Healthy Start Working Group policy positions
Healthy Start is part of the Government’s benefits scheme targeted at families with children under the age of four and pregnant mothers on very low incomes. It is meant to provide a safety net for families who are nutritionally vulnerable. Families are given a card that can be used in shops to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and vitamins. Sustain and The Food Foundation convene a working group for civil society and early years healthcare representatives collectively working to ensure Healthy Start is meeting its objectives and is serving those families who most need its support.
With uptake across the country standing at only 64% of eligible recipients as of March 2023, this document sets out the Healthy Start working group’s shared policy recommendations for the Scheme to be improved and expanded. This document sets out the main challenges and a list of proposed recommendations that we believe Government should consider. (For information on Scotland’s scheme, please see here)
Our policy calls are divided into four categories:
- Increasing the value of the payments
- Expanding eligibility for the scheme
- Improving access and uptake
- Supporting the scheme to meet its objectives
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