Many families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are struggling with the high cost of living crisis. However, a solution may be at hand in the form of the NHS Healthy Start Scheme.
This little-known scheme could potentially offer up to £442 in Supermarket Vouchers to eligible families, but many are unaware of its existence.
What is NHS Healthy Start Scheme?
The NHS Healthy Start Scheme is an initiative designed to support low-income families with young children and pregnant women on benefits.
It promotes healthy eating habits by providing vouchers that can be used to purchase nutritious foods such as milk, infant formula, fruit and vegetables.
Depending on the age of a child, eligible families can receive a weekly voucher supplement of either £4.25 or £8.50.
Who Can Benefit from the Scheme?
The NHS Healthy Start Scheme operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. To be eligible, you must be at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under the age of 4.
Additionally, you must be in receipt of benefits such as Income Support, Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit (excluding Child Tax Credit) or Pension Credit (which includes the addition of a child).
But, if you're under 18 and not receiving any benefits, or if you're getting Child Tax Credit (without Working Tax Credit) with an annual family income of £16,190 or less, or if you're getting income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), you can still make a claim.
You can apply for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme online, by telephone or by email. Further details of the eligibility criteria and application procedure are available here.
Last year the Consumer Watchdog Which? warned that many eligible families were not receiving the help, leading to millions of pounds of unclaimed aid.
Sue Davies, Which?'s head of consumer rights and food policy, claimed that the scheme could help many families struggling with the cost of living crisis.
There is a crucial role for the government to expand the scheme and increase its value. We are also urging supermarkets to support customers by promoting the scheme better and providing extra top-ups for those who use it.
Supermarkets are being asked to play their own part in helping to promote the NHS Healthy Start programme. They can do this by making it easy for customers to identify the best value items, ensuring that prices are clear and comparable from item to item.
In addition, they must ensure that everyone has access to affordable staple food ranges, particularly in areas where they are most needed.