Charities are warning that thousands of low income families are missing out on money they are eligible to claim to buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and milk. Families earning less than £400 a week are entitled to weekly NHS Health Start payments including pregnant women and those with children under four years old who are entitled to £4.65 a week. Figures found take-up of the scheme is as low as 64% in some parts of the North East and Cumbria.
Newcastle-based charity Feeding Britain said hikes in food prices meant "every layer of protection possible" was needed for families on the lowest incomes. The government has been approached for comment. Amelia, from Sunderland, has a two-year-old son and does not qualify for the scheme, but said she understood the struggle families face.
"It's expensive to feed the whole family. It's getting ridiculous really. It's not just food, it's the nappies and wipes and days out." She said she tries to batch cook to save money and eat the same meals as her son.
Amy, a working mother with a toddler, said: "He was on formula and it was expensive for the tins. They never had offers or promotions." She said she often eats less so her son can have more food. Families with a baby under 12 months old can claim £9.30 a week as part of the NHS Health Start scheme.
However, figures suggest thousands of eligible families have not enrolled. The latest NHS figures on the take-up are from 2022. Redcar and Cleveland Council had the highest enrolment - 87% of entitled families were claiming the weekly payments.
In the former Eden Council area, only 64% of those eligible were enrolled and in the former Copeland Council area, take-up was 68%. In Sunderland and Stockton, 81% of eligible families were enrolled. Take-up was lower in Newcastle and Middlesbrough, where just 77% of those entitled to payments received them.
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