Not All Bristol Families Taking Up Healthy Start Vouchers

October 15, 2022 Chopsy Baby

Bristol families are missing out on the Government’s Healthy Start Voucher scheme which enables families access to free fruit, vegetables and milk.

In March this year, there were 4183 families in the city entitled to Healthy Start Vouchers. But just 3223 families – 77 per cent of those eligible – took them up.

The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for ‘urgent action’ to improve the scheme and increase take-up.

“Every year millions of pounds of vital Healthy Start vouchers go unclaimed and families miss out on free fruit, vegetables and milk. At this challenging time of rising food prices and overall cost of living, we need government to ramp up efforts to ensure all eligible families can access healthy and nutritious food to give children and babies the best start in life,” Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board said.

In a five-point plan, the LGA is calling for an increase in the value of the vouchers in line with the current inflation rate which should be reviewed every six months.

Currently, the scheme offers vouchers worth £4.25 per week to all pregnant women under the age of 18 as well as those of all ages and with children aged from birth to four years of age who are in low-income families.

The LGA also wants the scheme expanded to include all families receipt of Universal Credit.

Due to the current ‘age of eligibility’ for Free School Meals, the LGA believes that the age for Healthy Start vouchers should be raised to the age of 5 years to ‘bridge the nutritional gap.’

They also want an ‘opt out’ scheme that is an automated process, removing barriers families face applying online.

They underspend from the scheme should be put into investing in an ‘awareness raising campaign’ to ensure all families are aware of the voucher scheme and increase uptake amongst eligible families.

The scheme should have the age of eligibility raised up to and including children who are 5 years old to bridge the nutritional gap that exists before FSM eligibility.

Auto-enrolment of the Healthy Start scheme. A shift from an “opt in” to an “opt out” registration system through an automated process would remove any barriers families face when applying online.

The Government should invest in an awareness raising campaign to promote uptake of the voucher amongst eligible families. This could be undertaken using the underspend from the scheme.

To check eligibility or apply for healthy start vouchers, visit: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/