Little-known benefit that gives parents a £442 boost to spend in supermarkets

A LITTLE-known benefit that gives parents up to £442 to spend on their weekly food shop continues to go unclaimed.

An estimated 181,255 households could be due the support, according to new figures by Policy in Practice.

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The Healthy Start scheme supports pregnant people and families with young children.

The free cash support available can be used to fund groceries, including fruit, vegetables, and milk.

The scheme provides a weekly allowance of £4.25 for people over 10 weeks pregnant, £8.50 for the first year of a child’s life, and £4.25 a week for children aged one to four.

Eligibility is based on income levels and entitlement to means-tested
benefits such as Universal Credit.

It’s always worth checking to see if you can claim, as it can be worth up to £442 a year per child.

Previously Healthy Start used to be issued via paper vouchers, but eligible households now receive a prepaid card.

We’ve explained everything you need to know about the Healthy Start scheme below.

Who is eligible?

To receive the Healthy Start card, you must be on one of the following benefits:

• Child tax credits (only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
• Income support
• Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• Pension credit (which includes the child addition)
• Universal Credit (only if your family’s take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)

You will also be eligible for Healthy Start if:

• You’re under 18 and pregnant, even if you are not claiming any benefits
• You claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are over 10 weeks pregnant
• You, your partner or your carer get working tax credit run-on only after you have reported you’re working 16 hours or less per week

What can I buy with my Healthy Start card

THE card can only be used to buy certain items – here is the full list of what you can and cannot buy

You can purchase the following:

• Fresh fruit and veg
• Tinned or frozen fruit or veg
• Dried fruit
• Fresh, dried or tinned pulses
• Fresh or long-life pasteurised cow’s milk
• Baby formula made from cow’s milk
• Healthy Start vitamins
• You cannot purchase:
• Any frozen or tinned foods with added ingredients like fat, salt, sugar or flavourings, such as tinned tomatoes with herbs or kidney beans in chilli sauce
• Chips or onion rings
• Tinned fruits in syrup
• Smoothies or juices
• Plant-based milk
• Follow-on formula
• Powdered, condensed or flavoured milk (apart from stage one infant formula)

How much will I get?

You’ll get £4.25 each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week, £8.50 each week for children from birth to one, and £4.25 each week for children between one and four.

That’s as much as £442 worth of free food over the year for each child.

Your money will stop when your child is four years old or if you no longer receive benefits.

How do I access the cash?

Healthy Start money is issued on a prepaid card that you can use in most places where food is sold, including supermarkets such as Alid, Iceland and Tesco.

You can also swipe it at a number of convenience stores, pharmacies, markets, butchers shops and petrol stations.