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Fostering fees and allowances

We want our foster carers to know that they can afford to care for a child.

Fostering payments are made up of a fee and an allowance. Fees and allowances only apply for the times when you have a young person in your care.

The fee part is for you, in recognition of the time, training and commitment that you put in to caring for a young person. Some foster carers refer to this as their pay. The allowance part is to cover the costs of looking after a child, such as food, clothing, toiletries and general day to day living. In addition to this, Action for Children Fostering can provide extra support for holidays, birthdays and other special circumstances.

Action for Children Fostering provides our carers with a generous weekly fee and allowance, which is dependent on your location and the type of fostering that you do.

Examples of foster carer payments

  • Step 1, Carer in England Step 1, Carer in England
    1

    Carer in England

    Fostering household with parent and child arrangement. Weekly fee £700 + weekly allowance £190 = weekly payment: £890.

  • Step 2, Carer in Northern Ireland Step 2, Carer in Northern Ireland
    2

    Carer in Northern Ireland

    Fostering household with one foster child with special needs. Weekly fee £476 + weekly allowance £166 = weekly payment: £642.

  • Step 3, Carer in Scotland Step 3, Carer in Scotland
    3

    Carer in Scotland

    Fostering household with one foster child under 16. Weekly fee £570 + weekly allowance £199 = weekly payment: £769.

  • Step 4, Carer in Wales Step 4, Carer in Wales
    4

    Carer in Wales

    Fostering household with two foster children (16+) who are siblings. Weekly fee £456 + weekly allowance £717 = weekly payment: £1,173.

Please note: Many factors are taken into account when calculating fee and allowance payments. The above figures are for illustration purposes by way of example only and individual fees and allowances will vary.

We make sure that you receive with sufficient fees and expenses to support yourself and the child(ren) living with you. This means you can focus on caring without worrying about money.

There are also specialist add-on payments for carers looking after children with complex needs. These add-ons are assessed by the service against a set of criteria. The amount you will be paid will vary if you’re fostering siblings.

Activities and get togethers

Action for Children Fostering also provides a range of free activities and get togethers during the school holidays. Fun days out and support groups are a great way to get to know other foster families while trying something different and making happy memories. Find out more about perks and benefits.

Self-employed foster care

All foster carers must become registered with HM Customs & Revenue (HMRC) as self-employed. Find out more about being self employed.

State benefit and pensions

Find out more about how foster care may affect your state benefits and pension.

Tax and foster care

What tax do you have to pay if you are a foster carer? Find out more.

Perks and benefits

We're here to help and support you on every step of your journey. Find out more.

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Chat with your local team

We have offices across the UK in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Contact someone local to you by text, WhatsApp, email or phone. Whatever works best for you.

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