Payments

Although money might not be the main consideration, understanding the financial side of things will help you see how fostering could be an option for you and your family. Fostering is a professional caring role with responsibilities and our generous payments reflect this.

Within the fostering service we have three payment levels for mainstream foster carers.

1. Home away from home - Carers: £400 per week, per child. You'll receive comprehensive training. Foster carers for sibling groups at this level are in short supply.
2. Home away from home - Advanced: £510 per week, per child. Our advanced foster carers can evidence additional skills of working in a trauma informed way, either through previous fostering or the experience of a related career.
3. Home away from home - Specialist: £740 per week, per child. These highly experienced foster carers support children with complex needs, with greater support from social workers and enhanced training opportunities and expectations. One carer to remain at home full time.

In addition to the standard payment, we provide £1120 per year, per child. This money is split into birthday money, festival and holiday allowances.

Tax and national insurance

All foster carers are classed as self-employed and will need to register with HMRC. The good news is that the government applies a generous tax-free allowance to fostering income. This scheme is called "Qualifying Care Relief".  Compared to other employment with similar pay, you would keep more of your fostering income.

Some quick facts:

• Foster carers get a tax exemption on their fostering income of up to £18,140 per household
• Foster carers get additional tax relief for every week a child is in their care
• Foster carers receive National Insurance Credits to build a state pension