Healthy Start

Overview

Healthy Start is a scheme administered by the NHS Business Services Authority that provides a prepaid card for pregnant women and for families with children under four, intended to help with the cost of essential foods and infant formula. Eligible purchases include cow's milk, first infant formula, fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables without added ingredients, and fresh, tinned, or dried pulses. Vitamins for pregnancy and young children can also be obtained through the scheme. To qualify, the applicant must be more than 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under four years old, and in receipt of a qualifying benefit (typically Universal Credit below a set monthly earnings threshold, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or Child Tax Credit below a set income level). Under-18s who are pregnant can qualify on age grounds alone, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying benefit. The scheme operates across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; in Scotland, a separate scheme called Best Start Foods is administered by Social Security Scotland with broadly similar aims but different eligibility and administration. Individual eligibility and card value are determined by the NHSBSA. This page references criteria from the primary Healthy Start NHS source; the authoritative source for any individual claim remains the NHSBSA.

Applies in England, Wales, Northern Ireland. Administered by NHSBSA. This page is general information; contact NHSBSA for your individual circumstances.

Eligibility criteria include

• HOUSEHOLD
  Applicant must be more than 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under 4 years old to apply online. ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}
• INCOME
  Family's monthly take-home pay (earned income) from employment must be £408 or less to apply online. ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}
• OTHER
  To apply by email or phone, applicant must be more than 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under 4 years old, and must get Pension Credit (including the child addition). ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}
• AGE
  Applicants who are more than 10 weeks pregnant and under 18 years old and not getting any benefits can also apply by email or phone. ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}
• INCOME
  For non-British citizens with a British child, family must earn £408 or less per month after tax. ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}
• RESIDENCE
  Applicants living in Scotland are directed to Best Start Foods instead of Healthy Start. ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}
• IMMIGRATION
  Non-British citizens with at least one British child under 4 may be eligible if they cannot claim public funds due to immigration status or no immigration status, and family earns £408 or less per month after tax. ^{[www.healthystart.nhs.uk]}

Sources