Best Start Foods - Scotland - Can I get Best Start Foods?

You can only get Best Start Foods if you live in Scotland.

If you’re over 20

You can get Best Start Foods if you are pregnant or are a parent of a child under 3 (if you were already getting Healthy Start vouchers before you claimed Best Start Foods, you may be able to get Best Start Foods until your child is 4) and you are getting one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income related Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, without Working Tax Credit (if you (and your partner) earn less than £18,725 per year)
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit (if you (and your partner) earn less than £8,717 per year)
• Housing Benefit (if you (and your partner) earn less than £358 per week)
• Universal Credit (if you (and your partner) earn less than £726 per month)

If you’re under 18

You do not need to be on any payments or benefits to get Best Start Foods. 

If you’re 18 or 19 and do not get benefits

If you're 18 or 19 and do not get any benefits or payments, you can still apply for Best Start Foods if you're a dependent. Your parent or carer needs to get one of these for you:

• Child Tax Credit
• Child Benefit
• Universal Credit child payments
• the child addition part of Pension Credit

When you apply, you’ll need to enter your parent or carer’s details in the form.

If you have no recourse to public funds

You may be able to get Best Start Foods if you cannot claim benefits because of your immigration status and you are on a low income. You might be able to get Best Start Foods if:

• You have an address in Scotland.
• You’re responsible for a child under 3.
• Your monthly income is £2,086 or less for a couple, or £1,763.18 or less for a single adult.
• You aren’t able to claim public funds due to your immigration status.

When you apply, you will need to tell Social Security Scotland that you have no recourse to public funds or that you cannot apply for benefits. They will then ask you to confirm you and your child’s details, your family income and immigration status.