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Healthy Start: help to buy food, milk and vitamins

If you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 and get certain benefits, you can get a prepaid card to buy milk, fruit, vegetables, pulses and infant formula, plus free vitamins. In Scotland the equivalent is Best Start Foods.

Applies to: England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland

Go to the official website: gov.uk

Official links

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Step by step

  1. Check you qualify: you usually need to get Universal Credit or Pension Credit. If you are under 18 and pregnant you can claim without benefits.
  2. Make sure your Universal Credit details are up to date and your children are named and verified on your claim.
  3. Apply online on the Healthy Start website (by email or phone if you get Pension Credit or are under 18).
  4. Use the card in shops that accept it. Money is added every 4 weeks. Use it also to collect free vitamins.

What you need

  • National Insurance number.
  • Your Universal Credit statement.
  • Your baby's due date, if you are pregnant.
  • If you are under 18: an official document such as a passport or birth certificate, and your NHS number.

Common mistakes

  • Applying with details that do not match your Universal Credit claim.
  • Not reapplying after the birth if you qualified as an under 18: payments stop 4 weeks after the due date.
  • Applying for Healthy Start from Scotland. Apply for Best Start Foods instead.

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