Parents of young children in South Cambridgeshire may be eligible for free NHS Healthy Start vouchers to help buy food and milk, but many are unaware of the scheme. These vouchers could provide up to £442 a year per child, yet an estimated £88,000 in funds remains unclaimed annually in the district.
Who Is Eligible for Healthy Start Vouchers?
Parents can apply for Healthy Start vouchers if they:
- Have a child under the age of four
- Receive certain benefits, including:
- Universal Credit (if earned income is less than £408 per month)
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
Once approved, parents will receive a Healthy Start card, which can be used in most UK supermarkets like a debit card.
How Much Can Parents Receive?
The Healthy Start card is pre-loaded weekly with:
- £8.50 per week for children under one year old
- £4.25 per week for children aged one to four years old
What Can the Vouchers Be Used For?
Parents can use the card to purchase:
- Fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables
- Plain cow’s milk (fresh or powdered)
- Infant formula milk based on cow’s milk
- Fresh, dried, or tinned pulses
Additionally, parents can collect free Healthy Start vitamins to support:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Infant and young child nutrition
Unclaimed Vouchers: How South Cambridgeshire Council is Helping
Recent data shows that 38% of eligible families in South Cambridgeshire have not claimed their Healthy Start vouchers. To address this, South Cambridgeshire District Council launched an awareness campaign using its Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) system.
- 377 households identified as likely eligible have been contacted via letter and text.
- The goal is to increase awareness and help more families claim the support they are entitled to.
Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Communities, emphasized:
“Healthy Start vouchers remain significantly under-claimed, despite the positive impact a healthy diet can have on a child’s development. We encourage all parents of children under four to check their eligibility and ask everyone to help spread the word.”
Karlene Allen, Deputy Chief Nurse at NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, added:
“Good nutrition is essential during pregnancy and early childhood to help ensure children reach their full potential. The Healthy Start scheme is there to help families increase the amount of fruit and vegetables they eat, and we encourage anyone who is eligible to apply.”
How to Apply for Healthy Start Vouchers
Applying is quick and easy:
- Online: Apply via the NHS website at www.healthystart.nhs.uk
- By phone: Call the Healthy Start helpline on 0300 330 7010 for assistance with an application
If you are eligible but haven’t applied, now is the time to claim up to £442 per year to support your child’s nutrition and wellbeing.
With £88,000 in unclaimed Healthy Start vouchers each year in South Cambridgeshire, many families are missing out on essential financial support for food and milk. The South Cambridgeshire District Council and NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough are urging parents to check their eligibility and apply today.
If you or someone you know may be eligible, spread the word so that more families can benefit from this valuable scheme.
