The scheme offers financial support to help with the cost of food for families on lower incomes.
Healthy Start is a national initiative designed to support pregnant women, new parents and families with children under four to access healthy food and essential vitamins during the early years.
With the rising cost of living continuing to impact households, the scheme can provide valuable help towards weekly food costs and support healthier family eating.
What support is available?
Families who qualify will receive a prepaid Healthy Start card, which is topped up every four weeks. The card can be used in most shops that accept card payments to buy essential items, including:
- 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
Families can also collect:
- Healthy Start vitamins to support pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Vitamin drops for babies and young children, suitable from birth to age four
How much could you receive?
The current payments are:
- £4.65 per week during pregnancy
- £9.30 per week for babies under 12 months
- £4.65 per week for children aged 1 to 4
Who can apply?
You may be eligible for Healthy Start if you are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, and receive certain benefits, including:
- Universal Credit (with a monthly take-home pay of £408 or less)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Pension Credit (with a child addition)
You may also qualify if you are:
- Pregnant and under 18 (even if you do not receive benefits), or
- Pregnant and receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
How to apply
Applying is quick and easy. You can:
- Apply online at www.healthystart.nhs.uk
- Email healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
- Call 0300 330 7010
If your application is successful, you’ll receive a Healthy Start card that will be topped up automatically every four weeks.