The money is easy to apply for and you may not need to be claiming other benefits to qualify
Parents of children under four have been told they could be eligible to claim up to £1,232.50 to help buy fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula. UK baby brand Nuby is encouraging parents to check their eligibility for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme after surveying 1,000 parents with children under four and finding that 37% consider buying healthy food their biggest financial challenge when feeding their child.
The NHS Healthy Start Scheme helps eligible parents buy essentials like milk, infant formula, fruit, and vegetables.
How much can you get?
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£4.25 per week from the 10th week of pregnancy.
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£8.50 per week for children under 1.
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£4.25 per week for children aged 1 to 4.
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A total of £1,232.50
Who is eligible?
You may qualify if you receive Universal Credit (with a monthly take-home pay of £408 or less) or Child Tax Credit (with an annual income of £16,190 or less and no Working Tax Credit).
The NHS Healthy Start Scheme is available to certain individuals in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland who are on a low income and meet specific criteria. You may be eligible if you are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 years old and receive one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit (if your household’s monthly earned income is £408 or less before tax)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) (only if you’re pregnant)
- Child Tax Credit (if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less and you’re not receiving Working Tax Credit)
You do not qualify if you receive Working Tax Credit, unless it’s the 4-week run-on payment after stopping work.
Who else can apply?
If you’re under 18 and pregnant, you qualify even if you don’t receive benefits. The scheme provides a prepaid Healthy Start card to buy fruit, vegetables, milk, and infant formula, plus free vitamins. You can apply here.
Where can you use it?
The funds are loaded onto a Healthy Start card, which can be used at supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, markets, butchers, and even some petrol stations — anywhere displaying the Mastercard symbol.
A spokesman for Nuby said there are ways to make sure the money goes as far as possible and boost your healthy food intake, adding: ” Switching to frozen fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and reduce waste compared to buying fresh. Nuby’s research found that fresh strawberries cost an average of £0.84 per 100g, while frozen strawberries cost only £0.66 per 100g. Similarly, fresh green beans cost £0.48 per 100g, while frozen green beans are just £0.13 per 100g. The cost savings and longer shelf life make frozen produce a budget friendly choice that helps cut down on food waste.
“Cooking separate meals for your young child and the rest of the family can quickly become expensive and time-consuming. In fact, 57% of parents surveyed said it’s very important to prepare meals that the whole family can share, with an additional 38% agreeing it’s somewhat important. The main reasons for this are to ensure everyone eats healthy, balanced meals and to save money on groceries.
“If your child has favourite snacks or baby foods you buy regularly, check price comparison sites before heading to the shops. You might find better deals at another supermarket, helping you save without compromising on your baby’s favourites.
“When your baby starts weaning, they’ll eat a lot of purees. While shop-bought options are convenient, making your own in bulk is cheaper. Buy fruits and vegetables in larger quantities, puree them and freeze them in portion-sized ice cube trays. This way, you can easily defrost just what you need for each meal.
“Batch cooking isn’t just for purees, it works for family meals too. Cooking larger portions allows you to save money by buying ingredients in bulk, save energy by using the oven less often and have leftovers ready to reheat for future meals.
“Many supermarkets have baby clubs that offer exclusive discounts and perks for members. Signing up is a simple way to save money when shopping for your baby’s essentials.
“Swap expensive branded baby foods and purees for the supermarket’s own versions. They often offer the same flavours but come at a fraction of the price.
“Skip the cookbooks and find free online weaning recipes instead. For example, Nuby has teamed up with food influencers My.Little.Food.Critic and At Dad’s Table to create over 20 free weaning recipes. From hidden veg sausage rolls to chicken balti curry, you’ll find plenty of delicious options on our website.
“Before shopping, create a meal plan for the week and stick to it. It’s easy to get tempted by buy one get one free offers but only buy them if it’s already on your list to make the saving. A clear plan will keep your spending under control and help reduce food waste.”
