Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to help support families with the cost of infant formula.

The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. While breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that some families cannot or choose not to breastfeed and need access to infant formula that is affordable.

Following the Competition and Markets Authority market study into the infant and follow-on formula sector, the Government and devolved administrations are making progress to implement a package of measures to help parents and carers make informed choices, encourage stronger competition on price, and remove unnecessary barriers to more affordable infant formula.

The Government remains committed to improving the affordability of infant formula and will keep the impact of these measures, including the actions of manufacturers and retailers, under review.

In April 2026, we have uplifted the value of the Healthy Start weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most. The funding for Healthy Start can be used to buy, or be put towards the cost of, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, milk, and infant formula.