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Fostering allowance plus accreditation fees
This is the amount you will receive every two weeks for each child you look after
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Age of child
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Level 1- basic age related allowance
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Level 2 – basic allowance plus accreditation fee of £50
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Level 3 – basic allowance plus accreditation fee of £100
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Level 4 – basic allowance plus accreditation fee of £180
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0 – 4
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£238
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£288
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£338
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£418
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5 – 10
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£264
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£314
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£364
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£444
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11 – 15
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£302
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£352
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£402
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£482
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16+
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£350
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£400
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£450
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£530
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Fostering allowances are the amounts recommended by the Fostering Network to cover the costs of fostering a child. They are reviewed each year and do not affect any tax you pay or benefits you receive.
Extra payments on our Accreditation Scheme
These payments are made for each child in addition to the age-related allowances as above.
Accreditation levels reflects the skills foster carers achieve through training and experience on the job. Most carers move up to level 2 after their first year and can attain the higher levels after this.
Level 1 - age-related allowances as above
Level 2 - + extra £50 per fortnight per child
Level 3 - + extra £100 per fortnight per child
Level 4 - + extra £180 per fortnight per child
Additional payments:
Birthdays
We automatically pay an extra one week’s fostering allowance just before a child’s birthday.
Christmas and other religious holidays
We pay an extra one week’s fostering allowance at the beginning of December or in time for another major religious festival if this is more appropriate.
Holidays
We pay an extra two week’s fostering allowance for holidays. Please let your supervising social worker know your holiday plans well in advance and they will arrange payment of the holiday allowance. You can still claim your holiday allowance for day trips if you are not going away on holiday.
Children enjoy going on holidays with carers. Taking a foster child on some holidays with you may mean additional expense for transport and accommodation or other expenses. So long as you discuss this with us well in advance, we can help with this.
Clothing, bedding and equipment
When a child first comes to you we will ensure that they have all the clothing, bedding and equipment they need. Replacement items are usually paid for out of the weekly allowance.
School uniform
We pay for school uniforms when a child starts school or changes school.
Tax and benefits
We give all our carers help, advice and up to date information about tax and benefits and how to complete the necessary paperwork.
Fostering allowances do not usually affect any benefits you receive or tax you pay. The amount you receive on the accreditation scheme and through our specialist schemes are taxable and may affect some benefits.
All foster carers can claim a tax allowance of £10,000 per year (2008/9) against their fostering payments. If carers are only registered partway through the tax year they can claim a pro rata amount.
In addition to this carers can claim a tax allowance of £250 (2008/9) per week (or part week) for each foster child over the age of 11 and £200 (2008/9) per week (or part week) for every foster child under the age of 11.
Remand fostering
This is a specialist scheme offering short term homes to young people remanded into local authority care by the courts while they await sentencing. Remand carers receive £137.57 per week for each young person they foster plus age-related allowances as above. £59.34 per week is paid as a retainer when there is no placement.
Find out more by by ringing 0116 299 5800 or send us an online enquiry form.
Or you can download an application form here and post it back to us Fostering Application Form (PDF File)
