Across England, many families are missing out on financial support that could help them buy healthy food for their children.
Update – September 2026
NHS Business Services Authority has since said that Healthy Start eligibility and uptake figures from January 2023 onwards were affected by a source data issue and should not be used.
We’ve published a new update explaining the current Healthy Start payments, who may qualify and how to apply.
Around £58 million in government support, offered through the Healthy Start scheme, could go unclaimed this year.
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Claim sign-up bonusIt is meant to help families with young children, pregnant people, and babies access essential nutritional support.
You can use the money to buy things such as frozen, fresh, or tinned fruit and vegetables, plain liquid cow’s milk, and infant formula milk.
However, hundreds of thousands of eligible families are missing out.
In my home city of Hull alone, between £250,000 and £350,000 is going unclaimed yearly simply because families don’t realise they are entitled to this support.
This is just one example, but similar gaps in uptake are seen across various regions in England.
Missing support
Over a third of families eligible aren’t taking advantage of the Healthy Start scheme.
With an uptake rate of just 62.4%, that means many babies, young children, and pregnant people are missing out on vital support that could make a real difference in their lives.
Reasons for this low uptake are varied, but it’s clear that the system isn’t working as effectively as it should.
So, the more people that can find out about it, will mean that more can get the benefits.
Some are worse off than others
Where you live can impact your chances of accessing this support.
For example, regions like Birmingham and the London Borough of Newham are among the areas with the largest shortfalls in claimed support.
Auto-enrolment would be better
It’s on the families to take up this benefit themselves, but as it’s not too widely known, so many are missing out.
Because families are not getting the support they need, there’s a growing call for the government to set up an auto-enrolment system.
This would make sure that all eligible families automatically receive the support they’re entitled to, without having to go through the application processes.
Organisations like Sustain are pushing for this change, as it’s the best way to make sure no one falls through the cracks.
Auto-enrolment could be a game-changer in ensuring that more families get the help they need.
Apply
If you or someone you know might be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme, it’s worth checking whether you get the support you’re entitled to.
With millions of pounds going unclaimed each year, ensuring you’re enrolled could significantly improve your family’s well-being.
