In early November, during Challenge Poverty Week, Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville visited Edinburgh Community Food to meet with families and urge them to make use of their Best Start Foods cards.

Best Start Foods, a payment of up to £42.40 every four weeks, helps eligible pregnant women, parents, families and carers with children under the age of three to buy healthy foods from a range of supermarkets, small shops and online stores.

Most people in a recent survey told us the card is easy to use and it has helped them to buy milk or healthy food.

People who have not yet activated their card or don’t use it regularly could be missing out on money that can help pay for healthy foods.

Those win receipt of Best Start Foods are contacted via text message to alert them to balances available to spend on their cards.

People can apply for the payment as soon as they know they are pregnant, during pregnancy and up to when their child turns three.

The removal of income limits earlier this year also means even more people can now get the payment and are being urged to check if they are eligible.