Families are really feeling the financial pressure at the moment, but there are initiatives in place to help support parents to support their children.
Help buying milk, fruit and vegetables
Healthy Start is a scheme that helps parents with children up to the age of four buy milk, fruit and vegetables.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. If you use your voucher in Sainsburys, you will get an extra £2 per week to spend (other supermarkets available).
Find out more about the Healthy Start scheme
Tax-free childcare
You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).
Find out more about tax-free childcare
Free school meals
If you receive certain benefits, your child or children may be eligible for free school meals and pupil premium funding.
Find out more about free school meals
Free pregnancy and baby stuff samples
The Emma’s Diary website can provide you with relevant freebies to fit in with your stage of pregnancy and for your newborn.