Free food and vitamins on offer to families in Healthy Start scheme

DEPUTY Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Lynne Neagle MS is encouraging eligible families to sign up for Healthy Start to get healthy food and vitamins for free.

Families can get a pre-paid card that is topped up every four weeks with credit to buy healthy food – fruit, vegetables, pulses and milk and infant formula. They can also get free Healthy Start vitamins.

Currently, nearly 40% of people within Wales who are eligible for the scheme are not claiming it.

Healthy Start is available to those who are more than 10 weeks’ pregnant or have a child under four, and are in receipt of certain benefits.

To find out if you’re eligible visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk.

From the 10th week of pregnancy until a child turns four, you could be entitled to more than £1,200 to spend on healthy food.

Healthy Start cards can be used in retailers that sell food and accept MasterCard.

They can be used to buy:

■ ■cow’s milk;

■ ■fresh, frozen and tined fruit and vegetables;

■ ■dried and tinned pulses; ■ ■first infant formula milk.

You can also collect free Healthy Start vitamins. Taking certain vitamins during pregnancy and in early childhood improves both mothers’ and children’s health – just ask your midwife or health visitor for advice on where to get them.

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Lynne Neagle said: “Typically four in 10 people in Wales who could be receiving Healthy Start have not yet applied.

“I would urge people who think they may qualify to apply online.

“Sadly, the increased cost of living is affecting so many families in Wales and across the UK, and I want to ensure that people are aware of Healthy Start and making use of the scheme to help them buy healthy food for their families.”