If you’re pregnant or have children under the age of four, you could get help to buy food and milk.
How you could qualify:
You can access the Healthy Start scheme if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant, or you have at least one child aged under four, and receive any of the following.
• Child Tax Credit (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)
What you’ll get:
• £4.25 each week of your pregnancy (from the 10th week of your pregnancy)
• £8.50 each week for children from birth to one year old
• £4.25 each week for children between one and four years old
Apply online for NHS Healthy Start: www.
Useful resources:
Healthy Start Vitamins
Do you know you can pick up / purchase (cash only) your Healthy Start Vitamins from your local Children's Centre:
- Blacon Children's Centre, Lache Children's Centre, Kingsway Children's Centre, Frodsham Children's Centre - 01244 397412
- Stanlaw Abbey Children's Centre, Portside Children's Centre, Neston Children's Centre - 0151 4888036
- Over Children's Centre, Wharton Children's Centre, Victoria Road Children's Centre - 01606 555285
Vitamins are FREE with your Healthy Start Card or:
- £2 for Children's Vitamin Drops
- £1 for whilst pregnant up to babies 1st birthday
For more information please ask a member of the team
Why you should get your free Healthy Start vitamins
Young children may not get enough vitamin A and D even if they’re eating well. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you may not get enough vitamin C, vitamin D or folic acid.
Get these important vitamins for free by using your NHS Healthy Start card. You can get NHS Healthy Start women’s tablets and children’s drops.
They do not contain milk, egg, gluten, soya or peanut residues. They’re suitable for vegetarians and halal diets.
You can get the vitamin tablets while you are pregnant and up to your baby’s first birthday. They contain:
- folic acid
- vitamin C
- vitamin D
Children can take vitamin drops if they:
- are less than 4 years old
- have less than 500ml (about one pint) of infant formula a day, as formula already has vitamins added to it
Healthy Start vitamins come as an 8-week supply of:
56 tablets (a daily dose of 1 tablet)
280 drops (a daily dose of 5 drops)
You or your children should not take more than the recommended amount.
Useful resources:
