The number of people supported by Healthy Start fluctuates from week to week as families apply or cease to qualify. The scheme supported around 35,600 families in Yorkshire and the Humber between 4 August 2008 and 31 August 2008. This is the most recent four week period for which figures are available.
The Department ensures that information about Healthy Start is included in Government leaflets about the qualifying benefits and tax credits, and in the Pregnancy and Birth to Five books routinely given to first time pregnant women and new mothers by midwives. The National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services asks midwives and other health care professionals to signpost the scheme. We produce a range of posters, application leaflets, and other resources which NHS and other organisations can order in bulk for local use and we encourage our network of nominated Healthy Start contacts in every primary care trust to order these. General practitioner surgeries participating in the Waiting Room Information Services initiative also receive their own stocks of the application leaflets. All families with children under four years old notified by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs as newly qualifying for Healthy Start receive a personal invitation from the Healthy Start Issuing Unit to apply for the scheme, followed by two further reminders at four-weekly intervals if they do not take up the offer.