Families on low incomes are encouraged to sign up or if already signed up, look out for their letter telling them to switch to a new card offering healthy food funding.
Those using Healthy Start vouchers will soon be switched to a Healthy Start prepaid card which allows them to buy essentials to keep their family’s diet full of vital fruit, vegetables, milk and more.
The Healthy Start scheme is open to pregnant women who are more than 10 weeks pregnant through to parents who have a child under four-years-old and meet the requirements. The current weekly amount is between £4.25 and £8.50. The new card system will replace the vouchers and works with the advantage of being paid onto the card every four weeks. This can then be used in a variety of shops across the borough to buy:
- plain liquid cow’s milk
- fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
- fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
- infant formula milk based on cow’s milk
The card also allows you to collect:
- Healthy Start vitamins – available through pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Vitamin drops for babies and young children – from birth to four-year-olds
The new card can be accepted at any shop that takes Mastercard.
To find out more about the Healthy Start scheme, including how to apply if you think you might qualify but don’t already receive the funding visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk or call 0345 607 6823.
