Allowances

The weekly basic allowance is designed to cover the costs of caring for a particular child or young person and the extra costs related to fostering, plus a payment in recognition of the skills, experience and time involved in caring for a particular child or young person.

The weekly allowances ensure our careers are rewarded sufficiently for the complex task of fostering and that our rates are in line with independent fostering agencies and other local authorities. An extra allowance might be paid for children with special requirements like disabilities, or where the foster carer is especially skilled. Foster carers usually pay none or a small percentage of tax on their fostering allowance due to Qualifying Care Relief. Additionally, these allowances do not affect any state benefits you might be receiving.