Pregnant or Have a Child Under 4? You Could Be Owed Free Money for Food

Quick summary: Healthy Start gives eligible pregnant women and families with children under 4 money on a prepaid card every 4 weeks, to spend on milk, fruit, veg, pulses and infant formula, plus free vitamins. It's worth £4.65 a week during pregnancy, £9.30 a week for a baby under 1, and £4.65 a week for a child aged 1 to 4. It isn't automatic, you have to apply, and most people can do it online in a few minutes.

What you actually get

Money is added to a Healthy Start prepaid card every 4 weeks:

Stage	Amount per week
Pregnancy, from the 10th week	£4.65
Child under 1	£9.30
Child aged 1 to 4	£4.65

The card works like a normal contactless bank card in shops that display the Mastercard symbol, including most supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies. It can only be used for milk, infant formula, fresh or frozen fruit and veg, and fresh, dried or tinned pulses, it won't work for anything else, and it can't be used online, abroad, or for cashback. Money stops when your child turns 4, or if you stop getting a qualifying benefit.

Who qualifies

You can apply if you're more than 10 weeks pregnant, or have at least one child under 4, and:

• Your family's monthly take-home pay is £408 or less, and you're on Universal Credit, or
• You get Pension Credit that includes the child addition (apply by phone or email for this route)

If you're under 18 and pregnant, you qualify automatically, regardless of whether you get any benefits. You'll need to apply by phone or email rather than online.

How to apply

Most people apply online. You'll need:

• Your name, address and date of birth
• Your National Insurance number
• Your baby's due date, if you're pregnant
• Your Universal Credit statement (the details must match your Universal Credit claim exactly)

Apply for Healthy Start online

Before applying, it's worth checking your Universal Credit account to make sure your address is correct and any children are named and verified on your claim, since payments only start once your child is verified, which can take up to 8 weeks.

If you're on Pension Credit, under 18, or can't apply online for another reason, you can apply by email or phone instead:

• Email: healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
• Phone: 0300 330 7010 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)

Full detail on both routes, including what to do if your immigration status affects your eligibility, is on the official Healthy Start site:

How to apply for Healthy Start, healthystart.nhs.uk

If you're in Scotland

Healthy Start doesn't operate in Scotland. Instead, you'd apply for Best Start Foods, a similar prepaid card with its own payment rates: £22.40 every 4 weeks during pregnancy, £44.80 for a child under 1, and £22.40 for a child aged 1 to 3.

Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, mygov.scot

Best Start Foods is part of a wider set of five family payments Social Security Scotland offers, alongside one-off grants for pregnancy, early learning and starting school, so it's worth reading the full page rather than just the food element.

Worth doing at the same time

If you have older children too, it's worth checking whether the September 2026 changes to free school meals mean they now qualify. And if you're a single parent, our guide rounds up the wider support available: Single Parent and Struggling? Here's What You're Entitled To.

If you need food help today

Healthy Start can take a few weeks to come through even once you've applied. If you need food right now, search for a food bank near you by postcode or town.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be on Universal Credit to get Healthy Start?

For most applicants, yes, alongside earning £408 a month or less as a family. There's a separate phone or email route if you're on Pension Credit with a child addition, or if you're under 18 and pregnant.

How long does it take to get my card?

Once your application is approved and your child is verified on your Universal Credit claim, it can take up to 8 weeks for payments to start. Applying as early as possible, ideally as soon as you're 10 weeks pregnant, gives you the best chance of being fully set up in time.

Can I use the card online?

No. It only works in person, in shops that display the Mastercard symbol, and only for the specific eligible items.

What happens when my baby turns 1?

The weekly amount drops from £9.30 to £4.65, since the higher rate is specifically for children under 1.

Do I get free vitamins too?

Yes. Eligible pregnant women and children can get free Healthy Start vitamins alongside the card. Details are on the official Healthy Start site.

I'm not on Universal Credit but I'm still struggling, can I get anything?

If you don't meet the qualifying benefit criteria, you won't be eligible for Healthy Start itself, but it's worth using a benefits calculator to check what else you might be entitled to, and a food bank can help with food today regardless of your benefit status.

If you’re raising children on your own, there’s more support available than most people realise: Single Parent and Struggling? Here’s What You’re Entitled To.