Exclusive: Healthy Start scheme began switch away from paper coupons to digital system in 2021
Struggling parents are having to wait more than a year for vouchers to buy healthy food for their children after the relaunch of an NHS scheme was plagued by IT problems.
The Healthy Start scheme, which helps low-income parents and pregnant women pay for fruit, vegetables, milk and formula, has been misfiring since it began the switch away from paper vouchers in October 2021. As it moved from a paper coupon format to a prepaid card system, parents who had been using the old scheme were rejected for the new one without explanation.
