03 April 2023
Government misses target on Healthy Start uptake leaving children under four facing food insecurity
Government misses target on Healthy Start uptake as 27% of households with children under four face food insecurity
The government has published data showing Healthy Start uptake is currently at 64%, falling short of the NHS target set for March 2023.
These figures come as The Food Foundation’s new data shows that 27% of UK households home to children under the age of four experienced food insecurity in January 2023.
At 27%, food insecurity rates are higher in households with children under the age of four than those with only school-age children or no children at all.
In January 2023, food insecurity was experienced by 23% of households with school-age children (5-17 years) and 15% of households without children.
The data illustrates that this age group is at particularly high risk of food insecurity and more needs to be done to support younger children specifically.
The first years of life are critical for children’s growth and development, and it is imperative they receive nutritious food during this time to help them grow up healthy.
These figures are especially concerning in light of new government data which shows that NHS BSA, which operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Care (DSHC), has missed its target of 75% uptake for Healthy Start, with only 64% of eligible parents and carers on average accessing the scheme across England, Wales and Northern Ireland (NHS Digital, accessed 31st March, 2023).
These nations fall well behind uptake for Scotland’s equivalent scheme, ‘Best Start Foods’, which was claimed by 88% of eligible parents and carers in 2021-22.
Uptake levels are low due to many families being unaware of the scheme or struggling with the application process.
The Food Foundation, Sustain and organisations working across food security and early years health and nutrition in the UK are calling for the following actions from the government:
- The Food Foundation, Sustain and organisations working across food security and early years health and nutrition in the UK are calling for the following actions from the government:
- To commit £5 million of funding for a comprehensive communications campaign to improve awareness and uptake of Healthy Start – as recommended in the National Food Strategy.
- Increase the Healthy Start allowance in line with food price inflation alongside other government benefits. Thereafter, the Government should review the value every six months.
- Expand eligibility to all families on Universal Credit and equivalent benefits with children under five years old, as recommended in the National Food Strategy.
The Food Foundation is also calling on retailers to promote the Healthy Start Scheme to raise awareness among eligible customers as part of the Kid’s Food Guarantee.
In a response given on 21st March to a parliamentary question, DHSC stated that there “are no current plans to extend the eligibility criteria for the scheme by one year to cover children under the age of five or increase the value of Healthy Start”.
Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation, said: "Debilitating food price rises are making it incredibly challenging for low-income young families to afford a healthy diet.
"This is extremely concerning given how important good nutrition is for young children’s growth and development.
"Healthy Start is a highly-targeted scheme that should be helping families most in need, but pitifully low uptake levels mean there are families all over the country who are missing out on this statutory scheme.
"Much more needs to be done by government to make sure uptake improves – implementing the recommendations set out in the National Food Strategy is a good place to start."
A mother-of-four (boy aged six, twin girls aged four, baby aged nine months), Southampton, said: "Now my twins have turned four years old it [Healthy Start] has changed already.
"They sent me an email a few days ago; they said I will be receiving for the baby only now…I felt a bit disappointed because before I used to make sure that every day [my children] could eat some fresh fruits with some vitamins in them – now there will be a decrease in all that.
"First of all the milk will definitely have to reduce, I will have to explain to my girls – I used to give them milk every day after dinner, at least half a cup every night for the three of them - but that one I am sure of will need to come to an end.
"Then for the fruits and vegetables I used to pack them fruit every day in their packed lunch and for the older boy I used to prepare him every day after school a little plate of fruit chopped up, but I know now I won’t be able to do that, it will come to an end.
"Right now Healthy Start is not covering the cost of the formula for [my baby]. The price of formula has changed a lot…I used to buy the same one for £12-14 but right now it is £17.
"More advertising is needed. For people [who] go at least once or twice a week, the supermarket is the best place to tell more people about Healthy Start.
"The government should do more advertising and supermarkets can do this. Supermarkets could definitely do more to promote healthy foods instead of junk foods."
Dr Vicky Sibson, Director of First Steps Nutrition, said: "Not only are babies and young children most at risk of food insecurity, but they are also the most vulnerable nutritionally.
"To stay well, grow properly, develop and learn, they need nutritious diets. With sky-rocketing food price inflation, these diets will be more expensive and less accessible than ever, especially given the shortcomings in the Healthy Start scheme.
"Poor diets in the early years can have life-long impacts, making it doubly important that the government recognises the gravity of this situation and acts now."
Alison Morton, CEO of the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), said: "The iHV fully supports this position statement by The Food Foundation.
"The Healthy Start scheme has had a positive impact on the nutritional health of babies, children and families for many years by helping the families who most need support in order to reduce inequalities
"However, the scheme urgently needs updating to resolve the barriers to accessing the scheme, keep pace with inflation and reach the growing numbers of families that have been pushed into poverty in the cost of living crisis.
"At the moment, too many families are missing out on this much-needed support. Investment, expansion, and improved access to the Healthy Start scheme are urgently needed to ensure that all eligible families get the support that they need to buy healthy foods and milk and receive Healthy Start vitamins."
Vera Zakharov, Local Action Coordinator at Sustain, said "Food prices are at a record high, with some fruit and vegetable lines up to 25% more expensive in the wake of recent shortages.
"Now more than ever families with young children need the benefits they’re entitled to, which is why it’s so disappointing that the government has missed its own target of 75% uptake of Healthy Start by March 2023.
"Frontline health workers and local authorities are working hard to reach eligible families but they need government to play its part.
"Government needs to increase the value of the payments in line with inflation and commit to an information campaign so eligible families know how they can claim the free fruit, vegetables and milk they’re entitled to."
NOTE TO EDITORS
Please contact Pandora Haydon on 07789 712608 or email Pandora.haydon@foodfoundation.org.uk
Healthy Start is part of the UK Government’s benefits scheme targeted at families with children under the age of four and pregnant mothers on very low incomes, as well as all pregnant teenagers below 18 years of age. It is meant to provide a critical nutritional safety net for the most nutritionally vulnerable, and comprises two parts: a cash allowance and multivitamin supplements. Eligible families receive £4.25 per week per eligible individual (£8.50 for infants under 1) intended for spending on fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, pulses and grains, cow's milk or infant formula, as well as free multivitamins for both pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and infants and children under four-years-old.
Food Foundation Insecurity tracker here.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 10,814 UK adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 31st January and 3rd February 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults 18+. The figures presented from the online survey have been analysed independently by The Food Foundation and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Comparison to older figures is from a series of previous surveys conducted with YouGov commissioned by the Food Foundation. Population calculations made by the Food Foundation using 2021 mid-year population estimates (reference).
We ask the following questions to explore how many households have experienced food insecurity:
- Having smaller meals than usual or skipping meals due to being unable to afford or get access to food
- Being hungry but not eating due to being unable to afford or get access to food
- Not eating for a whole day due to being unable to afford or get access to food
If they answered yes to any of these three questions, they are classified as food insecure. We ask them if they had experienced this in a) the last month and b) the last 6 months. The questions are based on the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Security Survey module.
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