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Healthy Start

Good nutrition is vital for pregnant women and young children. The Healthy Start scheme (Best Start Foods in Scotland) helps families on lower incomes access healthier foods and free vitamins.

But many eligible families either don’t know about the scheme or aren’t sure how to use it. This page explains who qualifies, how to apply, where you can use them, and how to make the most of it.

What is the Healthy Start Scheme?

Get help to buy food and milk.

Healthy Start provides pregnant women and families with children under 4 with weekly payments to spend on fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk and infant formula, plus access to free vitamins.

Over 200,000 eligible families are currently missing out. With the rising cost of living, using Healthy Start could make a real difference to your food budget, so check your eligibility and apply.

How much is it worth?

Healthy Start (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)

Eligible families receive:

  • £4.25 a week from the 10th week of pregnancy

  • £8.50 a week for children aged 0-1

  • £4.25 a week for children aged 1-4

Payments can be used in over 30,000 shops.

Best Start Foods (Scotland)

If you live in Scotland, payments are:

  • £18 every 4 weeks during pregnancy

  • £36 every 4 weeks from birth to 1 year

  • £18 every 4 weeks for children aged 1-3

Where can I use the vouchers?

You can use your Healthy Start or Best Start Foods card in most shops that sell:

  • fruit and veg (fresh, frozen or tinned)

  • pulses (fresh, dried or tinned)

  • plain cow’s milk

  • infant formula based on cow’s milk

Shops must accept Mastercard®. Look for the logo on the door or till. Paper vouchers (if you still have them) can be used until their expiry date.




What can I get?

You can spend your Healthy Start or Best Start Foods payment on:

  • Plain liquid cow’s milk
  • Fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables
  • Fresh, dried, or tinned pulses
  • Infant formula based on cow’s milk




Am I eligible?

If you get Universal Credit, you can apply online if:

  • you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under 4 years old
  • your family’s monthly ‘take-home pay’ (also called ‘earned income’) is £408 or less from employment

If you get Child Tax Credit, you may be eligible for Healthy Start if:

  • your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less
  • you do not get Working Tax Credit

Most people who get Child Tax Credit can apply online. You can apply online if you’re either:

  • more than 10 weeks pregnant and have children under the age of 4
  • not pregnant but have children under the age of 4

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant and have other children who are all aged 4 or older, you’ll need to apply by email or phone.

 

What if I'm in Scotland?

You may qualify for Best Start Foods and the Best Start Grant if:

  • You live in Scotland

  • You or your partner get certain benefits or tax credits

  • You or your partner are pregnant, or the main carer of a baby/child of eligible age

If you’re under 18, you can apply even if you’re not on benefits.

If you’re over 18, you can apply if you receive one of the following:

Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (with CTC), Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based JSA, or income-related ESA.

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