Eligibility for Healthy Start (England, Northern Ireland & Wales) - consultation response

In October 2024 we responded to The Department of Health and Social Care's consultation on the eligibility to the Healthy Start scheme. The purpose of this consultation was to seek views on whether eligibility for Healthy Start should be extended further to include others who are prevented from accessing public funds due to immigration controls. You can download the full consultation response below.

Background

Healthy Start assists those families within the scheme with the cost of healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables, as well as providing access to free Healthy Start vitamins. Healthy Start provides support to pregnant people, mothers and families with at least one child aged under 4 years old. 

Since May 2021, British children aged under 4 years old from families with NRPF, or families that do not have an immigration status, have been able to access Healthy Start benefits, where eligible. The purpose of this consultation was to seek views on whether eligibility for Healthy Start should be extended further to include others who do not have access to public funds.

Summary 

We welcome the extension of the Healthy Start scheme to non-British children aged under 4 from families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) or who are subject to immigration controls with children under one. We also encourage UK Government to extend the Healthy Start scheme to pregnant people and mothers with NRPF or who are subject to immigration controls with children under one.