As a foster parent, you will receive regular payments to help cover the cost of caring for the child or young person in your care. The amount per child or young person, will depend on their age and will be paid weekly. This includes the maintenance fee for the child or young person and the professional fee for you.
| Age band | Weekly allowance for child | Weekly carer’s fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | £195.00 | £206.66 | £401.66 |
| 5-10 | £217.00 | £206.66 | £423.66 |
| 11-12 | £248.00 | £206.66 | £454.66 |
| 13-15 | £248.00 | £258.27 | £506.27 |
| 16+ | £289.00 | £258.27 | £547.27 |
Foster carers may also be eligible for an enhanced fee of £50.00.
Additional allowance:
Foster carers receive additional payments all year long. For example, this can be for the child or young person’s birthday, Christmas or holidays.
| Age | Christmas | Birthday | Summer holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 years | £195.00 | £195.00 | £390.00 |
| 5-10 years | £217.00 | £217.00 | £434.00 |
| 11-15 years | £248.00 | £248.00 | £496.00 |
| 16+ years | £289.00 | £289.00 | £578.00 |
Our New Horizons scheme offers £803.94 per week and our Staying Put scheme offers £376.00 per week. Foster carers are self employed, and you could still claim benefits and allowances. You will also be entitled to tax relief. You can find more information about HMRC tax relief and claiming benefits whilst fostering on the Government website. You can find more information about finances on The Fostering Network website.