Healthy Start Scheme

The Healthy Start scheme helps eligible families to buy healthy food. Families can get £8.50 per week for a child under one and £4.25 per week for a child between ages one and four. Women who are 10 weeks pregnant or more can also receive £4.25 per week. Eligibility is income based and the money is loaded monthly onto a store card which can be used in shops that take Mastercard. Pregnant women aged under 18 eligible for the scheme regardless of any benefit/ income. Families can use the Healthy Start card to buy:

·       plain liquid cow’s milk

·       fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables

·       fresh, dried, and tinned pulses

·       infant formula (first stage) milk based on cow’s milk

More information about eligibility and how to apply: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/.

Eligible families can also receive healthy start vitamins from participating clinics, they must provide their Healthy Start card as proof of being on the scheme. Parents can find out which clinics give out the vitamins via the postcode search: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/healthy-start-vitamins/locationsearch/348