Parents could be entitled to claim up to £1,348.50 through an NHS initiative that many may be completely unaware of.
If you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, you may qualify for assistance purchasing healthy food and milk through the NHS Healthy Start scheme.
Those deemed eligible will receive a Healthy Start card loaded with money that can be spent at participating shops. Funds are added to the card every four weeks.
The card can be used to purchase instant formula, cow’s milk, fruits and vegetables, and pulses. It can also be used to collect Healthy Start vitamins and vitamin drops for babies and young children.
You may apply for the scheme if you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have at least one child under 4 years old, and you receive certain benefits.
However, if you’re under 18 and more than 10 weeks pregnant, you can claim even if you do not claim any benefits.
How much could I get?
- £4.65 each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week
- £9.30 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
- £4.65 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old
This amounts to a total of £1,348.50 should you claim for the entire period.
The Healthy Start card cannot be used online, outside the UK, to obtain cashback or withdraw cash, nor can it be used via your phone’s Wallet app.
Your spending is limited to the available balance on your card.
Payments can be split between your Healthy Start card and your regular bank card or cash, though some retailers may need to process these as two separate transactions.
You can find out more here