Healthy Start (NHS)

Learn about the NHS's Healthy Start scheme and get help buying food and milk and free vitamins to keep your child healthy.

About the Healthy Start card

If you’re pregnant or have a child under 4 and are on certain benefits, you might be able to get help to buy food and milk with a Healthy Start card.

What you'll get:

£4.25 each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week
£8.50 each week for children from birth to age 1
£4.25 each week for children between age 1 and 4.

Your money will stop when your child is 4, or if you no longer receive benefits.

If you are not on any benefits, there may be other ways you can qualify.

What can you use the Healthy Start card for?

You can spend the money on your Healthy Start card on fruit, vegetables and milk. You can also spend it on infant formula milk but only if it is the type of milk that babies can have from birth.

For advice and support on healthy eating, visit our Healthy Eating information page.

Where can I use the card?

You can use your card in most places that sell milk, infant formula, fruit, and vegetables. This includes

supermarkets
convenience stores
grocery stores
drug stores and pharmacies
markets
dairy products stores
news dealers and newsstands
freezer and locker meat provisioners (such as butcher shops)
petrol stations.

These places must display a Mastercard logo.

Who can apply to Healthy Start?

You can get help to buy food and milk if you're at least 10 weeks pregnant or you have a child that's under 4.

You must also be receiving any of these benefits:

Child Tax Credit (if your family's annual income is £16,190 or less)
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Pension Credit (which includes the child addition)
Universal Credit (if your family's take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)

You'll also be eligible for Healthy Start if

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
you're under the age of 18 and pregnant, even if you're not claiming any benefits.

How to apply for a Healthy Start card

If you qualify for Healthy Start, use the following link to apply online, by email or phone.

Find out how to apply for Healthy Start (NHS)

Healthy Start vitamins

The Healthy Start vitamins are

vitamins for when you are pregnant or breastfeeding
vitamin drops for babies and children.

Who should take Healthy Start vitamins?

Healthy Start vitamins can be taken by

all pregnant women
all breastfeeding women
babies from birth if they are breastfed, or as soon as your baby is having less than 500ml (one pint) of infant formula milk per day
children up to 4 years of age.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for everyone, but especially for the groups listed above, as it helps to keep bones and muscles strong and healthy. Healthy Start vitamins include Vitamin D. If you choose not to take Healthy Start vitamins we recommend you and your family takes a Vitamin D supplement.

Where can you get Healthy Start vitamins

You can get Healthy Start vitamins at some of our Family Hubs.

If you get a Healthy Start prepaid card you will get free vitamins. You'll need to show your card to get the free vitamins.

If you don’t qualify for Healthy Start you can still buy Healthy Start vitamins at a discounted price at the Family Hub.

Find where you can get Healthy Start vitamins

Find your nearest:

Or by phoning:

Nottinghamshire County Council's customer service centre on 0300 500 80 80
Nottingham City Council's Families Information Service on 0115 8765910

Download the Healthy Start Vitamins leaflet (Nottinghamshire Family Hub Network) [PDF]

More about the Healthy Start scheme

For more information on the Healthy Start scheme you can

Visit Healthy Start website (NHS)
Read the Healthy Start Leaflet (NHS) [PDF]
Call the Healthy Start Helpline at 0300 330 7010. You can also use this number to request an interpreter.
If you're Deaf or have a hearing loss, you can call the relay text phone service on 18001 0300 330 7010
Speak to your midwife, Family Hub centre or Healthy Family team (Directory listing)