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Welfare Food Scheme
Free Milk
and Vitamins
A Guide for Families
78406-DH-Welfare Milk Vitamin
11/6/04
You qualify if
you, or your
family…
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●
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receive Income Support or incomebased Jobseeker’s Allowance, and,
– you are pregnant; and/or
– you have a child aged under
5 years.
●
receive Pension Credit guarantee
credit, AND,
– you are pregnant.
●
receive Child Tax Credit, but NOT
Working Tax Credit and have a family
income below a certain limit (for
2004 that is £13,480 or less), AND,
– you have a child aged under
5 years.
●
have a child with a learning
and/or physical disability
aged 5 –16 years old who
is not a registered pupil
at a school.
Important
Pregnant women and
mothers who are
breastfeeding or bottle
feeding should seek advice
from their GP, midwife or
health visitor on the need for
vitamin supplements for
themselves or their babies.
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What do you get?
4 litres or 7 pints of cow’s
milk a week. Bottle-fed
babies under one year may
obtain 900 grammes of
dried baby milk instead.
Children under five,
breastfeeding mothers
and pregnant women
may also receive
vitamin supplements
containing vitamins A, C
and D if required.
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A Guide for Families
Help for
the family
Pregnant women
Vitamins are vital for healthy
growth. They help your baby build
up a store to fight infection. The
ideal source of vitamins is a
balanced, varied nutritious diet. If
you feel you may require vitamin
supplements, you should seek
advice from your GP or midwife.
Cow’s milk is an excellent food for
pregnant women. Both cow’s milk
and vitamins are available free
under the Welfare Food Scheme to
those in receipt of Income Support,
income-based Jobseeker’s
Allowance, or Pension Credit
guarantee credit.
Folic acid advice
If you are planning to become
pregnant, or find out that you are,
it is recommended that you take a
folic acid supplement straight away
and continue to do so until the end
of your twelfth week of pregnancy.
This helps to protect your baby
against conditions like spina bifida.
Consult your GP or midwife for
further advice. You may be able to
get it on prescription.
Newborn babies’ needs
Breast-feeding provides the best
possible food for your baby for the
first six months of life. By
breastfeeding, you are giving your
baby protection from a variety of
infections and other illnesses.
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Free Milk and Vitamins
Breastfeeding mothers need a
balanced healthy diet. So, if your
baby is eligible for a token you can
obtain free cow’s milk for your own
consumption. If you qualify for
tokens, free vitamin supplements
are also available for both you and
your baby. Together these will boost
your health and your baby’s.
Your baby’s first year
Breastfeeding is the ideal way to
feed your baby. But if you choose
to bottle feed and are entitled to
free liquid milk you may get dried
infant formula instead. Please follow
the instructions on the pack
carefully when you prepare your
baby’s milk.
If you start off breastfeeding, as your
baby gets older, you may choose to
combine this with bottle-feeding.
At this age you should NOT give
your child cow’s milk as a main
drink as it is low in iron and
vitamin D. It will not give your
child the nourishment it needs.
Children from 1 to 5 years
After their first birthday, children
can begin to drink cow’s milk as a
main drink. Children under 2 years
should drink whole milk. If your
child is over 2 years and eats well,
you can give semi-skimmed milk.
Fully skimmed milk is not suitable
for a child aged under 5 years.
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Vitamins for health
All young children need vitamins in
their diet for good health. Ideally,
an adequate and varied diet should
provide satisfactory levels.
However, children often refuse to
eat properly and the diet may
particularly lack vitamins A, C and
D. Some children are at greater risk
of vitamin D deficiency – it is
important to make sure that they
have vitamin drops to avoid rickets.
Vitamin C in the drops can also help
children to better absorb iron in
their diet. Ask your GP or health
visitor for further advice. Vitamin
supplements are available through
the Welfare Food Scheme for
families in receipt of milk tokens.
Children in day care
In addition to the above provisions,
the Health Departments will
reimburse an approved day nursery,
playgroup or childminder the cost
of ordinary milk supplied to young
children until they reach 5 years of
age. Each child is allowed up
to one third of a pint for
each day they attend a
session of 2 hours or more.
Infant formula for children
under 1 year, may be
obtained in lieu of liquid
milk. This element of the
Scheme is not means
tested and is the
responsibility of the carer
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A Guide for Families
not the parent. Useful phone
numbers can be found at the back
of this leaflet.
How to get
free milk
and vitamins:
If you are pregnant
You need to advise the Social
Security office that pays you your
Income Support, income-based
Jobseeker’s Allowance, or Pension
Centre for Pension Credit as early as
possible as you will only receive
tokens from the date that you
advise them.
You need to provide evidence from
your GP or midwife confirming the
pregnancy and the expected date
of your baby’s birth.
Your benefit office will be
responsible for issuing you with milk
tokens up to your expected delivery
date. You do not need tokens to
obtain the vitamins. Once your
baby has been born you must
contact the Inland Revenue to make
your Child Tax Credit claim so that
the award can continue.
