ICELAND has become the first supermarket to offer fruit to households in need through a brand partnership.
The supermarket giant is already part of the NHS‘ Healthy Start scheme, which helps parents cover the cost of fresh food and drinks.
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But it has now teamed up with Del Monte to offer frozen fruit.
It comes after the supermarket started offering milk through the scheme earlier this year.
Zoe McIntyre, Children’s Right2Food lead at The Food Foundation, which works on changing food policy and business practice, said: “It’s more important than ever to be making every effort to increase uptake and awareness of NHS Healthy Start for low-income young families.
“Iceland is doing a fantastic job and we look forward to seeing the results from this campaign.”
It will come as good news for households struggling through the cost of living crisis, after food and fuel prices soared in recent months.
However, new Conservative leader Liz Truss has promised to freeze energy bills for homes and businesses in her first act as the new PM.
This would see the average households’ bills remain below £2,000 as opposed to rocketing to over £3,500.
What is the Healthy Start scheme?
The Healthy Start scheme is designed to help upcoming or new parents pay for healthy food and milk.
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It used to be that people were offered vouchers to redeem at a number of supermarkets and grocers, including Tesco, Iceland and Aldi.
However, now pre-paid cards are offered out which can be used at any location that accepts Mastercard.
What you’ll get depends on your circumstances.
You’ll get £4.25 per week for pregnant women (from the 10th week of pregnancy).
This goes up to £8.50 per week for babies from birth to one-year-old.
You get £4.25 per week for children aged between one and four.
Who is eligible for the scheme and how can I apply?
The scheme is not open to all new parents or pregnant women.
You must be on certain benefits to be eligible, including:
- Child Tax Credit (only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit (which includes the child addition)
- Universal Credit (only if your family’s take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)
- Working Tax Credits run-on (which is paid for four weeks if your working hours or your partner or carer’s, go to less than 16 hours per week)
You will also be eligible for Healthy Start if:
- you’re under 18 and pregnant, even if you are not claiming any benefits
- you claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are over 10 weeks pregnant
- you, your partner or your carer get Working Tax Credit run-on only after you have reported you’re working 16 hours or less per week
You can apply either via email or phone on [email protected] or 0300 330 7010.
To complete the application, you’ll need your name, address, date of birth, National Insurance (NI) number, baby’s due date (if you’re pregnant) and a benefit aware letter, if you’re over 18.
