The scheme supports those on low incomes who are pregnant or have young children. Vouchers are provided that can be spent on fruit, vegetables, milk, infant formula and vitamins. But the Government has been repeatedly letting people down with this scheme.
Healthy Start is in the process of moving from a paper-based to a digital Mastercard system. Whilst this move is supposed to make the vouchers more accessible, families are reporting delays in getting support. According to our friends at Sustain, some families have had to wait so long on the phone – over an hour and 20 minutes in one case – that they have given up. And it is completely unacceptable that phone lines have call charges, which could see families paying £33 as they navigate the queuing system.
