MP proposes changes to Healthy Start sign-up process to ensure ‘no baby or infant goes without’

Presenting the Bill to Parliament last week (14 June), Labour MP, Emma Lewell-Buck, said that ‘too many families are missing out’, as uptake across England, Wales and Northern Ireland is a ‘pitiful’ 64 per cent with some areas facing uptake as low as 50 per cent.

She added, ‘It is calculated this equates to over 200,000 of those eligible missing out on £53m worth of nutritious food.’

• Concern young children missing out on Healthy Start scheme

Almost 30 organisations and 40 MPs signed a letter to MP Steve Barclay, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ahead of the introduction of the bill, citing that food inflation costs are ‘pushing families to the edge’ with baby formula increasing by 12.5 per cent, whole milk by over 26 per cent and vegetables by nearly 20 per cent.

In a plea to Parliament, Lewell-Buck said, ‘All I am asking is for the Government to change from an opt-in system to an opt-out one. 

'Automatic enrolment would increase take-up, ensuring that the millions of pounds sat in the Treasury, allocated to those mothers and babies, is exactly where it should be.’

Orla Delargy, head of public affairs at food charity Sustain, which supports the Bill, said, ‘We know the numbers of children living in food insecure households has doubled to 3.7 million in the last year.

'Ensuring they receive the Healthy Start card could be the difference in a child receiving a meal or not.

‘But many families don’t even realise they’re eligible or struggle to navigate the online application system.

‘Government should also increase payments in line with inflation as the cost of food is outstripping the value of the vouchers. Payments no longer able to cover the cost of infant formula according to analysis by First Steps Nutrition Trust, and the cost of fruit and vegetables has risen sharply.’

Switch to digital systems impacted take-up

Meanwhile, sources say that recent switches to digital systems have caused issues with take-up.

Research by Manchester Central food bank highlights that those on legacy benefits or with no recourse to public funds have to apply via paper or telephone, which Lewell-Buck said is ‘completely at odds with the Healthy Start phone line and website, which state that applications must always be done online’. 

A spokesperson from NHS BSA, which operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), told Nursery World, ‘We have recently updated the options to make it clearer how to get through to an agent.’

‘People have always had the option to speak to an advisor by calling the NHS Healthy Start helpline: 0300 330 7010. To speak to an advisor, choose option 3, then option 3 again. People can also contact NHS Healthy Start by email at healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk or by direct message on Twitter and Facebook.

‘While the majority of people can apply online for NHS Healthy Start, some people currently need to apply using a paper application form.'

• For more info visit the NHS Healthy Start website here: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/’