Foster care allowance calculator

We want to build a community of professional and highly-skilled foster parents, so every child in care can achieve their full potential.

Allowance calculator

We understand that finance is an important factor when deciding to foster, particularly because you may need to reduce your current working hours – or stop working completely – depending on your personal circumstances. The fostering allowance covers the cost of a child while providing you with a professional fee for your hard work, skills and dedication.

Find out how much you could receive by using our foster care allowance calculator below.

After fostering for 12 months, foster parents receive an enhanced payment. Many by this time also foster more than one child. The average fostering allowance we make to our foster families caring for teenagers is £45,000 per year, and that’s completely tax free!

What does the fostering allowance cover?

The foster care allowance is split into two parts:

Child allowance – to cover the cost of the child, including food, clothing, activities and more.
Foster parent fee – a reward payment for their hard work, experience and commitment to the child in their care.

We also provide additional benefits to encourage your wellbeing, as well as creating memorable and enriching life experiences for the young people in care, including:

2 weeks of paid respite per year
£100 annual birthday allowance for the child in your care
£100 annual festival allowance for the child in your care

Find out more

Tax relief and exemptions

While your income from fostering is taxable, you’ll receive a £19,690 tax exemption, plus additional tax relief for each child in placement, which generally makes your income from fostering completely tax-free. This is known as the Qualifying Care Relief – a special tax rule set up by HMRC for foster parents.

Plus, if your taxable income is less than your Qualifying Care Relief, you won’t need to pay National Insurance contributions. However, you may still decide to pay voluntary contributions so you’re eligible to claim state benefits, including the state pension.

Find out more

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About us

Founded in 1996 by two social workers who understood that strong relationships held the key to successful fostering.

Extensive support

We’re committed to understanding your needs and ensuring you have access to a wide range of people available to you, 24/7.

Find your local team

We have local teams supporting hundreds of foster families and children all across England. Find your local team today.

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Whether you’re ready to start your journey or just want to chat to an expert, we’re here to talk.

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