Healthy Start and the maternity exemption certificate
Two pieces of free help many parents miss: money for milk, fruit and vegetables, and free prescriptions and dental treatment.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
Healthy Start gives eligible families a card topped up every 4 weeks: as of October 2026, £4.65 a week from the 10th week of pregnancy, £9.30 for each baby under 1 and £4.65 for each child aged 1 to 4. In England, a maternity exemption certificate, requested by your midwife, gives free NHS prescriptions and dental care until 12 months after the birth.
Healthy Start (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
What you get, as of October 2026
| Who | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy, from the 10th week | £4.65 a week |
| Each child from birth to 1 year | £9.30 a week |
| Each child aged 1 to 4 | £4.65 a week |
Money is added to your card every 4 weeks. Example: a mum 12 weeks pregnant with a 2-year-old receives £4.65 + £4.65 = £9.30 a week, so £37.20 every 4 weeks. After the birth, the new baby adds £9.30 a week.
What you can buy
Plain liquid cow's milk; fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables; fresh, dried and tinned pulses; infant formula based on cow's milk. The card also collects free Healthy Start vitamins for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and vitamin drops for children from birth to 4.
Who can apply
Online, if you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, and you get Universal Credit with family take-home pay from employment of £408 a month or less. You need your National Insurance number, due date and Universal Credit statement; the details must match your claim.
By email or phone, if you get Pension Credit with the child addition, or if you are under 18 and pregnant (no benefit needed until the birth). Under-18s must reapply after the birth with a qualifying benefit, or payments stop 4 weeks after the due date.
If you cannot claim public funds but have a British child under 4 and a family income of £408 a month or less after tax, a dedicated application route exists: see the Healthy Start website.
Using the card
Shops showing the Mastercard sign that sell these foods: supermarkets, corner shops, markets, pharmacies. Contactless up to £45, chip and PIN up to £75 per payment. Not online, not abroad, not in a phone wallet, no cash withdrawals.
After the birth. Name and verify your baby on your Universal Credit claim: Healthy Start payments for the baby start once this is done, which can take up to 8 weeks.
In Scotland, apply for Best Start Foods instead.
The maternity exemption certificate (MatEx), England
In England, if you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions and free NHS dental treatment. But the NHSBSA is explicit: the certificate gives you free prescriptions, not the pregnancy. Without it you risk a penalty charge.
How to get it
- Ask your midwife, GP or health visitor. They complete the application, as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed.
- Digital service: certificate by email as soon as they finish. Paper: within 10 working days.
- It is backdated one month before the application is received.
- It expires 12 months after your due date or the birth. Baby late? Send the birth certificate to extend it.
At the pharmacy, tick box D on the prescription form and sign.
Free dental treatment
Free NHS dental care applies if you are pregnant, have had a baby in the last 12 months, or had a stillbirth in the last 12 months. Show your MatEx, MatB1 or the baby's birth certificate. Private treatment remains payable.
Other help worth checking
- The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme may cover travel to hospital appointments if you get certain benefits or have a low income.
- Paid time off for antenatal appointments is a right for employees.
- The Sure Start Maternity Grant uses similar benefit conditions to Healthy Start.
Questions parents ask
How much is Healthy Start?
As of October 2026, £4.65 a week in pregnancy from the 10th week, £9.30 a week for each child under 1 and £4.65 a week for each child aged 1 to 4, added to the card every 4 weeks.
Who can apply for Healthy Start?
Families who are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 and get Universal Credit with take-home pay from work of £408 a month or less, or Pension Credit with the child addition. Pregnant under-18s qualify without benefits.
Are prescriptions free when pregnant?
In England you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions while pregnant and for 12 months after the birth, but only with a valid maternity exemption certificate. Your midwife, GP or health visitor applies for you.
How long does a maternity exemption certificate last?
It is backdated one month before the application is received and expires 12 months after your due date or the birth. If your baby is late, send the birth certificate to have it extended.
Sources
- NHS Healthy Start — Get help to buy food and milk checked October 13, 2026
- NHS Healthy Start — How to apply checked October 13, 2026
- NHS Healthy Start — Your payments and how to shop checked October 13, 2026
- NHSBSA — Maternity exemption certificates checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Who can get free NHS dental treatment checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.