ACS has briefed parliamentarians ahead of a Ten Minute Motion Bill, led by Emma Lewell-Buck MP, which proposes creating a law so those eligible for the Healthy Start scheme are automatically signed up to stop them from missing out on vital support.
The 10-minute rule allows a backbench MP to make his or her case for a new bill in a speech lasting up to ten minutes.
Healthy Start is a government scheme for those who are at least 10 weeks pregnant, parents, carers and young children in low-income families, to help them buy healthy food and milk and get free Healthy Start vitamins.
Polling from ACS’ Voice of Local Shop Survey May 2022 of 1,210 retailers found that one in four retailers have increased healthy product sales and stocked more healthy products in their stores over the past three years, demonstrating that local shops play an important role in helping people access healthy food.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Local shops play a key role in providing a key role in feeding the communities that they serve and ensuring that their customers have access to healthy foods. We strongly support this Motion and all efforts to promote the uptake of Healthy Start.
“The Department of Health and Social Care needs to take a more active role in encouraging take-up of the scheme by investing time and resource to support retailers with the promotion of Healthy Start in their stores which will in turn increase awareness amongst consumers.”
