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How much do foster carers earn?

Foster carers are paid for the work they do, and receive money to cover the costs of having a child or children living with them. These payments are called fostering fees and allowances.

Woman and young toddler in shopping trolley

Foster carers are self-employed. They receive fostering fees for the time, knowledge and skills they bring to the role. Fostering allowances are paid to cover the costs of looking after the child or children who live with you. 

Fostering allowances and fees can seem complicated at first glance. Our advisors can explain how fostering fees and allowances work, so you can make informed choices about becoming a full-time foster carer, or whether you might need to carry on working as well. Foster carers can work full or part-time as well as being a foster family.

Local authority foster care allowances in the East of England

To help you focus on providing the support and care the children and young people in our region need, our local authority partners pay generous foster carer allowances. Some Foster East partners also pay additional fees for special occasions or retainer fees and provide other benefits such as memberships to fostering support organisations.

All partners are committed to paying fostering allowances in line with or above UK government guidelines. All authorities review the foster allowances whenever government guidelines change.

Everyone is different. If you'd like a better idea of the financial implications of becoming a foster carer based on your own personal situation, we can arrange for you to speak to an assessing social worker in your area.

More information about fostering payments and taxes

The Department for Education funds Fosterline, a call centre and corresponding website with confidential and impartial advice and information about a broad range of queries current and prospective foster carers may have, including specialist tax and benefits advice and support to the foster carer and members of the fostering household.

They can be contacted on Freephone number 0800 040 7675, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday or by visiting their website Fosterline.

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