Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will develop a vitamin D food fortification policy.

In 2016, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published a robust assessment of the evidence on vitamin D and a wide range of health outcomes resulting in the current advice for everyone to take a 10 microgram, or 400 international units, daily supplement of vitamin D during the autumn and winter. This advice is particularly important for those with limited exposure to sunlight during the spring and summer, those with dark skin, and those who usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors. These groups are more at risk of not having enough vitamin D and these groups are advised to take a vitamin D supplement all year round. The SACN is currently carrying out a rapid review of the vitamin D requirements for people with higher melanin concentration.

Vitamin D intakes and status, the concentrations in the blood, are monitored through the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Latest findings, from 2019 to 2023, showed that vitamin D intakes from diet and supplements were below recommendations and low vitamin D concentrations in the blood were found in 18% of adults aged 19 to 64 years old and 23% of children aged 11 to 18 years old. Analysis by ethnicity is not currently possible due to small sample sizes but will be considered in future years.

Government recommendations on vitamin D are promoted on the National Health Service webpage and through public-facing social marketing campaigns, namely Best Start in Life, Better Health, and Healthier Families. These channels help ensure that at-risk groups, as well as the general population, are aware of the importance of supplementation.

Targeted support is also available for families through Government’s Healthy Start scheme which encourages a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. In January 2026, Healthy Start supported over 353,000 pregnant women and children aged under four years old.

Healthy Start beneficiaries are eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins which include folic acid and vitamins C and D for pregnant and breast-feeding women, and vitamins A, C, and D for children.  The formulations are in line with recommendations from the Government’s independent SACN for supplements.