Bulky waste
Due to resource issues, we cannot take bulky waste phone calls today. The phone line will be open again at 9:30am on 22 April. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Our fostering payment scheme
Our payment scheme recognises the complex task of fostering. Find out more about the weekly fostering payment and allowance.
About Brighton & Hove's fostering payment scheme
You’ll receive financial support for every foster child in your care.
You could receive a minimum tax-exempt amount of £380 per week, up to £626 per week. This will depend on the type of fostering you do, the age of the young person in your care and the number of years you have been fostering.
The Brighton & Hove payment scheme is simple, fair, and easy to understand. It's competitive alongside local independent fostering agencies and other local authorities. It also recognises the complex task of fostering.
How your weekly payment is calculated
Your payment will consist of 2 parts. A professional "fee" for yourself and a day-to-day living "allowance" for the child.
Your weekly payment can be calculated by adding together the allowance per week for the child in your care, plus the fostering fee.
For example, if you're a Level 1 carer looking after a 6-year-old child, you will receive £240 plus £191 (£431 per week in total).
Allowance
Foster Carers receive a weekly fostering allowance which is designed to cover the cost of caring for a fostered child. This covers things such as food, clothes and toiletries.
The allowance depends on the type of fostering you do, the age of the young person in your care, and the number of years you have been fostering.
| Age | Allowance per week |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | £189 |
| 3 to 4 years | £196 |
| 5 to 10 years | £240 |
| 11 to 15 years | £291 |
| 16 to 17 years | £330 |
Fostering fee
Fostering fee payments are made on top of the allowance to recognise a foster carer’s time, skills and experience.
Level 1 Carer
Pre-completion of the Training Support Development Standards (TSDS) and 7 mandatory training courses - £191 per week
Level 2 Carer
Post completion of the Training Support Development Standards (TSDS), 7 mandatory training courses and any training identified in foster carer's PDP - £296 per week
Additional benefits
Many of our foster carers love to buy the children nice things and give them special treats. Especially when they’ve never experienced these things before.
As a local authority foster carer, you’ll receive a range of discounts and free entry at local venues to enjoy family days out.
We'll pay for you to become a member of The Fostering Network, the UK’s leading fostering charity, who work continually to secure a range of discounts for foster carers. These include discounted entry to adventure parks as well as discounted short breaks, subscriptions, insurance and more.
Foster carers are also eligible for a Blue Light Card which provides thousands of discounts online, and in high street retailers, restaurants and cinemas.
We’ll help you to create new special memories for the children. The fostering team enjoy sharing these moments with the children too – so we’ll organise special days out, paid for by the Fostering Service, for the whole fostering family to enjoy.
Tax
As a foster carer, you are “approved” rather than employed. This means that there is a huge variety in the type of fostering people do and that there are additional considerations such as:
- foster carers can increase or decrease the amount of fostering they do, alongside the ups and downs of family life
- fostering is a role that involves your whole family
- depending on the children needing care and your age preference, you might not foster continually for 12 months of the year, so you'll need to account for this in your budgeting
- foster carers can say ‘no’ to taking on a child
Foster carers are considered self-employed and are subject to special tax rules. This means they can be exempt from paying tax on all or most of their fostering income, depending on certain factors.
Find out more about fostering alongside employment.
Our team will talk to you about tax rules for foster carers and signpost you to more information.
The Fostering Network provides information on finances, including information about fees and allowances, tax and National Insurance, claiming benefits, mortgages for foster carers and more.