Introduction and principles
It’s important that you, as a young person, know what you’re entitled to and understand what financial support the local authority can provide to you.
You aren’t all the same, and the financial support you are offered should reflect your individual needs and circumstances.
Managing money is a part of life and we want to support you to understand its value and help you learn skills you may need to handle the challenges that come with managing money, especially on a limited income.
This document outlines what the Lincolnshire leaving care service can offer to support you as you transition to adulthood.
We aim to spend money wisely and use funds to help you achieve the best outcomes from ages 16 to 25.
Our main goal is to support you in becoming independent without relying on direct financial support from the local authority.
While we ensure support is available, the financial help provided should be planned, justified, and recorded in your pathway plan. We also want to help you save money for your education and adult life; this is why all children in care in Lincolnshire are expected to have a savings account by their 16th birthday.
Until 31st March 2025, Barnardo’s delivers the service on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council. Starting on 1st April 2025, the service will be delivered by Lincolnshire County Council only.
This document is for young people who are eligible, relevant, former relevant, and qualifying under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and the Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010.
Definitions
A corporate parent is an organisation, like a district council, that acts as a parent for children and young people in care. They are responsible for making sure you are looked after, supported, and given opportunities to reach your potential, just like a parent would. This includes helping with your education, health, and preparing you for life as an adult.
All Rights Exhausted (ARE) means that a person has tried all the legal ways to change a decision, but there are no more options left to appeal. This usually happens in situations like immigration cases, where all chances to stay in the country have been used up and nothing else can be done legally.
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people (UASC)
If you arrive in the UK seeking asylum without a parent or guardian, you can apply to the Home Office and may be granted discretionary leave for three years or until you’re 17 and a half, whichever comes first.
You can then apply to extend this leave and may have access to public funds, including welfare benefits, while waiting for a decision.
Asylum-seeking young people in the leaving care service have equal access to financial support.
At 18, you will be considered former relevant unless you have not spent enough time in care or have been out of care for more than six months before turning 18.
Your immigration status may affect your access to public funds and education funding.
If you’re over 18 and have not had a decision on your initial asylum application or have an outstanding appeal, you’re entitled to support. If you have humanitarian or refugee status, you’re also entitled to leaving care support and certain benefits.
For additional top-up funds, requests should be made to the corporate parenting manager.
Starting April 2019, if you’re over 18 and have no legal options to stay in the UK (appeal rights exhausted (ARE)), you’ll get a 12-week notice that your financial support will end. This means living expenses support will stop and you will not receive weekly payments from ourselves.
A human rights assessment will be done and if the Home Office allows you to appeal, support will continue until a decision is made. Proof of the new claim is required before restarting support. If your asylum claim is denied, access to public funds will stop immediately.
Leaving care staff will work with the UK border agency and the National Asylum Support Service to provide financial support while you wait for instructions on leaving the country. If you are advised you are ARE, support is withdrawn and only given again if a fresh claim is accepted. You should seek advice from Migrant Help UK
UASC and new homes grant (NHG)
If you are a UASC young person and currently live in locate accommodation, or you have not yet been granted your asylum status, the leaving care service will agree to spend up to £300 from your new homes grant for essential items.
Once you have your asylum status, you may be able to access the full new homes grant amount, minus any amount up to £300 that you may have already spent.
Young people in education
16 and 17-year-olds
Personal Allowance:
If you’re eligible or relevant, you’ll receive a living allowance of £60 per week if you are living independently, in supported lodgings, or other accommodation. This is to help you to pay for your basic expenses like food, clothing and daily needs.
- if you are eligible, this means you spent any time in care after your 16th birthday
- if you are relevant this means you were in care for at least 13 weeks, including your 16th birthday
Rent:
If you’re 16 or 17 and need to pay rent, we will cover it because you can't claim benefits until you turn 18. The amount of rent they pay depends on your accommodation and support needs. For specific needs, they might help with housing costs even after you turn 18.
Financial help for education:
The 16 to 19 bursary fund helps you to buy core equipment and pay for travel costs to and from college. Care leavers can also get a bursary of up to £1,200 if you’re under 19 at the start of your course and meet the below criteria.
- you must have the legal right to live in the UK at the start of your program
- if you are ARE, you usually can't get funding until the Home Office resolves your situation. Funding is only for learners who can complete their programs
- you must have lived in the UK for the three years before the start of the academic year of your course
- you must be settled in the UK, meaning you have either indefinite leave to remain, or the right of abode in the UK
18 to 21-year-olds
Further education courses (non-advanced):
These are any courses that lead to qualifications below a degree, like GCSEs, A-levels, NVQs, and BTEC National Diplomas.
If you stay in further education (non-advanced) and don’t live with your parents, you can usually claim universal credit from the age of 18 until you are 21 or until you finish your course.
Please explore the department for work and pension’s website for more information.
University tuition fees
If bursaries or scholarships aren’t available, we can pay up to £3,000 per year (or a maximum of £9000 over the whole course) towards your university tuition fees, with the rest coming from a student loan. We will support you to apply for the relevant student finance.
You may also be able to get a bursary, which is split into multiple payments over the course or over three years. This is usually paid to you one month before you start the first year of your course. This is to help you to pay for any accommodation fees or other expenses. The rest of the bursary is usually paid to you when you successfully complete your first, second and third year, with proof.
You may also be able to get £25 per week cost of living allowance during term time if you live independently in the community, not in student halls.
University accommodation support:
We will help you apply for any available accommodation funds. During holiday periods, they can provide housing through the staying put service or cover the full cost of suitable accommodation, as required by the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.
This support starts from the first holiday after your course begins in Year one and ends after the final term of your course.