From 1 October 2004 a new
application process is being
introduced for pregnant women.
Look out for posters and leaflets
nearer the time.
If you have a child
aged under 5
If you qualify for tokens, the token
award will automatically be made.
If you collect your benefit from the
Post Office you will collect your
tokens at the same time. If your
benefit is credited direct to your
bank account, the tokens will
be posted to you.
If you have a child with
a learning and/or physical
disability
If you have a child with a learning
and/or physical disability aged 5–16
years who is NOT a registered pupil
at a school, contact the number on
the back of this leaflet to obtain a
claim form. Your child may be
entitled to 4 litres or 7 pints of free
milk a week.
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Free Milk and Vitamins
Exchanging your:
Milk Token
There are currently two styles of
MILK TOKEN. One is valid for liquid
milk only. The other will be stamped
as valid for liquid milk OR dried milk
and you should use the token for
the milk it has been stamped
as valid for.
Where to obtain
your liquid milk
A token valid for liquid milk can
be exchanged with any milkman
or at any shop/supermarket willing
to accept it. The advice note that
comes with your tokens provides
further information.
Where to obtain your
infant formula
Infant Token
INFANT TOKENS are gradually being
introduced and are designed to
be flexible to meet the needs of
a young baby. You may obtain
formula milk if you are bottlefeeding or cow’s milk if you are
breastfeeding.
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Dried baby milk is only available
at your local maternity clinic, child
health clinic or a chemist who
has been specially appointed to
distribute milk under the Scheme.
Ask your midwife or health visitor
for the nearest outlet. DO NOT try
to obtain dried baby milk in shops
as either you or the shop will not
receive the full allowance. If you
have difficulty finding an outlet,
ring the appropriate number on the
back of this leaflet for further help.
You may be required to provide
proof that the token you have is
yours when exchanging it for infant
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A Guide for Families
formula. When collecting your milk
it is advisable to take with you the
letter that came with the tokens and
some identification.
ONLY the following brands of
baby milk can be exchanged for
milk tokens:
Aptamil 1st, Aptamil Extra,
Cow & Gate Plus, Cow & Gate
Premium, Farleys 1, Farleys 2,
Hipp Organic, Milumil,
SMA Gold and SMA White.
You will not be able to obtain
follow-on or soya baby milks, other
brands or ready to feed milks. An
outlet may not stock all of the milks
listed but they will have at least
four for you to choose from.
All tokens must be used within the
period stated on it.
Free vitamin supplements
These are available from the same
places as the infant formula. There
are no tokens for vitamins, all you
need to take with you is the advice
note that came with your tokens.
If you have any difficulties obtaining
vitamins, please contact the relevant
phone number for further advice.
Fair exchange
Your entitlement for liquid milk is
4 litres or 7 pints. You can take the
milk in any combination of pack
sizes as this does not affect the
value of the token. Be careful not
to combine metric and imperial
measures.
You should not be charged anything
towards your FREE milk unless you
choose a type of milk that is more
expensive than ordinary pasteurised
cow’s milk, for example organic milk.
A phone number can be found on
the back of this leaflet where you
can share any concerns in
confidence.
No exchange
Your token is only valid for whole
or semi-skimmed cow’s milk. You
should not use it against any other
item including other milks such
as fully-skimmed, evaporated,
condensed, flavoured,
unpasteurised, soya or goat’s.
The future
The Welfare Food Scheme is
changing. The new scheme,
‘Healthy Start’, will be phased in.
Look out for poster and leaflets
locally.
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Further help and advice
Telephone:
Specific queries relating to your Tokens:
If issued by Social Security
your local office
refer to the Phone
Directory for details
If issued by the
Token Distribution Unit (TDU)
0845 850 1032
To find a dried milk or vitamin outlet:
England and Scotland
0845 850 1032
Northern Ireland
028 9052 2276
Wales
029 2082 3657
Claim Form for a Disabled Child
0845 850 1032
Information on the Nursery Milk Scheme:
England, Scotland and Wales
020 7887 1212
Northern Ireland
028 9052 2276
General information
(automated system available 24 hours)
0800 056 2665
To discuss or report potential abuse of the scheme:
England, Scotland and Wales
0845 850 1032
Northern Ireland
028 9052 2656
Other useful numbers
Inland Revenue
0845 300 3900
NHS Tax Exemption Certificate
0845 609 9299
The Pension Service
0845 606 0265
This leaflet gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete
and authoritative statement of the law.
Northern Ireland Department of
Health Social Services and
Public Safety
© Crown copyright 2004
Produced by the Department of Health
31179 4P 100k May 04 (BEL)
The text of this document may be reproduced without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use.
If you require further copies of this title, quote 31179/Free Milk and Vitamins and contact:
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Tel: 08701 555 455
E-mail: [email protected]
08700 102 870 – Textphone (for minicom users) for the hard of hearing
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31179/WMV:G1/Free Milk and Vitamins can also be made available on request in braille,
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