Examples of allowances for our foster carers
To give you an idea of the allowances that we pay in different circumstances, we’ve put together some examples below:
Jane, 57
Jane fosters teenagers and has been fostering forjust over a year. She currently has Matthew, 17 living with her on a long term-basis. Matthew has noadditional needs and goes to college full-time to study catering where he is doing brilliantly. Matthew recently got a part time job working in a restaurant and is saving for his first car. Jane receives £1,256 a month (£289.96 a week), tax-free. As she has also recently completed her first year as a foster carer, she has also received her first tax-free retention payment of £500. Jane also received an additional payment of £289.96 to buy Matthew birthday presents and again at Christmas Jane received £289.96 to buy Matthew some Christmas gifts. Jane also receives paid expenses, for example she received .45p per mile for taking Matthew to see his family once a month.
Rob, 68 and Emily, 63
Rob and Emily have been foster carers for 5 years and they like to foster children on a task-centred basis.
They have recently welcomed brothers Jack, 11 and Liam, 8 to their home. They’ll receive an allowance of £1,864.54 a month (£430.28 a week), and because they’ve been foster carers for five years, they’ll receive an annual retention payment of £1,000, all tax-free. Jack and Liam are talented footballers, they attend an academy in Nottingham twice a week. Rob enjoys taking the boys to the academy and especially enjoys match days, Rob can claim .45p per mile meaning he gets an additional £68.40 per week. Rob and Emily also received £50 per child towards the cost of the boys training kits. Liam will be turning 9 in a few weeks so Rob and Emily received an additional £191.80 to help with the costs of this, naturally Liam is having a football themed birthday party and will be surprised with a stadium tour. Jack starts secondary school in September, so Rob and Emily have been given £250 to purchase a school uniform for him.
At Christmas the carers are taking the boys to Lapland, this is a one-off holiday experience for the boys so the team manager agreed an exceptional payment of £300 per child towards the cost of this trip. They carers will also receive £430.20 towards the costs associated with Christmas.
Mary, 46
Mary is a parent and child foster carer based in Boston and was recently approved at Panel. She is preparing to welcome her first parent and child placement, Samera, 16 and her son Yusef, 1. Mary will receive a setting up payment of £440 to help her get her spare bedroom ready with a bed, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and some bedding. We will also provide Samera and Mary with a starting allowance of £378 for extra equipment such as a cot, bouncing cradle, a potty and bottles.
When she welcomes Samera and Yusef, she’ll receive a tax-free allowance of £2,837.72 a month (£654.86 a week) Mary plans to attend playgroup sessions with them and will receive an additional payment of £100 a month. The playgroup sessions take place in Sleaford and Mary will receive .45p per mile as part of her expenses.
Samera celebrates Eid and Mary will receive a religious festival grant of £168.71 to buy gifts and help them celebrate.
Ian, 32
Ian is a foster carer to Aaron, 6, who has additional needs and they live in North Hykeham. Aaron has autism and has just started a new specialist school in Lincolnshire. He’ll receive a school uniform allowance of £100 and an additional £50 for his karate club uniform, and an additional £50 for a safety helmet.
Ian qualifies for a specific child rate due to Aaron’s needs and will receive a tax-free allowance of £1,329.91 a month (303.48 a week).
Aaron has a special interest in everything Disney. Ian plans to take Aaron on his first holiday to Disneyland Paris in a few months. Ian will receive £300 to make this life-long memory possible.
Ian has family time contact weekly with his brother in Louth and his sister in Gainsborough. Aaron also has to attend regular paediatric appointments due to his needs. Ian will receive £111.60 a month in mileage expenses.