Fostering Allowances & Payments
At Shining Stars Fostering we feel it’s important that our foster carers are treated as professionals and that we pay a competitive foster carer allowance for their work and skills. This allows them to feel valued and appreciated for the challenging work they do.
Our foster carers are paid a weekly allowance, per child, ranging from £425.00 per week or significantly higher for a child with special needs. This is significantly above the government’s minimum fostering allowances that are currently in place.
What does the fostering allowance cover?
The fostering allowance covers foster carer payment, and includes payment for each carer’s skills and commitment as well as an allowance for the maintenance side of fostering. We provide clear guidance on how you can best spend the money so that the child has a healthy, happy and balanced life.
The maintenance element of this allowance includes:
- expenses for clothes
- pocket money and savings
- food
- leisure activities
- most school transport
Everyone’s fostering allowance is different depending on the age of the children, complex needs of a child and whether you are fostering in London, the South East or the rest of the UK.
Basics about fostering allowance
- Shining Stars pays a fostering allowance for each foster child.
- The fee is an income payment for the foster carer.
- The allowance and fee average a total weekly minimum payment of £425.00 for a mainstream placement with no additional health or behaviour needs.
- For a child with additional health needs or behavioural issues the allowances are significantly higher and can range anything from £475.00 to £700.00 per week.
Foster carers may be in a position to claim or continue any of the following benefits: Income support – Income-Based Job seeker’s Allowance – Council Tax Reduction – Disability Living Allowance – Working Tax Credits – Housing Benefit.
Fostering allowance payments
Our foster carers receive payment promptly and at an agreed day, on a monthly basis. We issue a monthly statement of the payments to each carer and ensure that our carers have access to an accountant who can advise them on any finance or tax related questions.
Foster carers are classed as self-employed and earn a weekly fostering allowance for each child or young person they look after. The amount of allowance paid varries, depending on the type of care and the age of the child or young person. UK foster carers generally pay no tax on their fostering income.
If you’d like to get more information, or you have any queries about the fostering allowance / fostering pay, we’re happy to give you all the help you need.
Want to know if you can foster?
Find out if you meet the criteria to become one of our foster carers.
We are recruiting Foster Carers
We are currently recruiting foster carers across all the London Boroughs and the surrounding counties. Please go through the website and contact us to register an interest in fostering.
Foster in your area
Register your interest
SSFA has a range Policies and Procedures concerning Social Work Practice, HR and Finance which are used to guide staff and for tendering and commissioning purposes. If any of the issues that are not covered please do contact your supervising social worker or our registered manager who will guide you to the appropriate policy. Shining Stars Fostering Agency Tri-X policies