Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Healthy Start Scheme

07 September 2022 · 3 other contributors · 4,214 words

Opened by Kate Green Lab Stretford and Urmston

Responding minister: Maggie Throup

Benefits & WelfareChildren & Families

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Kate Green raised concerns about healthy start scheme in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about the Healthy Start scheme include high call costs and long wait times for helpline support.
  • The scheme's digitalisation has led to difficulties for those who need it most, hindering application and uptake.
  • Requests made to the government include reviewing call costs, reducing wait times, and providing clear reasons for application rejections.

Key requests to Government

I ask the Government to review the cost of calls to Healthy Start helplines, reduce waiting times by increasing staff numbers, ensure clear reasons are provided when applications are rejected, extend coverage until a child starts school, and introduce automatic enrolment for eligible parents. Additionally, I request the Minister to launch a national take-up campaign involving various stakeholders.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Kate Green Lab Stretford and Urmston

I am concerned about the current state of the Healthy Start scheme which provides vouchers for expectant mothers and young children to purchase essential items like fruit, vegetables, infant formula, and vitamins. Research shows that participating families increase their spend on nutritious food, but many mothers on low incomes are not eligible due to income thresholds. The scheme's digitalisation has also led to issues such as high call costs and long wait times for helpline support, hindering take-up among those who need it most.

Other contributors (3)
  • Chris Clarkson Con Darlington

    He acknowledges the importance of Healthy Start but points out that families struggling on low incomes are also those who work, not just those unemployed. He believes social support like Healthy Start is vital in enabling these families to raise their children adequately.

  • Ian Byrne Lab Liverpool West Derby

    A report from Feeding Liverpool found that in 2021, an estimated £758,521 of Healthy Start funding went unclaimed in Liverpool. This is significant for a city where one in three people are now food insecure and the rising cost of living is putting pressure on families. The MP urged the Government to urgently review and extend the eligibility threshold for the scheme to reach more families.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    The DUP MP stressed the importance of reviewing Healthy Start's eligibility criteria, given that poverty in Northern Ireland is expected to double. He highlighted the need for increased support as working people on the breadline find it increasingly difficult to provide for their families.

Government Response

Maggie Throup

The Government welcomes the opportunity to discuss the Healthy Start scheme, which benefits hundreds of thousands of families across the country. The scheme supports pregnant women, babies, and children under four from low-income households by providing support for healthy diets and free vitamins. Eligibility is based on receipt of certain welfare benefits or tax credits. Since April 2021, voucher values increased by over 37%, and a digital service was introduced to improve accessibility. Over 400,000 successful applications have been made since the launch, with 37% coming from new households joining the scheme. The minister addressed issues such as stigmatisation of prepaid cards, call wait times, and efforts to engage supermarkets like Iceland for promotion. She also mentioned the NHS Business Services Authority's work on addressing barriers and improving service efficiency. The government is committed to keeping the scheme under review but has no current plans to expand eligibility or increase voucher values further due to cost pressures.

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