Healthy Start Scheme
If you’re pregnant or have a child under 4, the Healthy Start scheme can help you buy basic foods like milk or fruit.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.
You can use your card to buy:
- plain liquid cow’s milk
- fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
- fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
- infant formula milk based on cow’s milk
You can also use your card to collect:
- Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old
For more information, visit the website, ring the helpline, or speak to your health visitor.
Who to contact
- Telephone
- 0300 330 7010 0300 330 7010
- Website
- www.healthystart.nhs.uk/
- Scan to visit this website
Who is it for?
- Eligibility Details
You must be in receipt of one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Child Tax Credit (but only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
- Universal Credit (but only if your family earns £408 or less from employment)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Working Tax Credit (but only if your family is receiving the 4 week ‘run-on’ payment)
You’ll also be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme if you’re pregnant and under 18, even if you don’t receive any benefits. You can check your eligibility online.
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