What is Healthy Start?
With Healthy Start, you can get free vouchers every week which you can swap for milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins. Healthy Start replaces the Welfare Food Scheme.
Do I qualify for Healthy Start?
You qualify for Healthy Start if you're pregnant or have a child under four years old AND:
- you or your family get Income Support, or
- you or your family get income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or
- you or your family get Employment and Support Allowance, or
- you or your family get Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit unless your family is receiving Working Tax Credit run-on only) and have an annual family income of below £16,190 or less
- you or your family get Universal Credit (with a family take home pay of £408 or less per month)
You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don’t get any of the above benefits.
How do I apply?
- Get an application form and fill it in – you can fill it in online or print a blank copy, or contact 0845 607 6823 and they can post you a leaflet and application. Alternatively you may be able to request a copy from your midwife, health visitor or local doctors surgery.
- Take the application form to your midwife or health visitor.
- Ask them to fill in and sign Part B of the form or give you a letter confirming that you're pregnant and/or that you've got children under the age of four.
- Make sure all the information is correct and sign the form.
- Send the form (and the letter if you have one) to us - no need for a stamp.