Healthy Start Vitamins

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a child aged up to four years old, you could be eligible to receive Healthy Start Vitamins. These will help you and your family grow and stay healthy.

They are available through the Healthy Start scheme and are means-tested. 

Find your local Whitworth Pharmacy to swap your Healthy Start Vitamin vouchers for vitamins and give your family the best start in life. 

Healthy Start Vitamins are vitamin supplements designed to keep you and your family healthy. The children’s vitamin drops contain vitamins A, C and D and the vitamin tablets for women contain vitamin C, vitamin D and folic acid. 

They are an important way we can stay healthy and ensure our families can grow, even if we already eat a healthy, balanced diet. 

Here are some compelling facts from the Healthy Start website; 

• 8% of children under five in the UK don’t have enough vitamin A in their diet

• Families in lower-income groups tend to have less vitamin C in their diet

• All pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children are at risk of vitamin D deficiency

Healthy Start Vitamins are for pregnant women, women with a child under 12 months old and children up to four years old who are receiving Healthy Start Vouchers. 

You could be eligible if you’re claiming; 

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance *

• Child Tax Credit with a family income of £16,190 or less per year

• Pension Credit; or

• Universal Credit with no earned income or total earned income of £408 or less per month for the family. (To find this refer to your Universal Credit award notice in the section “your take home pay for this month”.)

You will also be eligible if you’re under 18 and pregnant or with a young child, even if you don’t claim any of the above vitamins. Find out more here.

There are two specially made Healthy Start Vitamin products; one for women and one for children. 

Healthy Start Children’s Vitamin Drops

These are suitable for children from birth until their fourth birthday**. The daily dose (five drops) contains;

• 233 micrograms of vitamin A

• 20 milligrams of vitamin C

• 10 micrograms of vitamin D3
  

The vitamins are suitable for vegetarians and free from milk, egg, gluten, soya and peanut residues. Each bottle contains 56 daily doses. 

**Children who are having 500ml or more of formula a day do not need Healthy Start vitamins.

Healthy Start Women’s Vitamin Tablets

These are suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women and come in one-a-day tablets. 

Each tablet contains; 

• 70 milligrams of vitamin C

• 10 micrograms of vitamin D

• 400 micrograms of folic acid

The vitamins are suitable for vegetarians and free from wheat, fish, egg, salt and gluten. They are also free from colours, flavours and preservatives. One bottle contains 56 daily doses (8 weeks).

Frequently asked questions on healthy start vitamins: