Automatic enrolment on the NHS Healthy Start scheme

Early day motion 1299, tabled 13 June 2023 by Emma Lewell (Labour). Signed by 33 members.

That this House notes that, in May 2023, over 200,000 babies, children and pregnant mothers from low income households across England, Wales and Northern Ireland missed out on their entitlement to the NHS Healthy Start scheme for free fruit, vegetables and milk; also notes that average take up across the three nations is 64 per cent, with some local authorities tackling take up as low as 50 per cent; further notes that due to the digitalisation of the scheme, there are currently over 34,000 households which previously received paper vouchers that have not successfully re-registered; and calls on the Government to adopt the proposals in the Healthy Start Scheme Bill for automatic enrolment, similar to the one which sees low income households receive Cold Weather Payments automatically, to secure full take up of the scheme and overcome barriers such as low awareness and bureaucracy to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

Signatures by party: Labour 20, Independent 3, Liberal Democrat 3, DUP 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Green 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Scottish National Party 1.