Business · Companies · 13 hrs ago
Sainsbury’s to offer £3 weekly Healthy Start top-up for six weeks
Sainsbury’s will offer eligible families £3 a week for six weeks through a top-up to the Healthy Start scheme.
The support is for low-income families with young children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who use the scheme.
Healthy Start is a government programme that helps families buy healthy food with a prepaid card topped up every four weeks.
Sainsbury’s says this is the first retailer top-up since the scheme moved to prepaid cards in 2022.
The weekly e-gift cards can be used in-store or online for fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses, including fresh, frozen, tinned and dried foods.
Registrations close at 11:59pm on 9 November 2026, and the weekly cards are available from 18 November.
A Sainsbury’s trial found that customers using a top-up coupon bought an average of 13 more portions of fruit and vegetables per basket than those who did not.
The Food Foundation says the scheme is a vital safety net but that too many families miss out, and hopes other retailers will offer similar support.
Sainsbury’s is bringing back a £3 weekly top-up for people enrolled in the NHS Healthy Start scheme.
Eligible customers can apply for an eGift card each week for six weeks, worth up to £18 in total.
The cards can be spent in store or online on fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses, including fresh, frozen, tinned and dried products.
Registration closes at 11:59pm on 9 November 2026, and the first cards are due from 18 November.
Sainsbury’s says the support is intended to help low-income families buy nutritious food ahead of Christmas.
- Who
- Sainsbury’s customers enrolled in the NHS Healthy Start scheme may be eligible.
- What
- They can apply for an additional £3 a week for six weeks, worth up to £18 in total.
- When
- Registration closes at 11:59pm on 9 November 2026. Weekly eGift cards start on 18 November.
- Where
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Why
- Sainsbury’s says the top-up will help low-income families buy nutritious food ahead of Christmas.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Sainsbury’s trialled a top-up to the Healthy Start scheme.
The scheme transitioned to a prepaid card format.
Sainsbury’s announced it would bring back the £3 weekly top-up.
Registration for the top-up closes at 11:59pm.
Weekly eGift cards are due to start being sent to eligible customers.
- Weekly top-up
- £3 for six weeks
- Maximum extra support
- £18
- Registration deadline
- 11:59pm on 9 November 2026
- eGift cards start
- 18 November 2026
- Eligible regions
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Previous trial result
- Customers redeeming a top-up coupon bought an average of 13 more portions of fruit and vegetables per basket
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What people are saying
That’s why we’re bringing back our £3 weekly top-up in the run-up to Christmas, when family budgets can face additional pressures.
I'm delighted to see Sainsbury's bring back this additional support and I encourage other retailers to follow their lead so even more families can benefit.
This scheme reaches the most disadvantaged babies and toddlers in the country – and provides a vital nutritional safety net – but too many miss out on its benefits currently, which is why we think the scheme should be urgently expanded.