Healthy Start Food Vouchers
Key information
Healthy Start Food Vouchers can be
exchanged for free milk, fruit or vegetables. You could also get
free vitamin supplements.
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland.
Age Rules: There are no specific age rules
Type of benefit: Non means tested.
But in some cases you will need to be eligible for a
means-tested benefit in order to qualify.
Administered by: National Health Service
(NHS)
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Who does it help?
You can get Healthy Start Vouchers if you are at least ten weeks
pregnant and under 18.
Otherwise, you can get Healthy Start Food Vouchers and vitamins
if you are at least ten weeks pregnant and you
are getting:
If you are getting Working Tax Credit,
you could get Healthy Start Food Vouchers, but only if you are
receiving Working Tax Credit run-on. This is the payment you get in
the four weeks immediately after you have stopped working for 16
hours or more per week.
You also qualify for Healthy Start Food Vouchers if you are not
getting one of these benefits yourself but:
- you live with your partner and your partner gets the benefit,
or
- you are the dependent child of someone who is getting the
benefit.
Once you have had your baby, you can still get Healthy Start
Food Vouchers and vitamins for any child up to the age four, as
long as you are still getting one of the benefits listed above.
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What help does it provide?
You have to exchange the vouchers for milk, fresh fruit or fresh
vegetables.
You cannot get frozen, dried or canned fruit and vegetables, or
fruit and vegetables to which anything, such as fat, salt, sugar or
flavourings, has been added. You cannot get fruit juice or
smoothies.
Free vitamin supplements are usually available from NHS clinics
and health centres but your midwife or health visitor will be able
to help you with what is available locally.
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How much does it pay?
You get Healthy Start Food Vouchers worth:
- £3.10 a week if you are pregnant
- £6.20 a week for each baby aged under one
- £3.10 a week for each child aged over one and under four.
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How do I make a claim?
To claim Healthy Start Food Vouchers, you should fill in a claim
form and have it approved by a health professional, for example, a
midwife. The form is in a leaflet called 'Healthy Start', which you
can get from your midwife or doctor or from the Healthy Start website (link opens
in a new window)
Or you can apply online from the Healthy Start website (link opens
in a new window)
Talk to your doctor, health visitor, midwife or other health
care professional about claiming vitamins.
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What documents will I need?
You will need a health care professional to certify that you are
pregnant. Or if your baby has been born, you will need to show
their birth certificate. In most cases, you will need a
national insurance number. You will need to show evidence of your
identity and evidence of your income and savings or evidence that
you are claiming certain benefits.
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This information has been produced by Citizens Advice.
Last updated: 4 November 2011
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