Best Start Foods is replacing Healthy Start Food Vouchers
Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods are payments that help towards the costs of being pregnant or looking after a child.
Best Start Foods is a prepaid card that can help you buy healthy foods like milk or fruit, if one of the following applies to you. For example:
- you're pregnant
- you have a child under 3
Best Start Foods is a prepaid card that you can use to buy healthy foods during pregnancy and for children under 3. You can use the card in shops and online to purchase:
- Plain cow's milk
- Fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables
- Fresh or dried pulses like lentils, beans, peas and barley
- Fresh eggs
- First stage infant formula
Who is entitled to Best Start Foods card?
- Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
- Child Tax Credit (with a family income of £16,190 or less per year)
- Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit (with an income from work of less than £7,320 per year)
- Universal Credit (with a family take home pay of £610 or less per month)
- Housing Benefit (you and your partner's joint income from working must be less than £311 per week)
- Pension Credit
Women under 18 qualify regardless of income.
Even if you are in employment, you may still be entitled to Best Start Foods card.
How much is paid into the Best Start Foods card?
- During pregnancy you will receive £4.50 per week (£18.00 paid into the card every four weeks)
- Children under 1 year get £9.00 per week (£36.00 paid into the card every four weeks)
- Children aged 1-3 years get £4.50 (£18.00 paid into the card every four weeks)
How to apply for Best Start Foods card
- Calling this free number - 0800 182 2222
- You can also visit mygov.scot/pregnancy-and-baby-payment and complete the form online or print a copy
(details of the address to send it and how to access a pre-paid envelope are on the form)
Further information
- Social Security Scotland: for more information about Best Start Foods
- Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE): - for information and help around food poverty in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
- Moray Food Plus: for information and help around food poverty in Moray
- NHS Inform - Healthy Living: for health information
- Home Start: to find your nearest branch of Homestart
- Confidence 2 Cook: for information about healthy eating on a budget
Emma Williams, Advanced Public Health Practitioner, emma.williams2@nhs.scot
Published: 23/07/2024 09:21