A Tyneside MP is calling for the Government to reform a support scheme for families so that pregnant women and young families are receive vital vouchers for food and baby essentials automatically.
South Shields MP Emma Lewell Buck said that as it stands the Healthy Start Scheme is "beset with problems" - and that thousands who are eligible do not claim what they are entitled to. Introducing her bill in the House of Commons, she said there was £53m that had been unclaimed and that she had heard of "desperate mothers [who] are seeking abortions because they simply do not know how they will feed their babies".
The Healthy Start Scheme provides pregnant women and young families in receipt of certain benefits with a prepaid card offering between £4.25 and £8.50 each week - up to £34 each month - to spend on groceries. However, this has to be applied for, and Ms Lewell-Buck warned people had told her of giving up after failing to use an "overly complex and varied" application system.
