Healthy Start Scheme

The Healthy Start scheme is run by NHS England. It provides vouchers for pregnant women and families with a child under four years old on a low income to buy basic food items.

It offers:

  • pregnant women and children over one and under four years old a £3.10 voucher per week
  • children under one year old can get two £3.10 vouchers (£6.20) per week.

The vouchers can be spent with local retailers to buy:

  • plain cow’s milk – whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed. It can be pasteurised, sterilised, long life or UHT
  • plain fresh or frozen fruit and veg (fruit and vegetables with no added ingredients), whole or chopped, packaged or loose
  • cow’s milk-based infant formula milk (stage one) that says it can be used from birth.

Women and children receiving the vouchers can also get vitamin coupons to swap for free Healthy Start vitamins.

You can claim Healthy Start vouchers if:

  • if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or
  • have a child under four years old
  • and you or your family get:
    • Income Support
    • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
    • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    • Child Tax Credit with a family income of £16,1902 or less per year
    • Pension Credit; or Universal Credit with no earned income or total earned income of £4082 or less per month for the family.

You can also claim if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don’t get any of the above benefits.

Click here to download and complete the application form. Due to COVID-19 the health visitor/midwife no longer has to sign the form. Make sure you sign it and send by freepost to Healthy Start - the address is on the application form.

For further information visit the Healthy Start website here. You can download leaflets here.

Remember, you can speak to a member of the health visiting team by ringing your local hub in your area if you require further support.

Health visiting service