Healthy Start

Free vitamins

You can get free multivitamins if you:

• are pregnant or trying for a baby
• have a baby under 1 year
• have children under 4 years

 These include:

• multivitamins formulated especially for pregnancy and motherhood
• vitamin drops formulated for babies and children.

They contain nutrients to support healthy growth and development, alongside a balanced diet. They contain the recommended amount of Vitamin D for mums and infants – especially important during the autumn and winter months as you may not be getting enough sunshine to top up your Vitamin D levels naturally.

Where to get them

You can get free vitamins fom Islington children’s and health centres. For more information, see the Find Your Islington Directory to see children’s centre contact details and opening times. 

1. Ambler Children’s Centre, 42 Romilly Rd, N4 2QX. Telephone: 020 7359 7628

2. Archway Children’s Centre, 1 Vorley Road, N19 5HE. Telephone: 020 7527 4827

3. Bemerton Children’s Centre (Family Hub South) 1a Coatbridge House, Carnoustie Drive, N1 0DX. Telephone: 020 7527 4806

4. Conewood Street Children’s Centre, 14 Conewood Street, N5 1DL. Telephone: 020 7527 4440

5. Golden Lane Children’s Centre (Prior Weston), 101 Whitecross Street, EC1Y 8JA. Telephone: 020 7786 4800

6. Hornsey Road Children’s Centre (Family Hub North), 8 Tiltman Place, Hornsey Road, N7 7EN. Telephone: 020 7527 2005

7. Hungerford Children’s Centre, 10 Goodinge Road, N7 9LH Telephone: 020 7527 8441

8. Kate Greenaway Children’s CentreYork Way Court, CopenhagenStreet, N1 0UHTelephone: 020 7527 4850

9. Minik Kardes @ The FactoryChildren’s Centre107-109 Matthias Road, N16 8NPTelephone: 020 7060 7487

10. Moreland Children’s Centre2 Gard Street, EC1V 8BBTelephone: 020 7253 8144

11. New River Green Children’s Centre(Family Hub Central)23 Ramsey Walk, N1 2SXTelephone: 020 3316 8461

12. North Islington Children’s Centre110-112 Tollington Park, N4 3RBTelephone: 020 7527 4844

13. Packington Children’s Centre32a Popham Road, N1 8SJTelephone: 020 7527 4008

14. Paradise Park Children’s Centre164 Mackenzie Road, N7 8SETelephone: 020 7697 7330

15. Willow Children’s Centre1a Holbrooke Court, N7 0BF
Telephone: 020 7527 1990

16. Goodinge Health Centre20 North Road, N7 9EWTelephone: 020 3316 8631

17. Highbury Grange Health Centre1-5 Highbury Grange, N5 2QBTelephone: 020 3316 8018

18. Hornsey Rise Health CentreHornsey Rise, N19 3YUTelephone: 020 3316 8640

19. Northern Health Centre580 Holloway Road, N7 6LBTelephone: 020 3316 1901

20. River Place Health CentreRiver Place, Essex Road, N1 2DETelephone: 020 3316 8444

21. Bingfi eld Primary Care Centre8 Bingfi eld Street, N1 0ALTelephone: 020 7527 1605

Healthy Start prepaid card

If you are receiving income support or are under 18-years-old and pregnant, you may also be able to receive a Healthy Start prepaid card.

You could receive £9.30 per week if you have a baby aged under one year, £4.65 per week if you are pregnant, and £4.65 for each child aged under 4 years old.

You can use this to buy from local shops:

• cow's milk
• fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables (without any additives)
• pulses
• infant formula

All pregnant women under 18 are entitled to both free vitamins and a Healthy Start prepaid card.

Income support includes Income Support, 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 total earned income of £408 or less per month for the family.

What you can get

Criteria	Vitamins (women's vitamins and/or children's vitamin drops)	Healthy Start prepaid card(£4.25 per week)	Healthy Start prepaid card(£8.50 per week)
Pregnant women under 18*	Yes	Yes	No
Pregnant women 18 and over	Yes	Yes	No
Baby under 1 year	Yes	No	Yes
Child between 1 and 4 years	Yes	Yes	No

Apply for a card

Apply for your Healthy Start prepaid card

If you cannot apply online, you can call call the National Healthy Start Team on 0118 338 5810. Please note that calls to this number are charged - find out more on the NHSBSA website.

A telephone translation service is also available. If English is not your first language, please ask for a translator for the language you need at the start of the call.

A member of staff at your local children’s centre or family support surgery can help you with your application. 

To apply you will need to provide:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number (if you don’t know your National Insurance number, the Government have some information on how to find a lost National Insurance number)
• baby’s due date

If you’re not receiving income support but would like vitamins, please call your children’s centre to apply.

For more information about Healthy Start, check out this leaflet.

Important information for any families who currently receive Healthy Start vouchers

If you were receiving Healthy Start vouchers, you need to reapply online or by telephone to continue to receive Healthy Start payments.

Apply for your Healthy Start prepaid card

If you are unable to apply online, you can also reapply by calling the National Healthy Start Team on 0118 338 5810. Please note that calls to this number are charged - find out more on the NHSBSA website.

You can contact your local children’s centre if you need further support in re-applying for a Healthy Start card.

Families with no recourse to public funds

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has agreed to temporarily extend the Healthy Start scheme to people who meet all of the following criteria:

• parental responsibility for at least one British child who is less than 4 years old
• family take-home pay of less than £408 per month
• excluded from claiming public funds due to immigration status

Please note: this temporary extension does not include pregnant women. 

Families with no recourse to public funds can apply to Healthy Start by requesting an application form from healthystartclaim@dhsc.gov.uk.To apply, parents/carers will need to provide copies of:

• passport and/or Home Office reference number or case ID (if known) 
• proof of address
• child(s) birth certificate 
• bank statement - if you do not have a bank statement please provide documents that demonstrate your meet the financial criteria.

DHSC will contact you as soon as possible if they require further information to help process the application.

There may not be one set of documents that prove you qualify. Please contact healthystartclaim@dhsc.gov.uk if you have any questions.

Further information

• Your local Bright Start Health Visiting Team is here to provide support and advice on infant nutrition and feeding, and building a relationship with your baby. Visit their webpage, or follow the link to children’s centres and under 5s activities below.
• If you’d like some fun, easy ideas of things to do at home with children 0-5, sign up for the Bright Start Bright Ideas newsletter.
• For more information on healthy eating for pregnant women, infants, and new mums, please visit First Step Nutrition.

• Bright Start Family Support Service - If you have a question, or need some information, advice or guidance you can speak to one of our Family Engagement Workers.

• Telephone service open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am-12noon on 020 7527 8376.

If lines are busy please leave a message and we will get back to you.
Alternatively, you can contact your local Bright Start area:

• North: 020 7527 8441
• Central: 020 7527 8465
• South: 020 7527 4089

You can find Family Support Surgery sessions on the Bright Start timetable.