Healthy Start
What is Healthy Start?
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.
You can also use your card to collect:
• Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old
You can also get free Healthy Start vitamins.
If you qualify you get:
• £4.25 each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week
• £8.50 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
• £4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old
Find out more information about Healthy Start
Eligibility
You’ll qualify for the Healthy Start scheme if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or you have at least one child that’s under 4.
In addition, you must be receiving any of the following:
• Child Tax Credit (only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit (which includes the child addition)
• Universal Credit (only if your family’s take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)
You will also be eligible for Healthy Start if:
• you’re under 18 and pregnant, even if you are not claiming any benefits
• you claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are over 10 weeks pregnant
• you, your partner or your carer get Working Tax Credit run-on only after you have reported you’re working 16 hours or less per week
To find out if your family earns £408 or less per month from employment whilst claiming Universal Credit, look at your ‘take-home pay for this period’ on your monthly Universal Credit award notice.
The money will stop when your child is 4 years old or if you no longer receive benefits.
Temporary extension to Healthy Start eligibility
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has agreed to temporarily extend the Healthy Start scheme for people who meet all of the following criteria:
• You have parental responsibility for at least one child who is less than 4 years old.
• Your family’s take-home pay is less than £408 per month.
• You are excluded from claiming public funds because of your current (or lack of) immigration status.
If you meet the eligibility criteria for the temporary extension, email the Healthy Start team at Healthystartclaim@dhsc.gov.uk to request an application form. This email address is only for those who meet the temporary extension criteria.
How to apply
If you get a qualifying benefit and are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have parental responsibility for at least one child under 4 years old.
You can apply online. To apply, you will need your:
• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number
• baby’s due date (if you’re pregnant)
If you’re currently receiving paper vouchers for Healthy Start, these will stop once you complete the online application. You can still use your Healthy Start vouchers until their expiry date. You can find the expiry date printed on your vouchers.
Apply for Healthy Start vouchers online today
Having issues or have questions?
If you're having any issues with the digital switchover, applying for the Healthy Start scheme or have any further questions we can help you with, please feel free to contact us at healthy.start@cornwall.gov.uk
Healthy Start vitamin locations
In Cornwall, vitamins are available at the following pharmacies:
Pharmacy |
Address |
Town |
Postcode |
Opening times |
Phone Number |
Day Lewis Pharmacy | 42 Fore Street | St Just in Penwith | TR19 7LJ |
Mon - Fri 9:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 18:00 |
01736 788440 |
Day Lewis Pharmacy | 21 Trelowarren Street | Camborne | TR14 8AD |
Mon - Fri 9:00 - 17:30 |
01209 714577 |
Boots Pharmacy | 10 Commercial Street | Camborne | TR14 8JY | Mon - Fri 8:30 - 18:15 Sat 8:30 - 17:30 |
01209 713194 |
Boots Pharmacy | 34 Fore Street | Bodmin | PL31 2HL | Mon - Sat 9:00 - 17:30 | 01208 72836 |
Tesco Pharmacy | Station Road, Carn Brea Industrial Estate | Redruth | TR15 3QJ | Mon 8:00 - 22:30 Tues - Fri 6:30 - 22:30 Sat 6:30 - 22:00 Sun 10:00 - 16:00 |
01172917236 |
Day Lewis Pharmacy | 16 Chapel Street | Redruth | TR15 3DB | Mon - Fri 8:45 - 17:45 Sat 9:00 - 12:00 |
01209 211056 |
Boots Pharmacy | 25 Market Square | Camelford | PL32 9PD | Mon - Fri 9:00 - 18:00 Sat 9:00 - 17:30 |
01840 212233 |
Boots Pharmacy | 29 Fore Street | St Austell | PL25 5EP | Mon - Sat 8:45 - 17:30 Sun 10:00 - 16:00 |
01726 72112 |
Boots Pharmacy |
3 Alverton Street |
Penzance | TR18 2QW | Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30 | 01736 362130 |
Boots Pharmacy | 44-46 Fore Street, Copperhouse | Hayle | TR27 4DY | Mon-Fri 8:30-18:00 Sat 9:00-17:30 | 01736 752189 |
Boots Pharmacy | 28 Brooad Street | Launceston | PL15 8AE | Mon-Fri 8:45-17:30 Sat 8:45-17:00 | 01566 772085 |
Boots Pharmacy | 3 Fore Street | Mevagissey | PL26 8JQ | Mon - Fri 9:00 - 18:00 Sat 9:00 - 17:00 Sun 10:00 - 16:00 |
01726 842349 |
Boots Pharmacy | Union Square | St Columb Major | TR9 6AP | Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 | 01637 880251 |
Boots Pharmacy | 94 Pydar Street | Truro | TR1 2BD | Mon-Sat 8:30-17:30 Sun 10:30-16:30 | 01872 272810 |
Boots Pharmacy | 21-22 Baytree Hill | Liskeard | PL14 4BG | Mon, Weds - Fri 8:30 - 18:00 Tues 9:00 - 18:00 Sat 8:30 - 17:30 Sun 10:00 - 16:00 |
01579 343183 |
Boots Pharmacy | Bassett Road, Illogan | Redruth | TR16 4SS | Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 Sat 9:00-13:00 | 01209 843856 |
Boots Pharmacy | 2-3 Beach Road | Perranporth | TR6 0JL | Mon-Fri 8:30-18:15 Sat 9:00-17:30 | 01872 573196 |
Boots Pharmacy | 8-10 Market Street | Padstow | PL28 8AL | Mon - Fri 9:00 - 18:00 Sat 9:00 - 17:00 Sun 10:00 - 16:00 |
01841 532327 |
Day Lewis Pharmacy | Narrowcliff Surgery, Narrowcliff | Newquay | TR7 2PG | Mon-Fri 8:30-18:00 | 01637 872589 |
Millbrook Pharmacy | The old blacksmiths shop, The Parade, millbrook | Torpoint | PL10 1AX | Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 sat 9:00-13:00 | 01752 822391 |
Boots Pharmacy | 16 Fore Street | Torpoint | PL11 2AD | Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00 | 01752 812591 |
Boots Pharmacy | 4 Fern Lea Villas | St Blazey | PL24 2JG | Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 Sat 9:00-13:00 | 01726 815498 |
Boots Pharmacy | 16-18 fore street | fowey | PL23 1AQ | Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30 | 01726 833332 |
Dudley Taylor Pharmacy | 26 Belle Vue | Bude | EX23 8JS | Mon-Fri 9:00-17:30 Sat 9:00-17:00 | 01288 352026 |
Boots Pharmacy | 24 Fore Street | Saltash | PL12 6JW | Mon-Fri 8:30-17:30 Sat 9:000-17:00 | 01752 847707 |
Boots Pharmacy | 40 Meneage Street | Helston | TR13 8QY | Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30 | 01326 572030 |
Boots Pharmacy | Stennack | St Ives | TR26 1RU | Mon-Thurs 8:45-19:00 Fri 8:45-18:15 | 01736 795047 |
Boots Pharmacy | 47-49 Market Street | Falmouth | TR11 3AB | Mon-Sat 9:00-17:30 Sun 10-:30-16:30 | 01326 312373 |
Isles of Scilly Pharmacy | The Health Centre, King Edward Lane, St Marys | Isles of Scilly | TR21 0HE | Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00, 14:00-17:30 Sat 9:30-12:00 | 01720 422021 |
Boots Pharmacy | 1-6 Coach House Arcade, Fore Street | Looe | PL13 1DT | Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 Sat 9:00-17:30 | 01503 262980 |