Fostering Allowance
Once you’re approved as a foster carer with TACT and start caring for a young person, you’ll receive a fostering allowance right away.
For the vast majority of foster carers, this allowance is tax-free and won’t impact any benefits you’re currently receiving.
We understand that choosing to become a foster carer is a significant decision, and we truly appreciate the dedication and compassion it requires. Fostering is a life-changing and rewarding experience that can have a lasting impact on young lives. However, we also recognise that this responsibility comes with its own challenges, and it’s important to consider the financial aspects of fostering as part of the overall commitment.
We know that talking about ‘fees’ and ‘money’ in the context of fostering can feel uncomfortable for some. That’s understandable, as the main reason for fostering should always be to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people. However, it’s important to be clear about the fostering allowance you’ll receive. This allowance is there to help ensure you have the financial support you need to care for a young person in your home, covering costs such as food, clothing, activities, and other essentials.
Given the current rise in living costs, it’s more important than ever to highlight the fostering allowance. It’s designed to ensure that fostering doesn’t place unnecessary financial strain on you, allowing you to focus on providing the best care and support for the child or young person placed with you. We want you to feel secure and valued as a foster carer, knowing that the financial support provided is an integral part of the care package, allowing you to dedicate yourself to the role without the worry of financial burdens.
A fostering allowance is a payment made to foster carers when they provide care for children in their homes, and is made up of 2 elements:
A maintenance allowance for each child
The maintenance allowance covers the costs of everything that you need to care for a child such as food, clothing, transport, personal items and household expenses.
A foster carer fee
The fee part of the payment is effectively your salary for the time and skill dedicated to foster care. TACT pay a generous fostering allowance to help make sure fostering is a viable choice for you and your family. It is also to reflect that foster carers are highly trained and skilled individuals. If you want to find out more about our fostering pay, please do not hesitate to contact our enquiry team.
How much do foster parents get paid?
We’re often asked ‘How much do foster parents get paid?’
The total fostering allowance that you receive will vary based on a number of factors, including the type of foster care you are providing, the number or children that you care for and their age, as well as the complexity of their needs.
As a foster carer, you are paid on a fortnightly basis, while you have a child living with you. It is important to consider that you will not be paid any fees or allowances for any period where you are not providing care for a child.
Here at TACT, we like to be transparent with our fees and allowances – and not provide unrealistic or unobtainable examples of our fees.
We have therefore provided average amounts below, to give you an idea of what you could expect to receive.
Average Weekly Fostering Allowance Examples
*Final allowance figures will be based on age of child(ren), complexities of need, along with other factors. Therefore, allowances are average amounts and could be greater or lower than the figures shown.
What does my fostering allowance include?
In addition to the maintenance allowance and your foster carer fee mentioned above, your fostering allowance will also include payments for:
- An allowance to help celebrate a child’s birthday*
- An allowance towards an annual religious festival (e.g. Eid, Christmas etc)*
- A holiday allowance for each child in your care*
- Short break allowance*
- A council tax contribution.
*The child(ren) must be in your care over these periods.
In order to demonstrate how much you could receive each week, the elements above have been prorated into the weekly allowance examples
About Our Council Tax contribution scheme
In our ongoing commitment to support our carers financially, TACT will be contributing towards the cost of council tax for all of our approved foster carers. So whilst foster carers are still required to pay council tax, TACT’s contribution will ensure that the amount they pay each year is reduced.
This contribution will be based on the length of your service as a foster carer:
- Carers with up to two years of experience will receive £300.
- Those with between two and five years of experience will receive £600.
- Carers with over five years of experience will receive £1,000.
If you are transferring to us, your previous experience (in years) will count towards the amount you will receive.
In order to demonstrate how much you could receive each week, the Council Tax contribution has been prorated into the weekly allowance examples
Supporting Our Foster Carers Through the Cost of Living Crisis
In light of the current cost-of-living crisis, TACT have put in place a number of additional financial benefits to help their foster carers during this period.
Start Your Fostering Journey
