores, rising to 15% every Friday and Saturday at Sainsbury’s and on payday at Argos.

The positions available range from shop workers, including restocking shelves, staff in warehouses to pick and prepare stock, and drivers for home deliveries.

Prerana Issar, the chief people officer at Sainsbury’s, said: “As the festive season draws near, we’re getting ready to create a memorable Christmas for our customers – and our brilliant colleagues play a central role in bringing this to life.

“Joining us during this busy time is a fantastic opportunity to meet great people and acquire skills that will stay with you long after the festive season.”

On Sainsbury's jobs page on its website, it says: "Over 150 years old and still going strong, we’re the UK’s second-biggest retailer. Every day, the nation shops with us because they know they’ll get affordable, good food and excellent service.

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"We focus on great value and convenient shopping across our family of brands, from Argos, Nectar and Habitat to Sainsbury’s Bank, Smart Charge and Tu."

It continues: "We've put food back at the heart of our business and we’re taking Sainsbury’s to the next level.

"We’re investing in technology and people and we’re thinking bigger about how we attract and connect with our customers, while doing everything we can to create a more resilient UK food system."