You can get a Healthy Start card if you:

• are at least 10 weeks pregnant or
• have a child under four years old.

Your family must also get at least one of the following:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit with a family income of £16,190 or less per year
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit with no earned income or total earned income of £408 or less per month for the family. (To find this, look at your Universal Credit award notice in the section “your take home pay for this month”.)

Families with No Recourse to Public Funds may also be able to apply. You should email healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk to talk to an advisor.

If you are under 18 and pregnant, you can get a Healthy Start card even if you don’t get any of the above benefits.

You can use the money on your Healthy Start card to pay for:

• fresh or frozen fruit and veg (whole or chopped, packaged or loose – with no added ingredients)
• fresh, dried, and tinned beans and pulses
• plain cow’s milk (whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed)
• infant formula milk

You can also use your card to collect:

• Healthy Start Vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old

You’ll receive your card by post.

It will come with your first payment loaded on it then money will be automatically added to your card every 4 weeks.

To activate your card before you can go shopping, you’ll need to call 0300 330 2090

You’ll need to have the following to hand when you make the call:

• Card
• Date of birth
• Client ID (located at the top of the letter that arrives with your card)

The first time you use your card in a store you’ll need to insert your card and use your PIN number.

After that, you can make contactless payments of up to £45.

There are different ways to apply for Healthy Start depending on what benefit awards you receive.

You can only apply online if;

• You get Universal Credit and you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under 4 years old
• You get Universal Credit and your family’s monthly ‘take-home pay for this period’ is £408 or less from employment
• You get Child Tax Credit and you have at least one child under 4 years old
• You get Child Tax Credit and your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less

You need to apply by email or phone if;

1. If you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant, or have at least one child under 4 years old, and get either:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit (which includes the child addition)
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks if your working hours, or your partner or carer’s, go to less than 16 hours per week)

2. If you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant and either:

• under 18 years old and not getting any benefits
• getting Child Tax Credits and your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less
• getting income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

How to apply online

Apply for your card online at HealthyStart.nhs.uk

You do not need a signature from a health professional on your application.

To apply, you’ll need the following to hand:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number
• baby’s due date (if you’re pregnant)
• benefit award letter if you’re over 18

Top tip: You must make sure that the details you are entering are exactly how they appear on your benefits claim letter.

Otherwise the system won’t be able to find you and this might delay your application.

Eg if you are listed as Victoria on your claims letter, the system won’t be able to find you if you apply for Healthy Start as Vicky.

If you are still getting an unsuccessful application message, contact your benefit agency to check your details are correct, then try applying again.

Top tip: Before applying for Healthy Start, you need to make sure that all your children under four years old are named on your Universal Credit claim as your application will be checked against this.

 How to apply by email or phone

• Email: healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
• Or call: 0300 330 7010

Phone lines are open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

Please note that some mobile providers charge outside of free minutes for 0300 numbers, so please check before you call.

Top tip: Use this template email if you are unsure what to write in your email:

Hello,

My name is (insert full name) and I think I might be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme. I (am over ten weeks pregnant/have a child under 4) and receive (insert benefit name).

Please send me a form to apply for the Healthy Start card.

OR

Please can you email back to arrange a good time to call to complete the form over the phone with me.

Thanks,