In the letter, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Mr Rashford explains that more than 40 per cent of families eligible for the voucher scheme – those in receipt of a welfare benefit and who have at least one child under four or are pregnant, are still not registered.
The Government’s Healthy Start scheme provides eligible pregnant women and families with free vouchers worth £4.24 a week to exchange for milk, infant formula, fruit, vegetables and pulses.
The footballer and food poverty campaigner calls on healthcare professionals to help boost take-up of the Healthy Start scheme by ‘communicating and educating people’ about its benefits.
Mr Rashford says that while 57,000 more parents have signed up to the scheme after members of his Child Food Poverty Taskforce promoted it via their ‘channels and platforms’, he is concerned take-up is ‘plateauing’ [in getting more people to sign up].
Mr Rashford launched the Child Poverty Taskforce last September in partnership with brands including Aldi, Tesco, Deliveroo and Kellogg’s
In the letter he writes, ‘Healthcare professionals are in a position to highlight the Healthy Start scheme to eligible parents, and I would very much appreciate it if you would consider collaborating with us on communicating and educating people about the scheme when possible.
‘I’m confident that the majority of these parents can be found in communities just like mine, where I grew up - no internet, no high street, no word of mouth.’
He adds, ‘We need you to help us reach those most in need in our communities, especially given the planned digitisation of the scheme this autumn, which will disproportionately disadvantage those without easy access to the internet.’
Labour’s shadow child poverty secretary Wes Streeting said, ‘More and more children are living in poverty. With no strategy for lifting children out of poverty, once again we see Marcus Rashford having to do the Government's work for them.’
The letter is available here