Healthy Start Vouchers (AG)

• Their address has changed, follow the guidance in Changes
   
• Their name has changed, follow the guidance in Changes
   
• They want to report a death in the family, follow the guidance in Changes
   
• They have not yet received their Healthy Start vouchers, they have contacted the Helpline for Healthy Start vouchers and their details are not on the computer, go to step 2
   
• They are querying whether their entitlement to tax credits means they are eligible to apply for Healthy Start vouchers, go to step 2
   
• They require general advice about Healthy Start vouchers, go to step 8
   
• They require information on Healthy Start vouchers for pregnant women, go to step 8
   
• You receive correspondence that tells you that post has been returned undelivered or that the addressee has gone away, follow the guidance in RLS Items – Post Award / Annual Declaration (Renewals)

• Name
   
• Address
   
• Child/ren's name(s) and date(s) of birth

And

• If they are in receipt of IS or JSA / ESA

And then

• Go to step 3

• Hours
   
• Number of Jobs
   
• Earnings
   
• Benefits in Kind
   
• Self Employed Profits
   
• Social Security Benefits

And

• Other Income

• If any of the personal details or income and employment details are incorrect or have changed, go to step 4
   
• If the personal details or income and employment details are correct or have not changed, check the claimant satisfies the criteria to be eligible to apply for Healthy Start vouchers, go to step 5

• Where a correction is needed to the original details, follow the guidance in Changes

Note: Once you have amended or corrected the details, HMRC will notify the HSIU of the correct details on the next automatic transfer of information, only where the claimant also satisfies one of the three set criteria

• Advise the claimant that they will receive a new award notice

And then

• Go to step 5

• Criteria 1

• Use Function VIEW APPLICATION to see if the family is in receipt of IS or JSA(IB) / ESA(IR)

And

• Use Function VIEW AWARD to see if the family is in receipt of Child Tax Credit only

And

• Use Function VIEW APPLICATION to see if the family has one or more children aged under 4

• Criteria 2

• Use Function VIEW AWARD to see if the family is in receipt of Child Tax Credit only

And

• Use Function VIEW AWARD to see if the family’s income is below the earnings threshold (see the Note below for the earnings threshold)

And

• Use Function VIEW APPLICATION to see if the family has one or more children aged under 4

Note: If the claimant is in receipt of Working Tax Credit, they do not satisfy the criteria for Healthy Start vouchers, unless the person is receiving it in the four weeks immediately after they stopped working 16 hours or more a week. If the claimant is in receipt of Child Tax Credit only but their income is above the earnings threshold for the tax year, they do not satisfy the criteria for Healthy Start vouchers
 

Each tax year the earnings threshold may change. The details for the recent tax years are

2003 / 2004 - £13,230

2004 / 2005 - £13,480

2005 / 2006 - £13,910

2006 / 2007 - £14,155

2007 / 2008 - £14,495

2008 / 2009 - £15,575

• Criteria 3

• Pregnant women under 18 years of age, who are not in receipt of tax credits or any benefits

• If the claimant satisfies criteria 1, 2 or 3, they are entitled to Healthy Start vouchers, go to step 6
   
• If the claimant does not satisfy criteria 1, 2 or 3. Inform the claimant that they are not entitled to receive Healthy Start vouchers as they do not satisfy the criteria. Take no further action

• If not, advise them that they must complete application form (HS01). This form is available from some GP surgeries or by calling 0845 607 6823. Take no further action
   
• If they have applied, check the date they did this

Note: There could be up to a 5 week delay, from the date the claimant applied for Healthy Start vouchers before they receive their first voucher. This is due to the 2 weekly data extract. The HSIU have to verify the claimant’s eligibility, using the information from the data extract, before the vouchers can be issued. The HSIU will backdate entitlement where necessary

• Use Function VIEW AWARD to check to see if there is a nil award or whether there is a (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)error on the claim

Note: On a claim where there is a nil award, an (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)error has occurred or the claimant is being paid manually, HSIU will not be able to verify the claimant’s eligibility and cannot issue any Healthy Start vouchers. If an application for Healthy Start vouchers has been made, entitlement where applicable, will be backdated once the computer error has been corrected

• If 5 weeks have passed since the claimant applied for Healthy Start vouchers, go to step 7
   
• If 5 weeks have not passed since the claimant applied for Healthy Start vouchers. Advise the claimant to wait until the 5 weeks have passed and to telephone back if they have not received their Healthy Start vouchers

• If the claimant is happy with waiting, take no further action
   
• If the claimant is not happy with waiting, inform the claimant that the HSIU have to verify their entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers and that this can take up to 5 weeks. Assure the claimant that their vouchers will be backdated to the date they applied for them

• If the claimant is still not happy with this, inform the claimant that they can write to the Healthy Start Issuing Unit (HSIU) at the address below. The claimant should include the date they applied for the Healthy Start vouchers, their NINO, name and address. The HSIU will monitor the situation for them

Healthy Start Issuing Unit
PO Box 9147
Chelmsford
CM1 9AA

• That the personal details and circumstances that are recorded on the tax credit computer are correct (steps 2 and 3 above)

And

• You have established that eligib ility for Healthy Start vouchers exists (step 5 above)

And

• You have checked that they have actually applied for Healthy Start vouchers and that 5 weeks have passed since they made the application (step 6 above)

Note: If all the steps above have not been followed, for example, 7 weeks have not passed since the application for Healthy Start vouchers was made, there is nothing the HSIU can do for the claimant and the claimant will be directed back to HMRC

• Refer the claimant to the Helpline for Healthy Start vouchers. The telephone number is 0845 607 6823. Claimants telephoning this number will be advised about whether Healthy Start vouchers have been issued. This is a national telephone number and includes Northern Ireland

• Wants general advice about the scheme and information on how to use Healthy Start vouchers

• Advise them to telephone the Healthy Start helpline on 0845 607 6823. This is a national telephone number and includes Northern Ireland

• For whatever reason wishes to return their Healthy Start vouchers

• Tell them to send them to the HSIU at the address below, stating the reason that they have been returned

Healthy Start Issuing Unit
PO Box 9147
Chelmsford
CM1 9AA

• Is enquiring about Healthy Start vouchers during pregnancy, advise them that they can get Healthy Start vouchers from the 10th week of pregnancy if

• Criteria 1

• The family is in receipt of Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) or Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)

And

• The family is in receipt of Child Tax Credit only

And

• The family has one or more children aged under 4

• Criteria 2

• The family is in receipt of Child Tax Credit only

And

• The family's income is below the earnings threshold (see the Note below for the earnings threshold)

And

• The family has one or more children aged under 4

Note: Each tax year the earnings threshold may change. The details of the earnings threshold for the recent tax years are

2003 / 2004 - £13,230

2004 / 2005 - £13,480

2005 / 2006 - £13,910

2006 / 2007 - £14,155

2007 / 2008 - £14,495

2008 / 2009 - £15,575

Note: There will be mo entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers if the claimant is in receipt of Working Tax Credit, unless the person is receiving it in the four weeks immediately after they stopped working 16 hours or more a week or there are no children aged under 4 in the family

• Criteria 3

• Pregnant women under 18 years of age who are not in receipt of tax credits or any other benefits

• Advise them that they can get an application form (HS01) at their doctor's surgery or they can telephone 0845 607 6823 to request one

And

• They will need to get the application signed by a health professional, like a health visitor or doctor

Note: An application for Healthy Start vouchers during pregnancy can be made from the 10th week of pregnancy