#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY CAMPAIGN
- More than 50 public health directors, sector experts and healthcare professionals today sent a letter to
- The letter urges government to increase the value of the voucher to £4.25 a week. The value of Healthy Start vouchers has not increased since 2009.
- The ask is one of 3 key recommendations from the National Food Strategy and footballer
- The Healthy Start scheme provides pregnant women and low-income families in
- The letter is sent just days after
Today a letter was sent to
The recommendation is one of 3 key asks adopted by
The specific ask in the letter is to put £115 million/year of additional funding towards improving the Healthy Start scheme by implementing the recommendations proposed in Part One of the National Food Strategy:
- Increase the value of Healthy Start vouchers to £4.25 per week
- Expand the scheme to every pregnant woman and household with children under four in receipt of Universal Credit or equivalent benefits
- Fund a communications campaign costing £5 million
The letter coincides with the release last week of the latest National Child Measurement Programme
The letter also coincides with an announcement from
Last week the National Food Strategy have also published new evidence supporting the 3 recommendations which can be viewed here.
The letter can be viewed here.
Professor
"As paediatricians we know the necessity of good nutrition for children and young people. Food insecurity is sadly part of life for too many children in the
Caroline Bovey BEM RD, Chair,
"Healthy Start is an important means of improving the nutrition of families and in particular young children, at a point in their life where it will have a particularly significant impact. We know that even before COVID-19, many families were food insecure, but many more will have been made so by the pandemic. Healthy Start is an existing programme that can be strengthened easily and quickly and therefore have a rapid impact."
"We all have a role to play in the community and I'm thrilled that another one of the Taskforce members has proactively stepped up to support our most vulnerable in their time of need. Increasing the value of the Healthy Start vouchers is a key ask of this Taskforce but in the true spirit of togetherness, and with true understanding of need,
"The problem of food poverty is real and serious, and the pandemic is only increasing that pressure. That's why one of the recommendations of the National Food Strategy is for the government to increase the value of the Healthy Start Vouchers - a great way to help children get the fruit and vegetables they need to thrive. At such a critical time, it is wonderful news that
Case studies - Healthy Start Voucher recipients
"£3.10 is not a lot, it's better than nothing of course, but a higher value would make a difference. If we had £4.25 a week from Healthy Start we could buy milk which would help, and more fruit and veg. It's enough for a week, but only for one child and I have three."
Carolina, Southwark
"I've had the vouchers for about a year and they've definitely made a difference to our family with what we can buy. Having the vouchers means when I go shopping I can buy more fruit and veg and make different meals. I can also give my children fruit for their snacks. We felt a big effect from the coronavirus and lockdown, everything changed completely, and it was harder to get what we needed."
Bushra,
"Without the Healthy Start vouchers we would be in a dilemma with what we can buy, we have to balance every decision. It's painful to see your child crying when you know you can't buy them the food they need. When the vouchers reduce after the child turns one it's hard as they are eating more and you've got used to being able to give them what they want, but then we have to stop and so they get upset. The children want expensive food like strawberries, but we can't always afford this."
Zeid,
Recent Healthy Start Scheme data
This data was obtained from an online survey of 2,309 adults in households with children in the
- 42% of those parents with children aged 0-3 years old and/or pregnant women were not aware of the Government's Healthy Start scheme in
- 65% of households with pregnant women and/or children aged 0-3 years old who don't currently receive Healthy Start vouchers say it would make it easier for them to buy more milk, fruit and vegetables for their family every week. 32% of those say they have a limited budget for food and struggle to afford the fruit, veg and milk they need.
ENDS
For all enquiries, please contact:
Social Media
Twitter: @Food_Foundation
#EndChildFoodPoverty
#HealthyStart
#Right2Food
About the
These are:
- Eligibility for Free School Meal (FSM) to be expanded to include every child (up to the age of 16) from a household where the parent or guardian is in receipt of Universal Credit (or equivalent benefits)
- Extend the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) to all areas in
- Increase the value of Healthy Start vouchers to £4.25 per week and expand the scheme to every pregnant woman and to all households with children under 4 where a parent or guardian is in receipt of Universal Credit or equivalent benefits.
.
(C) 2020 M2 COMMUNICATIONS, source