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Get help to buy food and milk (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 use your card to buy:plain liquid cow’s milkfresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetablesfresh, dried, and tinned pulsesinfant formula milk based on cow’s milkYou can also use your card to collect:Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeedingvitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years oldInformation: If you live in Scotland You can get help from Best Start Foods (opens in a new tab) instead.Advice on healthy eatingFor more advice on healthy eating, visit:

Using your card or vouchers – Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)

You should only use your Healthy Start card to pay for healthy food and milk.You cannot spend more than the balance of the card.The first time you use your card you’ll need to insert your card and use your PIN. After that, you can make contactless payments. When you use contactless four times in a row, you’ll need to use your PIN on the next transaction. You cannot add your card to your phone’s wallet app. Where you can shopYou can use your card in most places that sell milk, infant formula, fruit, and vegetables. These include: supermarketsconvenience storesgrocery storesdrug stores and pharmacies marketsdairy products storesnews dealers and newsstandsfreezer and locker meat provisioners (such as butcher shops)petrol stationsThey must display a Mastercard® symbol. The symbol is normally shown on the shop door or at the till. Ask an employee inside the shop if they take Mastercard if you’re unsure.If you try to spend the money anywhere else the card will be declined.If you’re buying only healthy foodsYou can pay for them using your Healthy Start card, like you would with a normal contactless bank card. This means you can pay by tapping your card on the card device at checkout. You can also use your card as a chip and PIN card if you prefer. Just put it in the card device and enter your PIN.If you’re buying healthy food with other food or drinkYou can split the payment between your Healthy Start card and your normal bank card or cash. Just tell the cashier you want to do this. You’ll also need to tell them how much you want to spend on your Healthy Start card and how much you want to spend on your normal bank card or in cash.If you’re buying healthy food at a self-checkout machineYou cannot split your payment between your Healthy Start card and another bank card at self-checkout machines. You can only part pay using your Healthy Start card if you’re paying the rest in cash.Do not worry if you make a mistake when using your Healthy Start card to buy healthy food with other shopping. It will not affect your benefit payments.RefundsIf you need to get a refund on something you’ve bought, you can get the refund in the same way as you would with any bank card. Go back to the shop with your items, your receipt and your card and ask for a refund.