How to get a free food card if you are pregnant or have a young child on Universal Credit

The Healthy Start scheme gives you a prepaid card loaded with money every 4 weeks. You can spend it on milk, infant formula, fruit, and vegetables at most supermarkets and shops that accept Mastercard.

Many families who qualify never claim it. If you are on Universal Credit and pregnant or have a child under 4, it is worth checking whether you can get this now.

How much you get

The amount added to your card depends on your situation:

• £8.50 a week while your child is under 1 year old
• £4.25 a week from the point you reach 10 weeks pregnant until your baby is born
• £4.25 a week for each child aged 1 to 4 years old

The card tops up automatically every 4 weeks. You do not need to do anything to receive each payment.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, and one of these is true:

• You claim Universal Credit and your family earns £408 or less a month in take-home pay from work
• You claim Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• You claim Child Tax Credit and your family income is no more than £16,190 a year
• You claim Pension Credit

If you are under 18 and pregnant, you qualify automatically — even if you do not receive any benefit.

What you can buy

You can use the card to buy:

• fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables
• cow's milk
• infant formula milk for babies

That is all the card covers — but those items make a real difference to a grocery bill when you are feeding a growing family.

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Free vitamins too

The scheme also gives you free Healthy Start vitamins. These are designed to support you during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Ask your midwife or health visitor where to collect them locally — many GP surgeries and children's centres keep a supply.

How to apply

Apply online at gov.uk/healthy-start. You will need:

• your name, address, and date of birth
• your National Insurance number
• your baby's due date or your child's date of birth

If you cannot apply online, call the National Healthy Start team on 0300 330 7010.

Your card arrives by post once your application is approved, with your first payment already on it.

If your earnings change

For Universal Credit claimants, your eligibility depends on your take-home pay staying at £408 or less a month from employment. You can find this figure — labelled "take-home pay for this period" — on your monthly UC award notice. If your earnings change, call 0300 330 7010 to let the scheme know.