Suitable accommodation means a safe place that meets your needs. The first choice should be staying in university halls. If that's not possible, other options should be explored with your leaving care worker and agreed upon in your pathway plan. If the chosen accommodation is significantly more expensive than other options, you may need to contribute to the cost.
Before making any plans for summer accommodation, you must discuss them with your leaving care worker. They will then seek approval from the corporate parent to fund it. Do not secure summer accommodation without this approval.
Support for accommodation is only offered from the first holiday period following the start of term in year one and cannot be provided after the final term of your course.
Please remember:
- if accommodation is not approved in advance, it won't be funded
- there is a limit on costs; for example, booking an expensive villa in Spain for the summer would not be covered by ourselves. For example: maximum of local housing rate in your university area
- a payment of up to £150 per week can be made to a supported lodgings provider if you return home during holidays
Term-time rent:
You’ll be responsible for paying your own rent during term time using available loans, usually from Student Finance UK. You usually won't be eligible for benefits as a higher education student unless you’re a lone parent or have a disability. If there’s any doubt about eligibility, your leaving care worker can help you to check.
Earnings:
It’s expected that you’ll take part-time work while studying at university. Your student loans, grants, and bursaries won’t be affected by your earnings from work.
Other accommodation rent deposits and rent in advance:
In certain situations, you may be able to use part of your new homes grant for a deposit or seek additional support for private rented accommodation. To access this support, please speak with your leaving care worker, who will obtain authorisation from the children’s services manager and the corporate parent.
Additionally, if you are living in supported accommodation and start working, making the rent unaffordable, the corporate parent may assist by covering the rent gap for a short period. This allows you time to work with your leaving care worker to find more affordable housing.
For any of these options, please discuss your situation with your leaving care worker, who can guide you through the process.
Young people in work
16 and 17-year-olds:
Living Allowance: You’ll receive a living allowance of £60 per week if you’re eligible or relevant, regardless of employment status. This is to help you to pay for your basic expenses like food, clothing and daily needs.
If you are ARE, you will receive a living allowance of £40 per week.
Rent: If you’re 16 or 17 and must pay rent, we will cover this cost since you can’t claim housing benefit until you turn 18. Your earnings won’t affect these rent payments.
Note: normally, we don't pay rent for young people unless the corporate parenting manager agrees.
18 years and older:
Earnings and benefits: If you’re working but earning a low wage, you might be able to claim universal credit. This is a means-tested benefit, which means the amount you get depends on how much you earn.
Your universal credit payment will go down by £55pm for every £1 you earn. Your leaving care worker can help you contact the Department for Work and Pension (DWP) to find out what you can claim.
You can find out more by looking at the DWPs website too
Young parents and pregnant women
16 to 17-year-olds:
Personal allowance: you’ll receive a weekly payment of £60 if you’re eligible or relevant. This is to help you to pay for your basic expenses like food, clothing and daily needs.
Benefits: after your baby is born, you might be able to claim additional benefits as a lone parent. This means you are living with and responsible for your baby, and not living with others.
There could be other benefits you are entitled to, and your leaving care worker can help you to access support. See the DWP to check what you are entitled to.
New homes grant: You get an extra £500 per child, if they are born before you turn 21 years old and can access this until you turn 25.
Your child must be one year old or more to access this, this is to help you to set up a home for your child.
Your leaving care worker can also support you to access the sure start maternity grant and any other available support, to help you to be as prepared as possible for when your baby arrives.
Benefits and entitlements
In Lincolnshire,we have a point of contact at the DWP for care leavers to help ensure you are accessing the right benefits.
Council tax:
Under 18: you don’t have to pay council tax in Lincolnshire.
Over 18: once you turn 18, you must register and pay council tax if you have your own tenancy. Care leavers who are supported by the Lincolnshire leaving care service get a 100% council tax discount until the age of 25 in all seven districts of Lincolnshire.
Your leaving care worker will support you to contact your district council to ensure the discount is applied until you turn 25 years old.
New homes grant
The purpose of the new homes grant is to support you in moving into a home and buying the essential items you will need to thrive there. This includes things like:
- bedding
- kitchen equipment (for example pans, cutlery)
- removal costs
- white goods (for example a fridge or washing machine)
Any purchases you plan to make with the grant should be discussed with your leaving care worker and agreed upon by a team manager before you buy anything. This ensures that the money is spent wisely and on the items you really need.
The amount you are eligible for depends on when you turned 18:
- if you turned 18 on or after April 1, 2023, you are eligible for a £3,000 grant
- if you turned 18 before April 1, 2023, you are eligible for a £2,000 grant
Please note that only relevant or former relevant young people are eligible for a new homes grant.
Free prescriptions
You are entitled to free prescriptions up to the age of 25. Visit this site for more details and to apply directly or speak to your leaving care worker who will support you applying and getting access to the scheme
Other support
Identification documents:
We can cover the cost of a birth certificate, passport, or provisional driver’s licence for ID purposes needed for training and employment.
Travel:
Support for essential travel costs, like medical and legal appointments, visiting family, and accessing education, may be provided.
Support with leisure activities for 16 to 21-year-olds in independent accommodation:
You’re encouraged to use leisure facilities and pursue hobbies.
Financial support may be provided if these activities are part of your pathway plan, and you show commitment.
As a partner of Lincolnshire County Council, all seven district councils would like to offer free access to health and leisure facilities for care leavers from 16 up to the age of 21. Speak to your leaving care worker to apply
Birthday and festival gifts
We will give you £25 on your birthday (£50 for your 21st) and £50 each year for your festival (for example Christmas)