Wirral Families missing out on almost £350,000 of healthy food support
The Healthy Start Scheme helps eligible pregnant women and parents of young children buy milk, fruit, vegetables, pulses, and first infant formula, and also provides free vitamins. But in Wirral, up to a third of families who may be eligible are not claiming the money.
Through the scheme, infants under the age of one are entitled to a weekly payment of £8.50, while pregnant women and children under the age of four are entitled to £4.25 per week. Although the weekly amount may seem small, it adds up to around £1,200 per child, up to the age of four.
In a new video, partners from Wirral health and community groups have come together to encourage families to sign up to the scheme.
Watch the full video here:
Cllr Graeme Cooper, Chair of Wirral’s Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee, said:
When it comes to raising a young family, every penny counts. Last year, local families missed out on around £348,000 which could have been spent on items such as food, milk and first infant formula. They also missed the opportunity to receive free vitamins.
If you think that you might be eligible for Healthy Start, go to the NHS website to find out more and apply. You could be benefitting from regular small payments that can make a real difference to your family’s health, and finances.
Once a family applies online and is confirmed as being eligible, Healthy Start will then send them a pre-paid credit card, which has money automatically added to it monthly. Any money unspent in that week ‘rolls over’ to the next month and the cards can be used anywhere which accepts Mastercard (most major shops and supermarkets). The card can also be used to pick up free Healthy Start vitamins from local collection points.
For those aged over 18 who are at least 10 weeks pregnant and/or the parent of at least one child aged under four years old, you may be eligible if you are receiving any of the following benefits:
- Child Tax Credit (but only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit (but only if your family earns £408 or less per month from employment)
Residents can check their eligibility and fill in the online form here: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/.
Anyone who is under 18 and at least 10 weeks pregnant can get Healthy Start, regardless of their income, but they need to apply in a different way by emailing healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.
Some families who don’t meet the usual eligibility requirements (e.g. families who cannot receive benefits due to their immigration status) may still be able to access the scheme. They should apply by emailing this address: healthystartNRPF@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.
Those who successfully sign up to the scheme will receive an NHS Healthy Start prepaid card, which will be topped up every four weeks with payments of:
- £4.25 for each week of your pregnancy from 10 weeks
- £8.50 each week for children from birth to one year old
- £4.25 each week for children aged between one and 4 years old
These payments add up to around £1,200 per child (up to the age of four).
