Healthy Start Vouchers and Vitamins

Healthy Start Vitamins are available as part of the Healthy Start Programme. They are good for you and your family, supporting a healthy pregnancy and helping your child grow up strong and healthy. They are available for everyone to buy, and if you are eligible to register with the Healthy Start Programme you can get them free. 

What is the Healthy Start Programme?

People who are eligible get Healthy Start Vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables. From 1 October 2020 this will also include pulses and tinned fruit and vegetables, find out more on the Healthy Start website (opens new window). People also receive vouchers every eight weeks for vitamins.

You can register with the Healthy Start Programme if you are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 years old and you or your family is getting:

• 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), or Universal Credit (with a family take home pay of £408 or less per month)

You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don't get any of these benefits.

What are Healthy Start Vitamins?

Healthy Start Vitamins contain the recommended levels of folic acid and vitamins C and D for pregnant and breastfeeding women and the recommended level of vitamins A, C and D for children aged up to four years.

Where can you get Healthy Start Vitamins?

You can get Healthy Start Vitamins at pharmacies across Sunderland. An NHS list of pharmacies (opens new window) is available from their website.

They are available for everyone to buy and if you are registered with the Healthy Start Programme you get them free.

Please note that opening times may be different from those listed due to the current coronavirus outbreak. Please contact the pharmacy directly to check current opening times.

Please note, there is now no need to ask a health professional to sign the Healthy Start application form.

Where can I find out more?

You can find out more about the Healthy Start Programme and Healthy Start Vitamins from your midwife or health visitor or on the Healthy Start website (opens new window).