A new Healthy Start digital payment card will soon replace paper vouchers used to help towards the cost of buying food and milk.

The digital payment card will go live in March 2022 and families living in Tameside currently using the Healthy Start paper vouchers will need to reapply for the benefit scheme, as they will not automatically be switched over to the digital payment card.

To qualify for the Healthy Start scheme, women need to be at least 10 weeks pregnant or families need to have at least one child that’s under four.  In addition, they must be receiving either Child Tax Credit (only if their family’s annual income is £16,190 or less); Income Support; Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; Pension Credit (which includes the child addition) or Universal Credit (only if a family’s take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment). 

People will also be eligible for Healthy Start if they’re under 18 and pregnant, even if they are not claiming any benefits; they claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are over 10 weeks pregnant; they or their partner or carer get Working Tax Credit run-on only after they have reported they’re working 16 hours or less per week.

Successful applicants will receive a Healthy Start digital payment card with money on it which can be used in some local shops where there is a display Mastercard® symbol. The symbol is normally shown on the shop door or at the till.  People are advised to ask an employee inside the shop if they take Mastercard if unsure.

The benefit scheme allocates £4.25 from the 10th week of pregnancy, £8.50 per child each week for children from birth to one year old and £4.25 per child each week for children between one and four years old.

The money will be loaded on to the card every four weeks and can be used like a normal payment card. Money will stop when a child is four, or if the family no longer receives benefits.

The card can be used to buy plain liquid cow’s milk; fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables; fresh, dried and tinned pulses; infant formula milk based on cow’s milk. People can also use their card to collect Healthy Start vitamins – these support during pregnancy and breastfeeding vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to four years old.

Any families who think they might be eligible for the scheme who have not yet applied, should also look into applying online. There is nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain from applying.

Information on how to reapply for the scheme and for anyone who wants to check if they’re eligible to apply can be found at www.tameside.gov.uk/healthystart

Councillor Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Population Health, said: “Many families will be feeling the ‘pinch’ right now due to rising fuel and food bills. This scheme can help towards the cost of your food shop. I urge those families who are currently receiving the benefit to reapply as soon as possible if they have not already done so, as the paper voucher scheme will be coming to an end. 

“If you do not reapply to the new Healthy Start scheme online, your benefit for you and your children will stop. You can continue to use your paper vouchers until the expiry date printed on them.

“There are lots of benefits of moving to the new scheme including getting a quicker decision on your application.  Any money you do not spend will remain on your card and can be put towards healthy food and milk in the future – this is unlike the current voucher scheme where you must spend £4.25 or over in one transaction.”

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