Fees & allowances explained
It's important to consider fostering for the right reasons, but we also recognise that income is often an important consideration for many families thinking about fostering - after all, you need to know you can maintain financial stability whilst fostering, and continue to support your own family too.
Foster carers receive two weekly payments - a fee, and an age related allowance.
A weekly allowance payment is made for every foster child who is living with the foster carer, to cover the costs of food, clothing, pocket money, bills and activities. The allowance varies depending on the age of the foster child.
Foster carers are also paid a weekly fee, which is paid in addition to the allowance received for the child.
Foster carers also receive additional payments for mileage, Christmas, birthdays, school holidays and sometimes school uniform. Details on all additional payments can be found further down this page.
We also offer a range of discounts and extra rewards on everything from shopping to holidays.
Example: Mr Smith fosters 9 year old Theo, and his 15 year old sister, Anna. He receives a weekly payment of £661.40 (made up of £447.40 per week in allowances and £214 per week in fees). He also receives additional payments for holidays, birthdays, Christmas and mileage.
For more in depth information on fostering and questions regarding fees and allowances, please contact the team.
Allowances
A fostering allowance is paid to foster carers for each child in their care, to cover the needs of the child. Part of the allowance is a contribution towards extra utility bills that come from having an extra person living in your home, such as gas, water and electricity bills as well as phone calls and wear and tear on appliances. The rest of the allowance is for the child or young person’s food, clothes, trips, pocket money etc.
There is one extra week’s money paid for the child’s birthday towards a present and a celebration and there is one extra week’s money paid at Christmas for a present etc.
During the summer holiday, two weeks extra allowance is paid in instalments to help with extra expenditure and trips in the school holidays.
The standard weekly allowance paid to foster carers, for each child in their care, is:
Age range Weekly payment
0-4 £174.91
5-10 £199.24
11-15 £248.16
16+ £291.40
Fostering Fees
All foster carers are paid a weekly fee to reflect the type of placement they offer and the skills, experience and commitment they bring to fostering. The fee recognises the commitment that foster carers make to children in Somerset.
Fees vary depending on the type of fostering a carer offers.
Standard Fostering Fees
For mainstream fostering the weekly fees paid to foster carers are:
£107 fee per week, per child in placement (living with you in your home)
Fees for Specialist Fostering & other schemes
Several types of fostering come with a higher weekly fee as standard, to reflect the type of foster placement and care a foster carer provides.
Fostering Plus
While we do not currently offer a specific “Fostering Plus” scheme, payments are matched to the needs of the child and we will consider additional payments on an individual basis where circumstances require it.
For this type of fostering, carer receive £235 fee per child
If there is a requirement for the carer to be home-based, the fee increases to £255.15 per week, per child.
Step Forward
This type of care supports children stepping out from residential arrangements.
The weekly fee for this type of fostering is £614.25 per week on a temporary basis, plus the relevant age-related allowance for the child in care.
High Need
High Need foster carers receive around £45,000 per year in fees and allowances. You can find out more about this specialist type of foster care here.
High Need is part of the Homes and Horizons strategic partnership between Somerset Council and Homes2Inspire, operating as an independent fostering agency with separate policies and payments.
Parent and Child Fostering (also known as Family Assessment and Support Team FA&ST)
Parent and child foster carers receive a weekly fee of £514.13, plus and additional weekly fee of £235 if second parent in placement, plus the relevant allowance for the child and parent in their care. You can find out more about this specialist type of foster care, and the weekly payments here.
Short Break Care
Short Break carers care for children with a range of disabilities. Most Short Break carers will meet the requirements of Fostering Plus through the skills and experience that they have for this specific fostering task. Short Break carers are paid a proportionate allowance and fee on the days they foster children. Those carers who care for children who are Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funded (that is those with complex medical needs) will then receive the £433.29 pro rata.
More details on Short Break Care can be found here.
Children who attend Residential Education Provision
Carers receive the fostering allowance when the child stays, and a retainer of 50% of the allowance and fee for maintaining contact when they are not there. Find out more about this type of care here.
Complex Medical Needs
If you are caring for a child full-time who has complex medical needs, this type of fostering has a weekly fee of £433.29.
Linked Foster Carer
Carers work alongside a residential home to support a child in long-term residential care, building long-term relationships to support the child and experience family life outside of their residential setting. Carers receive the relevant fostering allowance and fee (according to their own approval level) for the days that they care for the child. This will be calculated on a pro rata basis and calculated per day/half day rate. Carers will also receive a fostering retainer of £109.20 per week.
Stepping Stones
Supported lodgings providing a bedroom and guidance to young care leavers as they learn to live independently.
Carers on this scheme receive a weekly payment of £224.77 per week, plus a little extra toward food and utilities etc (up to £30.04) paid weekly by the young person from their personal allowance (depending on the Placement Planning).
More information on Stepping Stones can be found here.
Staying Put
This relates to young people who remain with their current foster carers post 18, under the Staying Put Arrangements. Foster carers do not receive a fee, but are paid the 16+ allowance £291.40 less the current rate of Universal Credit.
Kinship Foster Carers
Kinship foster carers who look after a child related or known to them will usually receive the standard fostering fees, as detailed above. Details about Kinship and Connected Persons can be found here.
Single Placement Scheme
If you are a carer able to provide a home for more than one child, but are caring for a child full-time who cannot be placed alongside other children, you will receive a weekly fee of £433.29 to reflect the type of placement offered.
Additional Payments
In addition to the weekly fees and allowances, foster carers also receive extra allowance payments for Christmas, birthdays, school holidays and sometimes school uniform, as well as mileage payments.
Birthday - 1 week extra allowance payment
Christmas - 1 week extra allowance payment
School Summer Holidays - 2 weeks extra allowance, paid over the weeks or as a lump sum depending on carer preference / need (subject to approval)
Mileage or public transport costs can be claimed when you go to meetings, contact with birth parents, school and medical appointments, plus clubs and activities for the child. Mileage is claimed at 45p per mile for use of your own vehicle.
Carers receive a one off payment of £100 when a child starts primary school, and £150 for transition to secondary school. If a child is received into care with inadequate uniform these additional payments may also apply. It is an expectation that a child moving from one foster home to another will take appropriate uniform with them.
Carers may choose to be available on the Emergency Duty Team vacancy list and will receive a £50 payment if a child is placed with them.
Carers providing full or half day care for a child will receive a reduced fee and allowance. For example a carer providing full day care for a child aged 15 would receive a payment of £50.73 (based on a standard fee). Payments are higher for children with complex needs.
Foster carers who support with activities such as training and mentoring to support the service also receive a payment of £50.73 for a full day of their time.
£200 welcome payment for new carers upon completion of all training during assessment, following ADM decision.
You may also find the FAQ's section of the website, this blog post, and the 'Fees & Allowances Booklet' on the policies page helpful.
