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Lawyers to argue for mother and baby's right to Healthy Start in UK

Exclusive: Scheme aiming to reduce child poverty and health inequalities excludes some of poorest families
An 11-month-old baby and her mother are bringing a case in the high court to try to secure the baby’s right to free vitamins, formula milk and nutritious food.
In the first case of its kind, lawyers for the mother and baby are arguing the baby should not be excluded from the UK government’s Healthy Start scheme, which aims to reduce child poverty and health inequalities. The programme provides vitamins, nutritional advice and weekly vouchers to buy healthy food such as fresh fruit and vegetables or infant formula to low-income families with pregnant women and children up to the age of four. It is intended to benefit those with the “greatest need”.
However, under current Home Office rules, the eligibility criteria excludes some of the UK’s poorest children from migrant backgrounds. As part of the hostile environment, some migrant families, even if they have the right to live and work in the UK and have British children, are unable to claim mainstream benefits, which is the trigger for eligibility for Healthy Start. Changes to the immigration rules and to the eligibility criteria for welfare in 2012 means many parents who are lawfully in the UK cannot claim any benefits.
Studies have shown that children in this group often suffer extreme poverty and deprivation. Thousands of migrant families, often headed by a single mother, are barred from accessing benefits, leaving them in dire “working poverty”.
Many have part-time jobs as carers and other kinds of low-paid work to fit around childcare. As a result of these immigration rules, babies and toddlers from the most financially deprived households are going without the nutritious food and vitamins needed for a healthy start in life.
In December 2020, judicial review proceedings were launched, challenging the eligibility criteria for the scheme on various grounds, including that it is indirectly discriminatory against children and mothers from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, breaches their human rights and is inconsistent with the intended purpose of the scheme to alleviate poverty among the most economically disadvantaged children.
The high court has granted permission for the challenge to proceed to an expedited trial.
The income of the mother of the 11-month-old baby is almost 40% less than that received by families claiming welfare benefits, who are eligible for the Healthy Start scheme. On this very low income, the mother is struggling to afford a healthy and nutritious diet for her baby.
Olivia Halse, associate solicitor at Matthew Gold & Co, who is bringing the legal challenge, said she welcomed the high court giving the case the green light.
She said: “It is an unfortunate fact that children from low-income families and those of BAME backgrounds are more likely to develop poor nutritional outcomes due to the lack of nutrition they receive at a young age. This can impact their health, development and wellbeing throughout childhood and later in life. This scheme was intended to address these issues and help eliminate food poverty and health inequalities. But the eligibility criteria adopted excludes the very poorest children.
“We hope that these legal proceedings will result in a change to the eligibility criteria so that thousands of disadvantaged families, most of whom will be from BAME backgrounds, will be able to benefit from the scheme and these children will have a chance of a healthy start in life.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said they could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
source: Diane Taylor
Levant
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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