Weekly pay for foster carers
Foster carers receive a weekly maintenance allowance to cover the day-to-day expenses of caring for each child.
We will also pay you a professional fostering fee which reflects the needs of the young person. These payments are made per child, per week.
| Age | Weekly payments total |
|---|---|
| 0 to 1 year | £417 to £583 |
| 2 to 4 years | £423 to £589 |
| 5 to 10 years | £443 to £608 |
| 11 to 15 years | £474 to £639 |
| 16 to 17 years | £515 to £681 |
| Children with disabilities | £583 to £681 (depending on child's age) |
| Parent and child fostering | £1,264 (based on 1 parent and 1 child together) |
| 18+ Staying Put allowance (standard rate) | £230.32 |
Additional payments
There are additional payments for festivals like Christmas, birthdays, mileage or day care. Please get in touch for more information regarding any payments which may be available for our foster carers.
Staying Put arrangements
This relates to young people wishing to remain in their former foster placement once turning 18 and legally becoming an adult. The former foster carer receives a standard rate allowance of £230.32 per week and the young adult is responsible for budgeting their own expenses and applying for any relevant benefits.
'Inspire a friend' payments
When you talk about your role as a foster carer, people around you are inspired and might consider fostering themselves. Through our referral scheme, our foster carers can gain additional reward payments of £1,000 each time a new prospective foster carer mentions that you signposted them to contact the ESCC fostering service directly as part of their journey to become an approved foster carer.
When they are approved as a foster carer by our panel, you'll receive a one-off payment of £500 and another £500 when they accept their first placement.
Tax, national insurance and benefits
It's important that you understand what fostering will mean for your finances, now and in the future. As a foster carer, you may be entitled to claim benefits. Foster carers are self-employed and as such, you need to be aware of government requirements for tax and national insurance contributions.
There is a whole range of information to help. As an approved foster carer for ESCC, you will become a member of The Fostering Network who have lots of free resources to help you with advice and information, and you can also refer to GOV.UK
Each year we provide you with all the annual figures you will need to submit in your tax return too.
Some useful links:
- Rewards come in different shapes and sizes. Fostering moments and memories, big and small, matter and are often immeasurable.
One of our foster carers (above) explains the moment when a new child in their care began to trust them, just a little. When you realise you've made a connection, the feeling is immeasurable.
Most people don't foster for the money, there are so many rewards for you and your family, but we appreciate you probably can't foster without it. Please don't feel any awkwardness about asking for information about the allowances and fees you receive when you foster. Our team is happy to explain anything you need more information about.
Transferring to East Sussex County Council Fostering Service
You can still transfer with a child already in placement, even if they are placed with you by another local authority. We will guarantee that you continue with the same rate of payment for the duration of that placement and we are happy to discuss this when you contact us.
As a transfer, your assessment will be prioritised too. You won't have to start from scratch! We already know you have the relevant skills and fostering experience.
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