Healthy Start
Sam Fellows, Health Visitor at Basingstoke PCT, introduces Healthy Start.
If you have a baby on the way or a child under four and you meet the criteria below, you may be eligible for Healthy Start vouchers which you can use to buy fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, fresh milk and infant formula milk, and coupons that you can swap for free vitamin supplements.
You qualify for Healthy Start if you're at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old AND you or your family get...
- Income Support, or
- Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance, or
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
- Child tax credit (but not working tax credit unless your family is receiving working tax credit run-on only*) AND an annual family income of £16,040 or less in 2009/10
You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don't get any of the above benefits or tax credits. After birth, the baby will continue to qualify provided you meet the criteria listed above.
- If you're pregnant you will receive one voucher (£3.10) a week
- For each baby aged under one you will receive two vouchers a week (£6.20)
- Children aged between one and four receive one voucher a week (£3.10)
You can use your Healthy Start vouchers in most local shops and major supermarkets.
If you are pregnant or the mother of a baby under one and receiving Healthy Start vouchers, you also qualify for Healthy Start women's vitamins. Children over 6 months old and under 4 years old receiving vouchers qualify for the children's vitamin drops - and children under 6 months can also get them too if a health professional thinks they need them.
Ask your health visitor or midwife where you can pick up your free vitamins for you and your children
Apply for the Healthy Start scheme and find out more.
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