Member

The NHS Business Services Authority operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care and makes efforts to promote Healthy Start through its digital channels and has also created free tools that can be used to help promote the scheme locally. However, the applications to Healthy Start require an eligibility check and, more specifically, in relation to the proposed amendment, the prepaid card is a financial product and, under other legislation, it cannot be issued without the applicant accepting its terms and conditions, meaning that auto-enrolment is not possible. The Government have no current plans to amend related legislation about financial products, which is outside the scope of the Bill. However, the scheme is kept under review, and we remain open to considering viable routes to improving uptake.