Director of Public Health urges eligible families to apply for the NHS Healthy Start card to access free food, milk and vitamins for their children
30 March 2026
North Northamptonshire Council’s Director of Public Health is urging eligible parents, carers and those who are pregnant to apply for the NHS Healthy Start card.
The card provides weekly financial support to help families buy milk, infant formula, fruit, vegetables and pulses.
It also means they can get free Healthy Start vitamins which they can collect from their nearest Family Hub. The vitamins provided include folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin D for pregnant/breastfeeding individuals, and vitamins A, C, and D for children.
The Healthy Start card provides two functions:
- acts as a prepaid card for fruit and veg etc...
- acts as your proof to collect free vitamins (and baby vitamin drops) from your Family Hub
If a resident is receiving a qualifying benefit and is pregnant or has parental responsibility for at least one child under the age of four, they can apply directly through the NHS to access the Healthy Start scheme. Apply online or by calling the Healthy Start helpline on 0300 330 7010.
Local services are also available that can offer information to parents on how to access this programme, they include Kettering local midwifery service and the Northamptonshire health visiting service.
North Northamptonshire Local Family Hubs can also provide information and practical support to residents across the county, no appointment necessary.
Family Hub staff are available to help with Healthy Start applications for a Healthy Start Card, general advice, and wider support. There are four Family Hubs in North Northamptonshire, Kettering, Wellingborough, East Northants Rushden, and East Northants Oundle.
We all want the best for our children and that starts during pregnancy up to when they become adults and beyond. The financial support which can be accessed via the Healthy Start Card can help parents to buy vegetable and milk for their children which perhaps they may not have been in a position to prioritise. The card also means that they can get free vitamins for their children at one of our four Family hubs.Dr Jane Bethea, North Northamptonshire Council’s Director of Public Health, who works to protect the health of approximately 360,000 residents
Dr Jane Bethea is also urging all families to visit their local Family Hub with their children to discover the range of information and services on offer. They support families with children 0-19 or up to 25 years old if they have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Family Hubs are friendly and safe spaces for babies, children, young people and their parents/carers to go meet new people, join in activities, or get the support you need.
The Family Hubs team will help you find and access help from different services in the local area.
If people are unsure how to apply for the Healthy Start Card they can pop along to one of the Family Hubs and the friendly team will be able to go through the process together with them, step by step.Cllr Brian Benneyworth, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Health, Leisure and Housing
This offer is there and we want parents and carers to have every opportunity to access support for their children’s health and wellbeing. Why not pop along today? You can just turn up and there is no need for an appointment.”
The NHS Healthy Start scheme provides a prepaid card that can be used in most supermarkets to purchase healthy essentials. Eligible residents receive:
- £8.50 per week for each baby under 1
- £4.25 per week for each child aged 1 – 4
- £4.25 per week from the 10th week of pregnancy
Families can visit their nearest Family Hub, where staff can provide face-to-face assistance, or contact the team via email on [email protected].
Family Hubs deliver a range of joined-up services focusing particularly on parenting, infant feeding, early language, and perinatal mental health.
By connecting families with the community and services available to them, we will help address their needs and enable them to build positive relationships with their children and their community.