As part of the NHS Healthy Start Scheme, pregnant women and those with young children are able to purchase healthy and nutritious foods to give their children the very best start in life.
What Is The Healthy Start Scheme?
The Healthy Start Scheme is an NHS initiative that aims to help parents give their children the healthiest start in life. If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
If you are eligible, you will receive a Healthy Start card which is topped up with funds each month and can be used in a range of UK stores.
If you are receiving a qualifying benefit and are eligible, you can get:
- £4.25 each week of your pregnancy (from the 10th week of your pregnancy)
- £8.50 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
- £4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old.
These funds can be used to buy:
- plain liquid cow’s milk
- fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables
- fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
- infant formula milk based on cow’s milk
Visit the Healthy Start Website to check your eligibility and start your application.
Healthy Start Vitamins
Young children and babies may not get enough vitamin A and D even if they are eating a varied diet. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you may not get enough vitamin C, vitamin D or folic acid.
In Blackburn with Darwen, you can get these important vitamins for FREE if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a child under 4 years old. These are available to all, regardless of eligibility to the Healthy Start scheme.
There are two products available:
- Healthy Start women’s tablets containing folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin D
- Healthy Start children’s drops containing vitamins A, C and D
Free Healthy Start vitamins are available to collect from your local Family Hub or Children’s Centre.
