Healthy Start Scheme Bill Drop-In

My colleague Emma Lewell Buck, MP for South Shields, held a drop-in on Wednesday 7 June 2023 to discuss her Bill “the Health Eating Start Scheme (Take-up) (No 2) Bill which would ensure families eligible for the Healthy Start Scheme are automatically registered to receive it.

The Healthy Start Scheme is a lifeline for many pregnant women and families with young children providing access to healthy fruit, vegetables, milk and vitamins which helps children have the best start.

Uptake across England is currently only 64%. It is calculated by Sustain that this equates to over 200,000 families missing out on £68 million pounds worth of nutritious food.

Emma’s bill, which will be presented on 14 June, would widen the take-up through automatic enrolment which will reach those who do not know they are eligible.

I have also signed the joint letter to the Health Secretary to automatically enrol every family eligible for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme.