Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the NHS Healthy Start Scheme includes entitlement to free infant formula; and under what circumstances free infant formula is provided.
Answer
Healthy Start provides a nutritional safety net for pregnant women and children under four years old in low income and disadvantaged families. The scheme provides vouchers that can be put towards the cost of cow's milk, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and infant formula milk at participating retailers. We recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, and the scheme encourages this. However, if mothers choose not to breastfeed, formula is the only safe alternative for children under one year of age, as the use of cow's milk is not recommended. This is why infant formula is included in the scheme. However, follow-on formula is not included because scientific advice is that follow-on formula has no additional nutritional benefits for healthy babies over six months old.