The Scottish Government has announced that prepaid cards which help families buy healthy food for children still have £2.3 million worth of payments on them to be spent. Social security minister Ben Macpherson said that since their introduction in 2019, more than 7,000 Best Start Food cards have never been activated.
He added that more than 3,000 have been activated but no money has been spent on them and is urging anyone who has a card to check the balance and make sure they can use them. Eligible to parents, carers or guardians with children under three who are on certain benefits, Best Start Food payments are delivered through a prepaid card and are topped up with up to £36 for each eligible child every four weeks.
Social Security Scotland has already sent letters to some cardholders encouraging them to find and use their cards.
