What is the Healthy Start scheme and am I eligible?

Full answer

Healthy Start is a UK government nutrition scheme aimed at pregnant women and families on a low income with children under the age of four. Successful applicants receive a prepaid Healthy Start card that is topped up automatically every week. The money can only be spent on plain liquid cow's milk, fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried and tinned pulses, and infant formula based on cow's milk. Cardholders can also get free Healthy Start vitamins for pregnancy and for young children. The weekly card amounts and the exact qualifying income threshold are set by the scheme and are not included in this rate card, so confirm the current values on the official Healthy Start website before applying. Who it affects: you may qualify if you are at least 10 weeks pregnant, or you have a child under four, and you or your family receive a qualifying benefit. Qualifying benefits typically include Universal Credit (where household earned income is below a set monthly limit), Child Tax Credit in some cases, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or Pension Credit. Pregnant women under 18 can qualify regardless of whether they receive benefits. Because eligibility is tied to low earned income under Universal Credit, your take-home pay matters: a pay rise that pushes earned income above the scheme limit can end entitlement. If you want to understand how extra hours or a higher wage change your net income, a take-home-pay or salary calculator can help you model it. Apply online through the NHS Healthy Start service; you will usually need your name, date of birth and National Insurance number, and a midwife or health visitor may need to confirm a pregnancy. Payments stop automatically when your circumstances change, so report changes promptly.

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