Healthy Start is the UK-wide free voucher scheme intended to improve the health of low-income pregnant mothers and families with young children.¹⁵ While it is designed to promote healthy eating, breastfeeding and vitamin supplementation, its vouchers can be used to spend on infant formula, as well as milk, plain, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables.¹⁶

Pregnant women, women with a child under 12 months, and children aged from six months to four years who are receiving Healthy Start vouchers are also entitled to free Healthy Start vitamins. These are made available because:¹⁵

• 8 per cent 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, with a daily dose of five drops, provide:

• 233 micrograms of vitamin A
• 20 milligrams of vitamin C
• 7.5 micrograms of vitamin D.³