If you're eligible for Healthy Start, you'll receive a prepaid card. The card is topped up every 4 weeks.
Check where you can use the card on the Healthy Start website.
Restrictions are placed on the card to make sure it's used appropriately. You cannot:
- withdraw money
- get cashback
- go overdrawn
- use the card for online purchases
- use the card on your phone's wallet app
- use the card abroad
- pay for non-Healthy Start items
Read more information about the NHS Healthy Start scheme rules.
Contactless payments
Once you've made a payment using chip and pin, you can make contactless payments.
The contactless limit on an NHS Healthy Start prepaid card is £45.
Contact us if you want to turn off contactless payments.
Help with your Healthy Start card
You can call our automated service on 0118 338 5810. This line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Select:
- option 1 to activate your card
- option 2 to report your card as lost, stolen, or damaged
- option 3 to make any other request
For option 1 and option 2, you must have your 10-digit client ID. This is on the letter the prepaid card came with.
For option 3, you must enter your 16-digit card number. Once you've entered this, you'll be given the following options:
- option 1 to to hear your balance - you can also view your balance at a cash machine
- option 2 for recent transactions
- option 3 to retrieve your PIN
- option 4 to update your telephone access code