Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in receipt of a clinically extremely vulnerable letter have (a) applied for and (b) received a four month supply of Vitamin D supplements from his Department.

From this month, the Government is providing a free four-month supply of daily vitamin D supplements to adults on the clinically extremely vulnerable list that have opted in to receive the supplements and residents in residential and nursing care homes in England. Through this commitment, 2.7 million vulnerable people in England will be offered free vitamin D supplements for the winter by the Government. All residential and nursing care homes will automatically receive vitamin D supplements from this month for their residents.

2,259,765 letters were sent to people on the clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) list. Those who opt-in and are eligible will receive their supplements from this month. As of 1 January, 320,000 applications had been received and approved for free vitamin D supplements for individuals on the CEV list. Deliveries commenced from the week beginning 18 January.