Healthy Start Food Vouchers are vouchers that can be used to buy healthy foods. They are for pregnant people and people who are responsible for children under 4. Healthy Start Food Vouchers can be exchanged for plain cows’ milk, plain, fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, any type of fresh, dried and tinned pulses such as lentils and infant formula milk.
If you’re pregnant or have children under the age of 4 you could be able to get free vouchers or payments every 4 weeks to spend on:
- Cow’s milk
- Fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables
- Infant formula milk
- Fresh, dried and tinned pulses
How much could I get?
- If you’re pregnant – you could get 1 voucher a week worth £4.25 after your 10th week of pregnancy
- If you have a child under 1 – you could get 2 vouchers a week worth £8.50
- If you have a child aged between 1 and 4 you could get 1 voucher worth £4.25 a week
With the impact of the pandemic continuing to bite,Lidl, Co-Op, Tesco, Iceland are have stepped in to ensure children and families can get more value for their vouchers. Lidl are adding £1.15 (you will be notified at the till), Iceland are adding an extra £1 of frozen of frozen vegetables, (staff will remind you at the till if you haven’t picked any up), Tesco will give you a voucher worth £1 off your next shop and Co-Op are adding £1 to your vouchers.
Do I qualify?
You’ll qualify for the Healthy Start Scheme if you are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child that’s under 4. In addition you must be receiving one (or more) of the following:
- Child Tax Credit: (only of your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Pension Credit (which includes the child addition)
- Universal Credit (only of your family’s take home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)
- You’re under 18 and pregnant, even if you are not claiming any benefits
- You claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are over 10 weeks pregnant
- You or your partner get Working Tax Credit run-on only (Working Tax Credit run-on is the Working Tax Credit you receive in the 4 weeks immediately after you have stopped working for 16 hours or more per week)
To find out if your family earns £408 or less per month from employment whilst claiming Universal Credit, look at your ‘take home pay for this period’ on your monthly Universal Credit award notice.
How do I Apply?
You can apply for Health Start vouchers using the paper form here:
Download the Healthy Start paper form
Since April 2020 you don’t need a Health Professional to sign section B so you can leave this section blank.
Print out the form, fill it in and post to:
Freepost RRTR-SYAE-JKCR
Healthy Start Issuing Unit
PO Box 1067
Warrington
WA55 1EG
You can also call the Healthy Start Helpline on: 0345 607 6823 and they can send one in the post.
You can also ask your local Children & Family Centre, Midwife or Health Visitor for an application form
Healthy Start FAQ’s
Even if you’re not sure that you are eligible we always suggest that you apply as it’s a great way to make a difference to your weekly budget.
